We’ve all been there. It’s 3 p.m., time seems to have slowed to a crawl, and your motivation has completely vanished. But you still have two more hours left of work.

What can you do to beat that dreaded afternoon slump? Your first thought might be to grab a quick snack — which isn’t such a bad idea.

In fact, food might just be the best way to boost office morale. Research shows that providing food at the workplace motivates people to work harder and helps lower absenteeism, ultimately contributing to a healthy and positive environment. Plus, about half of workers say that eating lunch makes them happier and less stressed. 

Here’s a look at why that is, plus a few additional techniques to avoid the afternoon crash.

The ultimate cure for the afternoon crash

Chances are, you’ve experienced the afternoon slump — and you’re not alone. The good news, though, is that employers can help by providing one critical thing: food. 

First, proper nutrition has been proven essential to workplace performance. Our 2023 Lunch Report found that simply taking a lunch break improves job performance for 78% of workers and increases mental clarity for 53%. Even something as simple as having protein- and fiber-rich snacks available can energize employees’ workday much more effectively than caffeine.  

But more than that, food is a mood changer. 

Don’t just take our word for it. Jeremy Burrows, executive assistant to the CEO of Capacity and host of The Leader Assistant Podcast, has also experienced first-hand the transformative effect of food in the workplace.

“When you’re having team meetings, staff meetings, parties, and board dinners, people will have a really good meeting if you have good food,” said Burrows. In other words, food — or the lack thereof — sets the tone for meetings and the office atmosphere.

“We often have leftover food after a board meeting that’s free for the taking,” he continued. “We will let the team know, people get really excited, and they rush into the kitchen to get some free food.”

Ways to beat the afternoon crash

Of course, food isn’t the only thing that can help beat the afternoon crash (but it is our favorite approach). Here are some other things that employees can do to help maintain their energy levels throughout the entire day. 

Catch up on sleep

The National Institutes of Health recommends that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. However, this is an unrealistic expectation for a lot of people. Over one-third of Americans get under seven hours of sleep at night, which, of course, contributes to their sleep deficit (also called sleep debt).

A higher sleep deficiency can lead to lower productivity, particularly in the afternoon. The body’s energy levels naturally subside in the afternoon and evening, but a sleep deficiency can compound that feeling of exhaustion. That’s why getting a good night’s sleep is critical to daily productivity.

Limit caffeine — or delay your intake

Raise your hand if you depend on caffeine — perhaps a bit too much — to get through the afternoon slump. Just like with food, this is incredibly common. However, unlike with food, using caffeine can easily backfire. 

Caffeine levels peak within an hour of consumption but can remain in your system for 10 or more hours. Suppose you drink a cup of coffee right at 2 p.m. You’ll feel the energy-lifting effects the most at 3 p.m. to keep your work levels up — but it won’t leave your bloodstream until about midnight. That can make it extremely difficult to fall asleep and even more challenging to wake up on time, creating a vicious cycle of exhaustion that we know all too well. 

It might be difficult (as we well know), but try to avoid consuming caffeine in the afternoon. You can even delay your morning caffeine a bit to ensure it lasts well into the afternoon. 

Get some sun

The sun naturally helps regulate the body’s sleep cycle. However, working in a building with artificial lights or spending days staring at a computer screen’s light can interfere with that natural pattern. 

Taking a quick afternoon walk or even spending a break near a window can give you enough sunlight exposure to help wake you up a bit. 

Use the Pomodoro Technique

Another option is strategically taking periodic breaks to help you better manage your time and fight the afternoon slump. 

You can try the popular Pomodoro Technique, which involves 25-minute work sessions followed by 5-minute breaks. After four 25-minute sessions comes a longer break, up to 30 minutes. 

And during those breaks, you can take some much-needed time to socialize with coworkers, further boosting productivity.  

Understanding the notorious afternoon slump 

According to a Paychex survey, over 80% of employees experience the afternoon slump. What’s even more surprising is that it’s not just an occasional occurrence. On average, people reported feeling an energy crash 3.2 days a week, which is more than half the workweek.  

This afternoon crash is normal — at least in part — due to the body’s natural circadian rhythm. However, several other factors often exacerbate afternoon tiredness, such as sleep deprivation and burnout. 

Based on 2022 data, 41% of employees work 45 or more hours each week, increasing the probability of exhaustion and burnout. In fact, a 2023 Gallup article reported that 75% of employees experience burnout at least occasionally, and 25% frequently struggle with burnout. 

As you can imagine, the result is often a more severe afternoon slump, affecting the entire office’s productivity and mood.

Beat the afternoon slump with food from ezCater

Even with all these techniques, there’s nothing quite like the effects of healthy meals to beat the afternoon slump. Don’t let your business’s performance falter because employees regularly feel tired in the afternoon. Instead, give them the energy they need to stay productive all day with workplace meals. ezCater makes it easy to order office lunches (and breakfasts, brunches, snack bars, etc.), regardless of your company’s size. With over 100,000 restaurants on the marketplace, you can easily find vendors that meet your budget and needs, ordering for occasional catering needs or setting up recurring meal delivery for your teams. See for yourself how ezCater can help you boost your office’s mood with food.