A new study has revealed that Millennial office workers, that is those aged 18-34, are the generation most susceptible to suffering from the dreaded ‘3pm slump’.
With 82 percent admitting to losing focus and suffering from fatigue in the afternoon, this is a much higher number compared with 76 percent of Generation X (35-49-year-olds) and 67 percent of Baby Boomers (50-64-year-olds).
According to Psychologist Dr Suzy Green, there are a number of reasons for this. “Research has found Millennials are more stressed than any other generation due to multiple factors with money and work seen as the biggest pressures. Social media and ‘FOMO’ or ‘Fear of Missing Out’ also contributes to heightened stress. This, in turn, impacts significantly on sleep which also means they are more likely to experience a 3pm slump.”
While in European countries the siesta is the solution to combating afternoon tiredness, instead 63 percent* of Australian office workers prefer to have a non-alcoholic beverage, while only 32 percent choose to leave the office, and 12 percent who turn to social media.
Dr Green advises office workers to incorporate variety and movement into their afternoons, and has produced five tips for overcoming the 3pm slump.
- Schedule a new task around 3pm,
- time yourself on a task and aim to beat it,
- take a walk or get up from your desk,
- practice deep abdominal breathing, or
- try a new variety of beverage to mix up the day.
Music or a change of scenery can also help to reset the mind and overcome tiredness. Taking a laptop and working in a different space or putting on your favourite album can help to get your mind back to work for the afternoon.
* Research conducted in February 2017 by Nespresso in partnership with Galaxy Research Online Omnibus with 1,000 Australians aged 18 years and older, distributed across Australia. This study is based on 598 workers (full-time and part-time).
Image copyright: gstockstudio’>gstockstudio / 123RF Stock Photo
