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Jessica Pett / November 18, 2024

Is the impending invasion of e-waste avoidable?

Lamps and microwaves, medical devices and routers, laptops and air conditioners; all these and infinitely more fall under one umbrella term, e-waste. E-waste refers to all electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), and their parts, that have been discarded without the intent of re-use. That goes for commercial and household products alike, all falling under one of six categories: cooling/freezing equipment, screens/monitors, lamps, large equipment, small equipment and small IT and telecommunications equipment. Any product under these categories has a lifecycle of its own, and comes with its own waste quantities, economic values, and potential health and environmental impacts.  

The problem?  

E-waste has been accumulating at astonishing rates in the last 10-15 years and recycling efforts are not keeping up. According to a report made by The Global E-Waste Statistics Partnership, a record 62 million tonnes (Mt) of e-waste was produced in 2022, up 82% from 2010. In contrast, less than a quarter of that e-waste, only 22.3% to be exact, was documented as being disposed of properly. When this waste is not handled properly, it can create major health and environmental hazards. Many of these electronic items contain toxic substances like mercury, which when exposed to us can damage the human brain. 

With society’s growing dependence on electronics in our daily lives, the numbers are only going to increase. It is important now more than ever that the issue of proper handling of e-waste be addressed, despite the significant barriers. 

What happens to e-waste that isn’t recycled? And why? 

According to Statista, close to 18-million metric tons of e-waste was handled by being shipped to low-income countries with limited management infrastructure and another 14 million metric tons were disposed of as residual waste – most likely ending up in landfills. Keeping in mind that these most recent numbers are from 2022, it is not surprising that e-waste is now the fastest growing waste stream in the world, forecasted to reach 82 million metric tonnes in 2030.  

You might be wondering, “If that’s true, then why isn’t more being done about the improper disposal?” Many challenges contribute to the fact that such a large percentage of e-waste is not being recycled. These include higher consumption, limited repair options, shorter product life cycles, design shortcomings, and inadequate e-waste management structures. Not to mention that processing e-waste is quite complicated and can be very hazardous for people, wildlife and the environment. 

What is being done? 

To help curb these numbers, some governing bodies have implemented legislations and regulations that require the producers of these items to take responsibility throughout the entire life cycle of a product. In Canada, these regulations are made provincially but all have the same end goal –  holding producers accountable of their product and the negative impact it could have. The United States has no federal legislation with regards to e-waste, but some states have implemented their own regulations. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also oversees e-waste in America and one of their major initiatives is the International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN), where best practices and experiences are shared by officials from around the world in an effort to reduce the negative impact on public health and the environment while also promoting positive socio-economical outcomes.  

What is the resolution? 

While the resolution is not a one-and-done solve, there are some ways we can do our part to reduce the environmental impact of incorrectly handled waste.  

  1. Research and utilize recycling programs. Many electronic resellers have recycling programs wherein you can drop off your e-waste for them to properly dispose of it. 
  2. Donate your e-waste. While your electronic item may no longer serve its initial purpose, its parts could still be used in other ways. For example, sell back your old phone to the company you are buying your new one from, they will likely reuse its parts for refurbishment. 
  3. Set a limit for yourself. Allow yourself a limited number of electronic or appliance purchases in a set time period, reducing your share of the overconsumption. 
  4. Education. Implementing education programs in schools, community centres, reseller locations and other public forums will help to raise awareness of this rapidly growing problem. 

In conclusion
 

Electronics are not going anywhere, and therefore, neither is the corresponding e-waste. As the years go on and as society becomes more and more dependent on electronics, proper management of e-waste will become even more vital. If the public and governing bodies adopt the resolutions already put in place, educate where possible and do their part in their personal lives, there could be a chance to make a substantial impact. 

Jessica Pett / November 12, 2024

Overcoming the Feeling of Inferiority to Improve Your Team’s Knowledge Bank

Let’s face it, we can’t be experts in every field, so we can only benefit from surrounding ourselves with colleagues who have diverse expertise, adding to the overall knowledge bank of the team. That being said, it can also sometimes feel intimidating, working alongside those we might view as ‘smarter’ than us. In this issue of The Pulse, we discuss why it’s important to shift that mind set in order to leverage the group’s knowledge as a whole.

A successful and efficient team is typically made up of those whose knowledge covers a diverse range of topics. Teams are constantly evolving- most commonly due to a gap in skills as we face the ever-changing business landscape. In fact, 66% of employers say that hiring someone new is the main way they address a skill gap on their team. Now more than ever, there is a constant need for experts in new areas and adapting to this is not always easy.

Managers are responsible for ensuring their team’s success by creating an environment to thrive as a group. That can often mean hiring those who might have an advanced understanding of certain areas, have more up-to-date credentials, or have a different educational background. From the perspective of management, this can sometimes feel like an uncomfortable task. It is normal to feel some sense of insecurity when managing someone with a different level of expertise than you might have. It is important to keep in mind that the stronger a team you can build as a manager, the higher the potential for the team to achieve great things.

As a colleague in this situation, it can be difficult to acclimatize to a new team member. Often, we are set in our ways and our routines. We have worked together on many projects and have overcome different hurdles together. When a new member is added to the mix, it can feel like somewhat of an intrusion. Remember to focus on the value being added to the group as a whole. How will this lighten our load or strengthen our team? What new skills are they bringing that will elevate us to new heights? How will this positively affect our network of people and skills?

Whether a manager or a colleague, here are some helpful tips from a growth and development keynote speaker, Rob Collier, who passionately teaches about entrepreneurship, community and human performance in order to become the best you:

  1. Leverage your Collective Strengths: Recognizing that a diversity in strengths and talents can lead to more successful end results through effective problem-solving and innovations.
  2. Embrace Continuous Learning: Every interaction you have inside and outside of the workplace is an opportunity to learn. You will never know it all, so consider it a free education when you have a chance to learn and grow through observing those around you.
  3. Foster a Growth Mindset: Allow yourself to see that intelligence and ability are qualities that can be developed, so believe in your potential to grow.
  4. Build a Strong Network: Form connections with colleagues who can help you to create a valuable network of mentorship. These connections can open doors to new opportunities for you to learn and develop.
  5. Enhancement of Team Performance: Know that high-performing teams are composed of those with varied levels of expertise. Focus more on what you can bring to the team to uphold and elevate the performance level that is desired by all.

In conclusion, regardless of what one individual might bring to the team, it is the collective capabilities of the group that create success in the end. Rather than focusing on what you may not have to contribute, dive into what strengths you have that can help your team to succeed and achieve results. Having confidence in your own abilities while also keeping an open mind to learning from those around you will only make you and your team stronger.

Jessica Pett / November 4, 2024

Employee wellness plans are in your business’ best interest.

Many employers are concerned about the increasing cost of healthcare and other wellness programs, and how that impacts employee wellbeing and retention in the long run. While those concerns aren’t unfounded, employers are also starting to take note of the many benefits these programs can have on their business. If this consideration isn’t in your business’ overall strategy, then it should be. In this article, we take a look at why that is.  

Not Cheap but Worth It 

Companies are currently spending anywhere between 15% and 30% of their payroll on healthcare and wellness plans for their employees. For this reason, business leaders are constantly looking for ways to reduce costs in this area. Employers often try alternative solutions like reducing their number of employees, selecting a less expensive benefit plan, or shifting a portion of the costs to the employee – none of which have had significant impacts that didn’t also financially affect their employees.  

Benefits Outweigh the Costs 

Those who control the purse strings are starting to understand that there are financial benefits to enrolling in health and wellness plans. While the upfront cost of these programs can widely vary (anywhere from under $100 to over $2000 per employee), and can often feel like a substantial expense, when taking into account the return on investment to the company, the benefits come back three-fold.  

Offering a health and wellness program can reward you with significant tax reductions per participating employee each year. These savings can then be fed back into the business’ working capital. In addition, data has shown reductions of claim costs averaging $1,400 over a three-year period. While there are clear upfront savings to be had, there are other indirect benefits that also contribute to the ROI for the employer. 

Promoting Preventative Measures 

By providing easy access to a health and wellness program, companies are promoting a healthy lifestyle shift to their employees. When taking part in these programs, employees are able to take notice of and address any emerging health issues before they become more severe. This indirectly benefits the bottom line by reducing the number of health claims. In fact, United Healthcare states that 49% of healthcare costs can be addressed by the participation in wellness programs. They say, “When employees are healthier, they may have fewer claims, lower their health risks and slow or even reverse the progression of costly chronic conditions.” 

Improved Employee Retention 

One of the ways in which employers have been trying to lighten the burden of healthcare costs is by placing some of the financial responsibility on the employee by having them cover a portion of the cost. That has been a serious con for both current and incoming employees, and studies have shown that it is a significant roadblock to recruiting and maintaining good talent. In a study by MetLife, 60% of employees agreed with the statement, “The employee benefits offered to me are an important reason why I remain with my employer,” and 40% agreed with the statement, “The employee benefits offered to me were an important reason why I came to work for this employer.” When adopting a health and wellness program, companies are indirectly helping reduce their bottom line by retaining their workforce as the usual hiring and training expenses of regular employee turnover are reduced.  

Loyalty, Productivity and Mental Health 

United Healthcare found that nearly 90% of employees who work in a company that is focused on health report being happier. Employees find major value in knowing that their employer cares about their health and wellbeing. With that in mind, they are inherently more likely to stay loyal to their employer. In addition, productivity has been shown to significantly improve. Employees who partake in a health and wellness plan are more likely to feel happy and fulfilled in their personal lives, which inevitably transfers into a positive attitude at work and therefore creates higher levels of productivity. In contrast, a global survey by McKinsey Health Institute found that employees experiencing at least one mental health challenge (nearly three in five) report worse employee experience metrics and are four times more likely to want to leave their organization. 

In Conclusion
 

It is true that implementing a health and wellness program for your organization can be costly, but when looking at the number of benefits there are to be had by both employee and employer, you’re sure to come out on top. Besides the upfront financial benefits, the true ROI comes from ensuring that your employees are happy, healthy and satisfied – you should then see the indirect benefits of your health and wellness programs come to fruition too. 

Jessica Pett / October 29, 2024

The Art of Delegation

As a leader, it can be intimidating to delegate tasks and there are many potential reasons for the hesitancy. 

  • They may lack the confidence it takes to assign duties 
  • They may feel it will take longer to explain the task rather than just doing it themselves 
  • They may enjoy doing certain tasks themselves 
  • They may feel guilty adding anything more to a colleague’s plate 

While these factors can be hard to overcome as a leader, the benefits certainly outweigh the uncertainties.  

In this article, we discuss the ways in which the art of delegation can be an effective management tool. 

An Efficient Workplace 

Delegation can create an efficiency that is beneficial to all parties involved. Higher level management are awarded with more time to focus on their high priority tasks, while middle management and their teams can assist in getting other meaningful tasks completed. With this strategy in place, the workplace can function like an autonomous machine when done correctly.  

Let’s take a look at some steps to achieve effective delegation in the workplace. 

  1. Identifying the tasks that can be delegated. Of course, not everything can be assigned away, but labelling each task on your to-do list with a level of importance will help you determine what can. Maybe you have a team member who really excels in a certain area or has workplace goals that completing a certain task could help them achieve. What on your to-do list could be mutually beneficial for you to get off your plate? 
  2. Be okay with letting go of control. Many newer managers and leaders struggle with the idea of losing control over the outcomes of the work being done. Think of it this way- you’ve likely had a hand in the hiring of those on the other end of your delegation. They were chosen for the job because they are good at what they do, practice having trust in their abilities to complete the task-at-hand based on all of the reasons they were hired in the first place. 
  3. Know your team and their strengths. Delegating a creative task to an analytical numbers person isn’t going to work. Make time to understand the skill sets of each of your team members so that when tasks are delegated to them, you can feel confident that they will do a great job in completing it. 
  4. Provide training and guidance. Contrary to some of the previous points made, it is also important not to blindly assign work, simply because that member of your team ‘should know’ what to do. When delegating, it is important to outline your expectations for the task, provide any necessary context, and offer a helping hand throughout the process if needed. Maybe regular 1:1 check-ins would be beneficial throughout the completion process? 
  5. Allow differing results- but verify. Everyone does things differently; learn to understand that the work is not going to come back exactly the way you would have done it, and that’s ok! The focus here is that the work is being completed effectively. Constructive feedback can be helpful but putting trust into your team member to complete the task to the best of their ability is too. Ultimately, you will still verify that the work has been done to the standard you require. After all, the quality of the work will reflect the person who delegated it. 
  6. Give credit where credit is due. Delegating work should be a mutually beneficial process; you reduce your workload, and your team gets to develop new skills and work on important projects. While you, as the leader, may be praised by other department managers for a job well-done, it is important not to take credit if it’s work you’ve delegated. A strong team consists of effective team players and a part of that means appreciating colleagues who lend a hand in lightening your load.  

In conclusion…

Being able to delegate work is the perfect way to practice your leadership skills while also giving your team the opportunity to develop their skills too. The art of delegation is a mutually beneficial ideology that can and should be adopted throughout all of the workforce and has the ability to set you and your team up for success.  

Jessica Pett / October 21, 2024

Sustainability is a pressing concern in the shipping industry.

When it comes to the realm of shipping, an industry synonymous with greenhouse gases, large carbon footprints, and air pollution, any efforts made to increase sustainability are appreciated.

In this article we look at the importance of keeping sustainability at the forefront when it comes to Small Package and Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) shipping.

In the United States, transportation accounts for 28% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions and of that, 42% comes from freight shipments. Broken down even further, of that 42%, 23% is from the trucking or motor freight industry specifically.

Why should shipping companies care?

Shipping companies can also benefit from making a conscience effort in reducing their carbon footprint.

  1. A substantial percentage of consumers have been proven to favor vendors whose core values include eco-consciousness. According to a Global Consumer Insights survey, 61% of millennials aged 27-32 are more likely to support companies that are conscious and supportive of protecting the environment.
  2. Financial benefit is also to gain through sustainability efforts – reducing operations costs and resource consumption can lead to more optimized finances and better overall fiscal health.
  3. Being sustainable does not only refer to the climate, but to operational efficiency as well. By streamlining operations, these companies are indeed helping to reduce emissions but are also improving their own workplace performance.

How have shipping companies already made changes?

We are starting to see the ways in which some small package and LTL shippers are already adopting climate actions. USPS has over 246, 000 vehicles travelling over a billion miles per year and are aware of the impact that can have on our planet. Some climate-minded solutions they have adopted are optimizing truck routes, ensuring loads are as full as possible before departing to reduce the number of trips needed, and planning to deploy more than 66,000 electric vehicles by the year 2028.

Other shippers have their own approach to sustainability. FedEx is aiming for carbon neutrality by the year 2040. One of their methods for achieving this goal has been to collaborate with a number of other eco-conscious companies. BrightDrop, who enable emissions-free deliveries with their electric delivery systems, is one of them. They have started a pilot program with FedEx Express that has allowed couriers to handle 25% more packages per day, thus optimizing resources.

How can you, as a business owner, help?

When choosing your shipping provider, ensure that they are keeping in mind all of the possible ways that they can optimize sustainability in their offerings. By working with providers who continuously value these goals, you are making a difference too.

In conclusion


While operating sustainably can sometimes be logistically complex, any extra effort made by small package and LTL shippers will have a significant impact on the well-being of our climate.

 

 

Cal Wilson / October 15, 2024

Be honest about your work capacity

It can be very tempting to take on more than you have the time or energy for, especially at work. Everyone wants to do a good job, impress their colleagues, accomplish tasks, and make advancements. However, balancing these desires – whether they be ambition-based or people-pleasing in nature – with being realistic about your capacity is important to your success on the job. In this issue of the Pulse, we explore this balance.

Not being honest about your work capacity ends up being counterproductive.

Saying “yes” all the time may not make you the high-performer that you set out to be. There’s a good chance it will lead to such consequences as burnout, missed deadlines, resentment, and frustration. Ensuring you are only working within your capacity means that things will get done on time, you won’t feel perpetually stressed, and your workplace relationships will operate more smoothly.

If you’re looking to do good work, avoiding burnout is critical. Burnout is a is a special type of work-related stress, characterized by:

  • Reduced sense of accomplishment.
  • Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion.
  • Increased mental distance from one’s job.
  • Feelings of negativity and cynicism towards one’s job.
  • Loss of personal identity.
  • Reduced personal efficacy.

Consistently risking burnout by agreeing to more than you can realistically handle is a threat to your career and your physical and mental well-being.

Avoiding burnout isn’t the only benefit of being honest about your capacity.

This isn’t just preventative. There are other benefits to being honest about your workplace capacity. On top of maintaining the high quality of your work, it can also:

  • Build trust and transparency between you and your colleagues.
  • Promote more effective resource allocation across projects.
  • Contribute to a healthier workplace environment.

It is in your best interest, and the best interest of your whole team, to be upfront about what you can and cannot take on.

You don’t have to just say no.

Saying “yes” feels easier and more polite. Many of us have a sense of reluctance when it comes to saying no; fearing it will make us seem unhelpful, rude, or bad to work with. This doesn’t have to be the case. There are ways to state your boundaries without coming across as negative.

Again, it all comes down to that honesty piece. Explaining what you have on your plate, and that it isn’t a good time for you, but that you’d love to help when you can, is a constructive way of reiterating your capacity.

In conclusion


Despite the pressure and desire to be a person who always says yes, it’s not the only way to be helpful. Honesty and transparency goes a long way in preventing burnout and increasing efficacy across your whole team.

Cal Wilson / October 7, 2024

How to assess a SaaS platform’s security.

More and more, businesses are migrating their operations onto the cloud. Software as a Service (SaaS) is becoming standard across all industries, and for a variety of functions. However, moving any sort of data online comes with the risk of data breach.  

This is no small fear. In 2023, IBM found the average data breach cost is $4.88 million USD – the highest that number has ever been.  

So how can your business make a proactive, safe decision when purchasing SaaS subscriptions? In this article, we take a look.  

When in doubt, ask. 

You’re likely working with a SaaS vendor or reseller who is an expert in their offerings. Ask them to explain the security and show proof. Some SaaS providers will even offer detailed security whitepapers or a more thorough security assessment upon request. If they can’t answer your questions, that’s a red flag.  

Likewise, client testimonials that speak to this area are never an unfair ask.  

Some questions to highlight. 

If you are talking to a vendor and don’t know what to ask, here are some questions to help guide the discussion: 

  • What sort of data encryption protocols does the platform follow? 
  • Is multi-factor authentication an option for user login? What about single sign-on? 
  • Does the platform allow granular permissions based on user roles? 
  • What is the vendor’s documented incident response process and how do they handle security breaches? 
  • What is the platform’s backup frequency, retention policy, and recovery time objective (RTO) in case of an outage? 
  • Do they have a vulnerability assessment for you to review? Do they conduct regular third-party penetration tests? 

Of course, depending on your industry and needs, there may be more to ask. But these questions are important when determining the strength of a platform’s security.  

Keep security certifications in mind.  

Industry standards mean that many SaaS applications should proudly disclose their security certifications. Some of the important ones to look out for include: 

  • ISO/IEC 27001 – the world’s best-known standard for information security management systems (ISMS). It provides companies of any size and from all sectors of activity with guidance for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system. Conformity with ISO/IEC 27001 means that a SaaS platform’s operations respect all the best practices and principles enshrined in this International Standard. 
  • SOC 2 Type II – the System and Organizations Control (SOC) framework’s series of reports offer some of the best ways to demonstrate effective information security controls. A SOC 2 Type II report confirms that a SaaS platform has robust controls for data security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. 
  • PCI DSS – any platform that handles payment card data should be PCI compliant, just like your business has to be.  

Again, this isn’t an exhaustive list, of course. Industry-specific certifications also exist and should be taken seriously. 

In conclusion
 

It’s critical that you assess any SaaS platform’s security before purchasing a subscription. Your business’ financial health and reputation depend on it. Asking the vendor tough questions and ensuring the necessary security accreditations are met is a strong first step in determining which platforms are safe for your business.  

Jessica Pett / September 23, 2024

Is tap-to-pay more secure?

Tap
 and go!  

The ability to tap-to-pay has been around since 1995, where it was first introduced as a way to pay for public transportation. Over the years, many other adaptations have been born and in recent years, consumers have had the ability to keep their bank cards right at their fingertips. Contactless payment has become the most prevalent method across all consumer industries in recent years- largely due to its convenience factor. Whether it be on our smartphones or smart watches, consumers no longer even have to go into their wallets to make their purchases. But what does that mean for the security of our sensitive information? In this article, we take a look at what measures are in place to protect your personal data and what you can be doing to help yourself.  

Who oversees the protection of my mobile payment data?  

The PCI SSC (Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council) is the governing body over which standards in payment account data security are continuously created, implemented, monitored, and adjusted in an effort to protect consumers who use bank cards. Any type of business that handles payment card data needs to be PCI compliant.  

The four main ways that the PCI SSC help to keep your payments secure are by: 

  • Managing global payment security standards 
  • Validating and listing products and solutions that meet PCI SSC standards and program requirements 
  • Training, testing and qualifying security professionals and organizations 
  • Providing free best-practices and payment security resources 

Over time, the PCI SSC has deployed many different standards in keeping with the ever-changing technological landscape. One of their most recent standards deals with mobile payments specifically. With the introduction of the ability to use our phones and watches to make contactless payments, there was a need to adjust the standard. This new standard ensures that merchants who accept cardholder PINs or contactless payments using a smartphone, or other commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices, are maintaining compliancy requirements. 

Ok it’s technologically secure, but can theft still occur? 

Not only is it comforting to know that there is a governing body enforcing compliance when it comes to our financial privacy, but you may be surprised to know that experts have said that using ‘tap’ is physically the safest payment method currently available to us, as well. This goes for ‘tap’ using a credit or debit card and right from your smart device. 

Card theft and fraud in the past has typically happened physically, wherein, a card would be stolen and then used for fraud, card cloning, or other counterfeit tampering methods. Now, with the innovation of tap-to-pay, you can feel safer. Each time you make a purchase using ‘tap’, Near Field Communication (NFC) creates a unique, one-time code in order to transmit the customer’s account data to the merchant’s terminal, safely. That code ensures a secure communication between the two parties which significantly reduces the amount of risk you assume when making purchases this way. These same parameters go for tap-to-pay on your smart devices, but the level of security is even greater. 

Let’s talk about why. 

  • You no longer have a physical card to pull out of your wallet, eliminating the risk of dropping or losing your card and therefore disallowing the opportunity for theft or card-skimming to occur.  
  • Smart devices require either two-factor authentication, facial recognition or fingerprint recognition to access your payment cards. There is very little opportunity for theft or deception to occur with these restrictions in place.  
  • The only information being transmitted between the two devices is the unique one-time code. Your address, account numbers, name, etc. are not being shared. 

Do your part, too. 

Of course, there is always an exception to every rule, so it is important to do your part in protecting your information.  

  • Keep your devices up to date. New security measures are always being added to the new operating systems updates. By having the latest updates installed, you can feel comfortable knowing any bugs or dysfunctions have been improved upon or fixed.  
  • Be careful connecting to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Bluetooth is a technology that allows your devices to link to other Bluetooth-compatible devices. Wi-Fi networks that are public or unprotected can be risky to utilize as anyone can join them. These wireless connections leave room for hackers to gain access to your devices. Only join Wi-Fi networks and pair with Bluetooth devices that you trust.  
  • Keep your information to yourself. Never share payment details like credit card numbers, passwords, etc., via text message or email. Doing so will leave you vulnerable to all kinds of dangerous and malicious activity. 

In conclusion
 

While there are some dangers associated with using contactless payment methods, the overall consensus is that they are here to stay. Consumers enjoy the ease, convenience, and safety of tap-to-pay and even more so of mobile tap-to-pay. In the fast-moving pace of the world today, convenience is highly sought-after and using ‘tap’ is just one of the modern day conveniences we all enjoy. 

Jessica Pett / September 17, 2024

Overcoming the afternoon slump.

It happens to all of us in the workforce, a certain fatigue overcomes you; you check the time and low and behold, it’s 3:00 p.m.! It always happens around 3:00 p.m.- the dreaded afternoon slump. You wonder to yourself, ‘Did I have a bad sleep?’, ‘Did I forget to eat breakfast today?’, ‘Why am I so tired?’. You’ll be happy to know it’s not something you brought on yourself, its your circadian rhythm– your body’s internal clock.

Understanding your Internal Clock

All of us have a pretty similar clock; it runs on a 24-hour time period and dictates our sleep-wake cycle. Generally, we flip-flop between low and high energy cycles based on the time of day. We’re low when we wake up and are still feeling groggy, high when it hits mid-morning and after we’ve fuelled our bodies with breakfast, then our infamous mid-afternoon slump, followed by an early-evening high and then a final low before bed. Sound familiar? Certain factors can affect your circadian rhythm, like being a night-shift worker, daylight savings time, or having a baby keeping you up through the night, but for the most part, people typically experience their afternoon slump between 1:00-4:00 p.m.

How to Overcome It

The internet is certainly not short of tips and tricks for getting yourself through the afternoon, but here is a list of those backed by science:

  • Fitness break. Getting your body moving, your blood flowing, will cause your senses to sharpen and in turn, get you more focused. Go for a quick walk or do a few stretches – something that will get you on your feet and out of your office chair.
  • Don’t rely on caffeine to do the job. Christopher Barnes, an assistant professor at the University of Washinton, says caffeine really doesn’t consistently give you more energy. “The more dependent you are, the less benefit you gain from using it and the more you need it just to get to your normal level.” He suggests using caffeine strategically, like before a big meeting.
  • Listen to music. Just like you would use upbeat, fast-paced music to get pumped up for a workout, or slow, chill music to relax, it can be a useful tool in waking up your senses during that afternoon lull too.
  • Drink Fluids. Preferably water, but keeping your body hydrated plays a big roll in its performance, physically AND mentally.
  • Eat a proper breakfast. Just like the importance of staying hydrated is important, so is the way in which you fuel your body. Skimping on or skipping your morning meal means depriving yourself of essential nutrients that aid in your focus, communication, problem-solving and productivity.

While all of these are helpful tips, it is also important not to expect ourselves to be running at 100% capacity all day long. Author, Carson Tate says, “Just as you wouldn’t expect yourself to walk at a brisk pace for eight solid hours, you shouldn’t expect yourself to be focused or think strategically for that amount of time.” Understanding the way your body works and then adapting your productivity style to it, can be effective in preventing burnout. The afternoon slump is the perfect time to take on some of your simpler tasks and give your brain a second to relax and regroup.

In closing, remember to get up from your desk and get in some physical activity, listen to music that will pump you up, drink proper fluids and ensure you’ve nourished your body. Don’t work on important or highly intellectual tasks during the afternoon lull and don’t depend on caffeine to push you through the day. Keeping these in mind will give you the best shot at overcoming that mid-afternoon slump every day.