The EXACT time workers hit the post-lunch slump revealed (and what you can do to prevent it)

  • A survey of 2,000 workers has revealed when we 'hit the wall'
  • Warm working environments and not enough sleep are big contributors
  • There are a few tricks to try and beat the mid-day slump
  • They involve fresh air on lunch breaks and copious amounts of coffee 

The time at which most workers 'hit the wall' has now been pinpointed - to 2.22pm exactly.

A survey of 2,000 workers has been able to specify exactly when the post-lunch slump kicks in, triggering a lull in concentration and a lack of productivity.

The study found that a lot of workers find themselves in this position up to three times a week. 

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Sleep deprived: On average, workers will go to bed at 10.29pm and set their alarms for 6.43am but despite this, will wake up wishing it was a Saturday. One only in 10 actually feel 'ready to go' when their alarms wake them up

Sleep deprived: On average, workers will go to bed at 10.29pm and set their alarms for 6.43am but despite this, will wake up wishing it was a Saturday. One only in 10 actually feel 'ready to go' when their alarms wake them up

The most common reasons for the mid-day slump is attributed to a warm working environment, not enough sleep and the sheer volume of workloads. 

Dehydration and eating too much at lunchtime were also found to contribute to British workers 'hitting the wall' in the afternoon. 

And it seems the slump can often be office-wide as more than three quarters of workers notice their colleagues have crashed at around the same time as they have.

Three in 10 people have been caught avoiding their workload and a quarter of those have even landed themselves in trouble with the boss because of it.

The most common result of a worker hitting the wall is  sending an email to the wrong person.

Getting busted: The survey reveals three in 10 workers have been caught trying to avoid their workload and a quarter of those have even landed themselves in hot water with their bosses because of it

Getting busted: The survey reveals three in 10 workers have been caught trying to avoid their workload and a quarter of those have even landed themselves in hot water with their bosses because of it

Others have told of drifting off in meetings only to come round and not know what anyone around them is talking about.

Struggling workers have called colleagues by the wrong name, made mistakes on important documents and even taken their phone off the hook so they don't have to speak to anyone.

If you don't eat properly at lunch and don't keep yourself hydrated then you're sure to lose concentration as the afternoon rolls on 

It is easy to spot a co-worker lacking in productivity and concentration due to their emails. They will often be littered with errors and spelling mistakes - they'll probably have even forgotten about a meeting they were supposed to attend.

On average, workers will set their alarm for 6.43am and go to bed at 10.29pm every workday night, so they get a decent amount of time in bed.

But despite this, a third of office workers will wake up wishing it was Saturday or will feel sleep deprived and only one in 10 will actually feel 'ready to go' when their alarm wakes them up in the morning.

This has led to many workers beginning to think of ways in which they can avoid the post-lunch slump and be more productive at their desks.

TOP 10 REASONS FOR HITTING THE WALL 

1. Warm office

2. Not enough sleep the night before

3. Big workload

4. Not enjoying work

5. Hot weather outside

6. Eating too much for lunch

7. A particularly busy morning

8. Dehydration

9. Money problems on the mind

10. Eating unhealthy food for lunch  

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TOP 10 RESULTS OF HITTING THE WALL

1. Emailing the wrong person

2. Coming round in a meeting and not knowing what anyone is talking about

3. Called someone by the wrong name

4. A mistake in an important document

5. Taking the phone off the hook

6. Errors & spelling mistakes in emails

7. Forgotten important meetings

8. Falling asleep in meetings

9. Missed important deadlines

10. Wrong quotes being sent for jobs 

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The study revealed that one in seven thinks a change in diet would help prevent them from hitting the wall.

In fact, half of the survey respondents said their diet is worse at work than it is at home and one in seven would say they eat a lot of junk food.

There are a few tricks 'serial slumpers' are currently using to try and combat the problem, the most popular being making sure they always get fresh air on their lunchbreak.

Drinking lots of coffee is another trick, as well as always making sure they take a full hour at lunchtime.

Chris Arrigoni, Director and Co-Founder of Get More Vitamin Drinks which commissioned the study, says: 'If you don't eat properly at lunch and don't keep yourself hydrated then you're sure to lose concentration as the afternoon rolls on.

'If you can make sure you're drinking enough liquids then you'll feel more awake and ready to tackle your workload.'

He added: 'While caffeine seems like an obvious choice for avoiding a crash in the afternoon, in reality it will probably make you feel worse as the day goes on.

'Cooler and more hydrating drinks are what you need to avoid the slump that greets you just after lunch.'

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