Moms: How do you avoid or get out of the 3:00 pm slump?

I seem to get tired and cranky in the 3:00-5:00 pm period, which is of course the same time my kids do. It's that witching hour when they're getting home from school, and I need the energy to oversee homework, give baths, and get dinner ready.

Does anyone have any tricks that work for avoiding or getting out of that slump? Nothing I've tried so far has really helped. Thanks!

Wed. May 30, 6:27pm

I hate that!

I hate that! I agree - It is the hardest time of the day, especially since I am up at 5 am on most mornings. A couple of things that have worked for me:

1) Have a cup of coffee at abut 1 or 2 pm. I try to use this strategically on the days when I think I'll need it most. I don't want to get to the point where I have to have coffee every day t get through it.

2) Sometimes I try to grab a quick power nap - even just close my eyes for 10 minutes. I know this is hard to find the time but it really energizes me for the rest of my day.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007, 8:15 PM

I find that if I eat a small snack when the kids have lunch (mine are still little and home with me), and then eat lunch an hour or two later - around 1:30-2:00, then I'm more energized for the afternoon.
I also try to get stuff done in the afternoon, right after lunch, so I'm busy doing something. If I sat down around 3:00, I probably would fall asleep - - not good with little ones on the loose!
Make sure the kids (and you, too, if you haven't eaten later) get a nice healthy snack in the afternoon. Being hungry is enough to cause anyone to get cranky.

I just noticed you said that nothing you have tried has worked. What have you tried? I don't want to keep offering unhelpful advice if you've already tried what I'm suggesting! : )

Wednesday, May 30, 2007, 8:28 PM

I also get cranky at 3:00. Good suggestions so far!

Thursday, May 31, 2007, 12:46 PM

What is it about 3:00 that zaps all of our energy? Good suggestions so far. I try to run my errands between 3 and 5 (my kids are young and not in school, so I don't have to deal w/ after school snack time or homework yet). As soon as I feed my 5 month old at 3 o'clock, we leave the house. Otherwise, I get cranky because I want a nap more than anything in the world and can't have one because of the kids. I start dinner between 5:30 and 6:30, so it works out okay. If I don't have any errands to run, I bathe the baby if I haven't already or we go for a walk.

Thursday, May 31, 2007, 5:55 PM

This is so true. I think it's the bodies natural rhythm to have a down time around 3:00 or it wouldn't be so common. That said, the only thing that works for me is to keep moving or get involved in a project. If I sit down, I'm done.

Thursday, May 31, 2007, 10:32 PM

surgar free Red Bull or Diet Mountain Dew!!!

Thursday, May 31, 2007, 10:35 PM

If I have time I love to take a nap before the kids get home. I usually have coffee about 3-4pm and if I really feel like eating and an apple doesn't satisfy me I'll make a big bowl of air-popped popcorn and we all snack on it.

Thursday, May 31, 2007, 11:21 PM

This worked for me...

I started a low-carb program to lose weight and after the first 2 weeks I noticed I wasn't tired in the afternoon anymore. It was just a side effect of getting rid if the things my body didn't need- the sugar, white flour. I couldn't believe how much better I felt. And I'm losing weight every week.

Friday, June 01, 2007, 9:39 AM

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