The Afternoon Apathy Syndrome

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An executive who spends his morning checking email or doing routine correspondence is forfeiting his most creative hours. Do your toughest tasks at this time. Researchers say that 11 am is also the best time to schedule an important meeting or make a presentation because most people are at peak alertness then.

Soon after lunch, mental sharpness begins to head south and a wave of sleepiness hits most people, including those who skipped lunch. Suddenly you find your concentration fading. This period can, however, be a good time to catch up on “busywork” or tasks that require less mental concentration such as returning phone calls, sending emails, reading, sorting out papers.

Tweak your timings to your biology and you are likely to accomplish much more in your day. According to Dr Bob Arnot, chief medical correspondent for NBC News, the key principle of a biologically successful day lies in understanding how your body and brain chemistry changes over the day. What you are in the morning is entirely different to what you are in the afternoon or evening. “Scheduling the perfect day accounts for knowing how your body functions during each period,” he says.

Second, what you eat for lunch can also have a significant impact on the slump that follows. Research after research points to the same innocent-looking villain: carbohydrates. The rice, pasta, bread roll, dessert are like the archetypal tease: first they seduce you, then send you crashing.

Food is directly linked to mood and understanding this subtle connection can help you shift the energy balance to your advantage. You can buy yourself an afternoon peak simply by eating right. Both, proteins and carbohydrates trigger neurotransmitters in the brain that effect our energy levels—but in opposite ways.

Protein is converted in the body to dopamine and norepinephrine, brain chemicals associated with alertness. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, prompt the manufacture of serotonin, which is a natural sedative. When you have protein, you think and react more quickly. When you have carbos, you begin to space out. A power lunch isn’t just about who you eat with, but also about what you eat. Stay alert: skip the pasta, have the chicken.