(This mid-day energy boost post contains affiliate links that I may be compensated for. Your clicks and purchases help support The DIY Lighthouse at no extra charge to you.)

I have actually never had coffee. Honestly. Not a single sip.

When I lived in Seattle, my coworkers thought I was crazy. We’re talkin’ Seattle where Starbucks was born and, according to Wikipedia, the city where there is more coffee consumed than anywhere else in America. Here I am in front of the first Starbucks.

Anyway, every day (usually multiple times a day) my coworkers would go to a nearby coffee shop and come back to work carrying their filled coffee cups. They needed coffee to function!

As someone who is not a big fan of the idea of caffeine in general, I’ve had to come up with other tricks for when I hit that mid-day low. Below, I’m sharing ten ideas for how to give yourself a mid-day energy boost without caffeine. Because you don’t really need caffeine.

(P.S. I have heard that if you are used to having caffeine in your system then you may need to ease yourself off of it, or you might have withdrawal symptoms. So, if you are trying to switch to a non-caffeinated energy boost approach then transition slowly. Once you make the transition, I bet your mind, body, and wallet will be glad you did!)

10 Ideas for a Mid-Day Energy Boost (without Caffeine)

1. Chug a Big Glass of Water

Sometimes getting drowsy happens just because your body is dehydrated. That’s why this idea is number one on my list. I recommend drinking water along with any of the other ideas for giving yourself that mid-day energy boost. (I like carrying around my Iron Flask 40oz water bottle to help me stay hydrated.)

2. Do Jumping Jacks

This tip is especially for those desk sitters. I get it. In college one semester, I had a class right after lunch and every single day I wanted to curl up in a ball and go to sleep. It didn’t help that the room was dimmed for the professor’s PowerPoint presentation. If I had been able to hop up and do some jumping jacks I’m sure it would have cured my drowsiness. Getting your blood pumping a bit can give you that mid-day boost you need to keep on keepin’ on.

3. Splash Your Face with Cold Water

I feel like this is kind of a clique, but splashing cold water on your face actually does help wake up a drowsy brain!

4. Go for a Walk

If you can do it outside, even better! Fill your lungs with fresh air and get your heart rate up a tad to reenergize your mind and body. If you can’t do it outside, take a loop or two around the office. Take the long way to fill up your water bottle at the drinking fountain, make a stop by the bathroom, or run an errand.

5. Take a Power Nap

Set your timer for 20 minutes and take a quick snooze. This trick got me through college. I think I have taken more naps in the BYU Library than anywhere else haha.

My brother-in-law, an unofficial expert 😉 on the topic, has researched ideal nap lengths and confidently reported that 12-20 minutes (or 90 minutes) is best for sleep cycles to give you that needed energy boost and alertness.

6. Meditate/Pray

If you’ve been on the go all day and are starting to loose steam, take a few minutes to slow down. Give your brain and body a break by being still and meditating or praying. I prefer praying so I can ask for added strength or help in accomplishing what I need to do. (If you’re interested, here is a blog post I wrote on five reasons why moms should pray every day.)

7. Eat a Mint and Drink Cold Water

Have you tried this recently? It’s actually pretty hard to do. Next time you hit that mid-day wall where you feel drowsy, I double dog dare you to try out this trick. Just eat a mint (the stronger the better) and drink a glass of cold water (the colder the better), and you will be perked right up.

8. Listen to Pump-up Music

“Eye of the Tiger.” Need I say more? Whenever I listen to this song I feel like taking on the world. 🙂 In all seriousness though, listening to a song that gets you pumped up or excited is a good way to give yourself that mid-day boost. Want to make it even more effective? Dance to it.

9. Eat an Energizing Snack

When I say “eat an energizing snack,” I’m talking about eating real, good food that naturally energizes your body. I tell my toddler that food gives us energy. Yeah, “duh” to all of us adults, but even still we forget to pack ourselves a snack even though we pack our toddlers one. Sometimes our bodies just need a quick pick-me-up snack too.

I’m all about simple, easy snacks. Here are four of my favorite: a banana with peanut butter, an apple, an orange, and multigrain chips dipped in hummus. I’ve also heard that hard boiled eggs and almonds are great options.

10. Get a Standing Desk and Use It

My husband and I both love standing desks. He had one when he worked at Amazon, and I had one when I worked at Zulily. We utilized them every day, so when it came time for us to do our home office (where my husband now works remotely full-time) getting standing desks was a must. We have two Adjustable Height Desks that have become a lifesaver when we hit low energy levels. Moving the desk to standing position helps our brains refocus and become reinvigorated.

Well, those are my 10 ideas for a mid-day energy boost! You don’t need coffee or caffeine to get refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of your day. Try these ideas out let me know which is most affective for you!

Pin it for Later: Mid-day Energy Boost Ideas

Other Posts You Might Like

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•