Daniel Pink#1 NYT bestselling author of 7 books

BEWARE OF THE AFTERNOON SLUMP

5 Aug 2025 · 1 min

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This content was created by Daniel Pink. This content was uploaded by Daniel Pink. This is a YouTube video titled "BEWARE OF THE AFTERNOON SLUMP" (uploaded 2025-08-05). It features a single narrator presenting an explanatory piece about the afternoon energy trough — citing research such as drops in standardized test scores, a threefold increase in anesthesia errors at 3 PM, fewer polyps found later in the day, and a spike in car accidents between 2–4 PM. The narrator explains the trough occurs about seven hours after waking and offers three practical fixes: schedule key work in the morning, take strategic short breaks (even 10 minutes), and avoid major decisions between 2–4 PM.

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Think your afternoon slump is just about feeling tired? It's way worse than that. Research shows that standardized test scores drop in the afternoon. Anesthesia errors are 3 times more likely at 3 PM than at 9 AM. Doctors find fewer polyps in colonoscopies later in the day. Car accidents spike between 2 PM and 4 PM. Here's the thing, your brain just doesn't perform at its best in the afternoon. It's the trough of your day, a biological dip in energy and focus about 7 hours after you wake up. So how do you beat it? Here are 3 simple fixes. Number 1, schedule your most important work in the morning. Number 2, take a strategic break. Research shows even 10 minutes helps. Number 3, avoid making big decisions between 2 PM and 4 PM. Afternoons are risky, but now you know how to outsmart them.