As cold weather slews around, and the anticipation of Thanksgiving grows, you may find yourself becoming less productive in the home or workplace. Instead of boring you with the usual exercise-more sleep-better tirade (these are things you should do anyway), here are some less obvious tips to help pull you out of the work blues.

1. Do menial tasks the fastest. Whether it’s checking your inbox, folding laundry, or running a random errand at some point – jump into these tasks without overthinking them and get them done. While these little things only take a few minutes, they can easily become disparaging when piled onto each other. It will save you loads more time just to do them now.
2. Set yourself limits on useless activities. What’d your biggest time waster? Your phone? The internet? Cut yourself off when you have stuff to do but realistically: Give yourself chunks of time where you aren’t allowed to go near your electronic devices.
3. Go outside. Yes, yes, we know it’s cold, but leaving the coziness of your home or office for a few minutes of sunlight in the day will help lift your mood and invigorate your mind. Grab your coat and take a stroll around the block.
4. Know your peak performance times. Are you an early bird or a night owl? Whether it’s 5pm or 5am, take advantage of when you’re most efficient to accomplish the hardest tasks.
5. Cut your work day short – you pressure yourself into finishing faster this way. And the prospect of getting to leave work early helps curb urges to needlessly whittle time away.
6. Single-task. Multitasking can be counterintuitive when it comes to efficiency. With your attention divvied between several projects, not only are you prone to feel more daunted, but you procrastinate more. Not to mention that stress boosts hormones such as cortisol that impair thinking.
7. Eat berries. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries. Not only will they help boost your immunity, but antioxidants can improve memory as well as motor coordination. Complement your berry snacking with intervals of protein to avoid a blood sugar drop.
8. Power nap effectively. A power nap, by definition, should not exceed the length of twenty minutes. This length keeps you from falling into REM sleep, which if you wake in the middle of, can lead to feeling groggy. Napping for about twenty minutes will help give you a quick boost of alertness.
9. Strive to maintain a balance between work and play. Whether it’s spending a night out with friends and family or just making some time for your favorite hobby, your downtime is essential for your mental and emotional health. It’s all about balance

What strategies help you stay alert just before Thanksgiving? Comment below and let us know!