The Summer Slump..and How to Beat it

Happy first week of Summer!  Here begin the months of daydreaming about vacations (and hopefully taking a few as well), along with the accompanying decline in productivity.  This phenomenon is known as the “summer slump”.  

Check out this infographic created by Grasshopper that breaks down exactly how the summer months affect employees and their productivity.  25% of office workers across the U.S. feel significantly more unproductive during the summer months as a result of office temperature, lack of vacation, and summer distractions.  Perhaps this can be attributed to years of our school system conditioning us to expect THREE WHOLE MONTHS of vacation a year, and then entering the real world to find out we get a grand total of ten days (on average).

Here are some ways to get around the dreaded summer slump:

1.    Control your work space temperature - If you can, of course.  While too hot of a temperature will definitely lead to a decline in productivity, so will freezing cold cubicles.  During the summer, many offices will overcompensate with their indoor temperatures to combat the outdoor heat, which results in freezing, unproductive employees.  The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration recommends a temperature range of 68°F to 76°F.  Fun fact: the indoor thermal comfort regulations are based on a male’s average metabolic rate and overestimates a female’s, resulting in females being colder in the same temperature.  So make sure to tell your boss to take everyone into account!

2.    Exercise - We know that exercise can improve your concentration and has a whole host of other mental benefits (in addition to the obvious physical ones).  However, studies have shown that employees who exercise at work manage their time better and feel more productive on the days that they do.  So if you’ve got a way to exercise at work, do it.  If not, talk to us about our corporate wellness exercise programs.

3.    Take time for yourself - Instead of daydreaming of vacations you can’t take, take some time for yourself closer to home!  Mediate, get a massage, spend an evening alone binging on your favorite TV show, you name it!

This summer, let us help you beat the summer slump.  We may not be able to control your office temperature, but we absolutely can help you with exercising and taking time for yourself.

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Stand Up For Your Health

Literally!  Well, figuratively too of course.  But today we’re talking about literally standing, and why you should make that a priority to counteract the effects of sitting too long.

Long periods of sitting are associated with increased risk for diabetes, cancer, and can double your risk for cardiovascular disease.  As it turns out, people who sit for prolonged periods of time (more than 10 hours a day) have elevated levels of troponins (a protein that indicates heart damage).  While these elevated levels are not enough to qualify as cardiac disease, prolonged elevated levels could help explain why those who sit for long periods of time are at a higher risk of premature death than people who sit for less time.

Additionally, another recent study found that healthy middle aged adults who spent more time sitting had signs of cognitive decline in areas of the brain connected to memory formation. 

And now for more bad news…

According to a new analysis of studies of this subject published in the Lancet, you may be able to counteract the effects of sitting for too long with enough exercise.  The catch?  “Enough exercise” in these conditions is more than double the recommended amount of exercise for a healthy adult.  This means a MINIMUM of 60-75 minutes of exercise every day.  

The good news?

All hope is not lost! Combined with a healthy diet and exercise regimen, simply increasing your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) can be enough to counteract the dangers of sitting.  This is the energy you expend apart from the thermic effect of food, your basal metabolic rate, and your daily exercise.  Essentially, all the calories you burn from things like fidgeting, standing, and walking.  So, no need to work out for crazy amounts of time!

Ways to increase your NEAT and reduce sitting time could include asking your employer (or doing it yourself) to invest in a standing desk, taking short 10-minute walks every hour or so, and walking or biking to work.

Last but not least, here at Healing Hands we are big believers in prioritizing wellness both at work and at home.  We offer various services through our corporate wellness programs that can help get you up and moving.

So make sure to talk to your employer about any number of ways to encourage movement in the office, and don’t forget…stand up for your health!

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