Hey friend,
Can we talk about that 2 PM feeling? You know the one. Where your brain feels like it's wading through peanut butter, anxiety is creeping in, your coffee has betrayed you, and your to-do list is basically mocking you from across the desk. Yeah. That one.
I used to hit that wall every single day and have absolutely no idea what to do about it. So I'd do one of two things: panic-scroll Instagram for 45 minutes (and somehow feel WORSE about myself), or power through on fumes and then snap at my family later because I was completely depleted. Neither option was working. Shocker, right?
So I started experimenting. And I found something that actually works. Not every single time (let's be real, nothing works every single time), but enough that it's become my go-to move when the afternoon hits and I'm D-O-N-E.
I call it my "10-Minute Get Right". Yes, because that's exactly what I need in those moments - to get right! The best part about it is that it's easy. It's doable. It doesn't take long, there aren't a lot of strict rules, and you don't need any special equipment or tools.
What Is the 10-Minute Get Right (Anxiety Reset)?
The simplest way to describe it is it's an anxiety reset—a way to shake things up, to interrupt the pattern. You're hitting pause on whatever's draining you and giving your nervous system a chance to recalibrate. What happens when we fall into that afternoon slump is our brain tends to get stuck in fight-or-flight mode, and as you know, when we get there, our brain is convinced that everything is urgent and terrible and we're completely failing at life.
The reset doesn't wipe out your to-do list or make your problems disappear (I WISH). But it shifts you from reactive panic mode to responsive clarity mode. And honestly? That shift is everything. Everything!
I'm Going to Share With You Exactly What I Do To Get Right (My 6-Step Anxiety Reset):
1. Step Away From the Screen (Non-Negotiable)
I literally stand up and walk away from my desk. If I stay sitting there, I'll just keep half-working and half-resetting, which helps nothing and nobody. You gotta physically remove yourself to get unstuck. This is the most important step, so don't skip it thinking you can cheat the system. You can't. (Trust me, I've tried.)
2. Get Outside If Possible
Even if it's just standing on my porch or desk, or even just looking out a window. Natural light does something my indoor lighting never will. I'm sure there is some science behind this, although I don't know what it is (something about circadian rhythms and vitamin D, probably?), but I know it works. If you can't get outside, at least get to a window. Fresh air is ideal, but daylight is the bare minimum.
3. Do Three Deep Belly Breaths (For Anxiety Relief)
Not those weird shallow chest breaths we do when we're anxious (you know the ones). Real, slow, hand-on-belly breaths where you actually feel your stomach expand. In for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, out for 4 counts (yup, good ole box breathing). Just three times. That's it. This tells your nervous system "hey, you're not actually in danger, girl! You can relax"
4. Move Your Body for 5 Minutes to Release Anxiety
Sometimes it's a walk around the block. Sometimes it's dancing to one loud song in my kitchen (current favorite: anything from the 90s - 90s music just hits different). My favorite is squats. A gang of good old fashion booty to the floor squats. It's multipurpose - gets my mind right while building a booty. Winning! The goal isn't exercise, though —it's just getting out of your head and into your body. Because when we're stuck in our anxious thoughts, we forget we even HAVE a body. This reminds us.
5. Drink a Full Glass of Water
Turns out, sometimes my brain fog is just dehydration dressed up as anxiety. WHO KNEW? (not me!) I keep a big water bottle at my desk now, but during the reset, I actually drink a full glass. Slowly. My go-to is room temp, no ice but you do you. Drink it slowly and enjoy it. If it's hard for you to drink water, try adding a lil fruit to it or a squeeze or two of lemon or lime.
6. Ask Myself One Question
What's one small thing I can do right now that will make me feel better?
Not fix everything. Not solve all my problems. Just one tiny thing. Sometimes it's changing into comfortable pants (game changer). Sometimes it's texting a friend. Sometimes it's putting on chapstick because my lips are feeling crazy and I didn't even realize it until I asked myself the question.
That's it. Ten minutes. Sometimes less. And here's the beautiful part—after I do this reset, I can usually focus for another solid chunk of time. I make better decisions. I'm not snapping at people. And weirdly, I often get MORE done in the remaining hours than I would have if I'd just kept grinding.
When It Doesn't Work (Because Nothing Is 100%)
Some days, even after my reset, I'm still dragging. Some days I need more than ten minutes. Some days I do the whole thing and still feel like hot garbage—just slightly more hydrated hot garbage who moved their body.
It doesn't work if I try to do it AT my desk while continuing to work. It doesn't work if I skip the movement part because I'm "too tired" (which, by the way, is when I need the movement most). And it definitely doesn't work if I use those ten minutes to scroll through social media or news that makes my anxiety worse.
Through trial and error I've learned that even on the days when it only helps a little, a little is better than nothing. And on the days when it actually works? It feels like I found a secret door in my own brain that leads back to being a functional human.
Although it may feel that way, the afternoon slump isn't a character flaw. It's not evidence that you're lazy or can't handle your life. It's just your body and brain telling you they need something different than what you've been giving them. So, you gotta give em what they want!
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is stop trying to be productive for ten minutes. Give yourself that. You deserve it.
P.S. If you're reading this at 2 PM and hitting that familiar wall of exhaustion—this is your sign. Close the laptop. Take ten minutes to get right. Your afternoon (and your nervous system) will thank you.
P.P.S. Set a timer if you need to. Otherwise your brain will convince you that ten minutes is actually an hour and you'll panic halfway through. (Ask me how I know.)
For more stress relief techniques, check out my journaling for stress relief post.
