Study pinpoints the exact time office workers experience the afternoon slump - when to grab that coffee?

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The study also showed the optimal time workers peak during their work day, alongside what kills productivity in the workplace.

The afternoon slump: that period during a working day when the mind and body decide enough is enough. Now researchers have shown the exact time that workers feel the peak of exhaustion during a working day, and offer explanations as to why the afternoon slump occurs.

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Office Freedom, who conducted the study, revealed that on average most office workers will feel the effects of an afternoon slump shortly after their lunch break at around 1:27pm, followed by a second slump at 2:06pm. The agency also reported that employees felt tired three times on average over a working day, with spending too much time at a computer and not taking enough breaks as the main reasons for this.

“It can be so hard to maintain focus during the working day,”Office Freedom said. “There’s a host of different distractions which can take our mind away from our work and what we’re supposed to be concentrating on. Having a work environment which helps you be your most productive is important as it makes sure you’re making the most of your time.”

The study also showed that 10:22am is considered for many office workers the ‘peak time’ for their productivity and that more than half (54 percent) surveyed stated they thrived around colleagues in the office compared to working from home by themselves. 38 percent said being in an office environment helped boost their productivity, compared to 22 percent who felt it hindered their ability to work.

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Those who admitted their preference for working in an office rather than remotely said it was due to a better working environment and being around others. But they also have no time for distractions in the workplace - of the main reasons for a loss of productivity in the office, noise levels, room temperature and colleagues asking questions were the main factors.

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