Love it or hate it, we’re all familiar with Daylight Savings Time (“DST”). However, do you know its origins? It started on April 30, 1916 in Austria-Hungary and Germany as an alternative way of conserving coal. In 1918, Russia and United States followed suit. Eventually, other countries have applied it as well, and the trend has continued.
In the world of business, you will hear different opinions regarding the advantages and disadvantages of DST. Some say that it has become a heavy burden, slowing down productivity as our body’s internal clock adjusts. Others claim that it has brought more sales by allowing for “more” hours in the day.
Whether you like or dislike DST, and if you’re like most people, you’ll agree that it usually takes you a few days (or weeks) to get adjusted. So, what do you do to maintain productivity as your internal clock adjusts? Here is three tips to productivity during Daylight Savings Time.
1. Change Sleeping Patterns before DST
The first week after the time adjustment could make you feel a little bit sluggish. Many adults admit that it takes a full week or two to adjust to DST. This recovery sometimes requires taking impromptu naps and grabbing an extra hour or two of sleep on weekend days. The solution is: “Practice!”
Change your sleeping routine a few weeks upcoming time adjustment. How would you do that if your work hours are still the same? For example, go to bed and wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual. Move it up to 30 minutes. Continue expanding your time adjustment in small increments over a few weeks until you have fully adjusted to the one hour change right around the time DST takes place.
2. Don’t Forget Exercise
As DST arrives, everyone needs adjustment. But the question is, “how do I adjust?” Surprisingly, the simple things are often the most effective. One great example is exercise.
Serotonin, a chemical released in the brain while working out, can help your body adjust quicker to time changes. Exercising ay increase Serotonin.
3. Nap
Almost everyone knows the benefits of napping; few adhere to the practice. It may sound a little bit absurd that napping is an efficient way to regain energy or focus, but one thing’s for sure, it works. Napping doesn’t have to mean shutting the eyes for hours at a time. Long naps are a big no-no for daytime productivity. Short 15 – 30-minute naps have been proven to offer the right amount of “boost” to a day’s work while avoiding too long of sleep to make you droggy after waking. Anything much longer isn’t napping but is more like sleeping.
Whether you’re an individual employee or in management, you or your staff doesn’t have to “slow down” too much after DST. With proper planning, Daylight Savings Time doesn’t have to ruin productivity.