Reframing “Hump Day,”also known as Wednesday, is about changing the perspective on the midweek slump. Traditionally, Wednesday has been seen as the metaphorical “hump” that a person must get over to move towards the weekend. However, reframing it can mean transforming it into a day of positivity and motivation, or at the very least getting to the down hill slope to the weekend!
Here are some ways to reframe Hump Day:
Midweek Celebration: Instead of seeing it as a hurdle, celebrate the achievements of the first half of the week and plan for success in the second half.
Wellness Wednesday: Dedicate the day to self-care, wellness activities, and mindfulness practices.
Productivity Boost: Use the day to focus on productivity and set goals to accomplish by the end of the week.
Encouragement and Affirmations: Share positive affirmations and encourage others to stay motivated.
The concept of “Hump Day” and its associated stress can be examined from a neuroscience perspective. According to a meditation app study, Wednesday, or “Hump Day,” might be the most stressful day at work for many people. This midweek stress is attributed to the accumulation of tasks and the pressure of looming deadlines, with the weekend still feeling too far away to offer any relief.
The first step in managing this stress is to identify its root cause. Once the cause is known, body-calming techniques such as exercise, breathwork, and ensuring adequate sleep can help. Neuroscience shows that calming the body can have a positive impact on the brain, as it’s impossible for the brain to be stressed when the body is relaxed.
Incorporating breaks, reducing email overload, or even considering significant life changes like switching jobs or departments if the stress is due to a toxic work environment are some strategies that can help alleviate the stress and improve overall well-being.
With a hump comes a reduction in productivity. Now I am not suggesting faster, faster or more, more, more mentality. I am wanting to support you all in being able to be productive and therefore having time and energy to dedicate to things that matter to you, activities that feed your soul and thinking that creates the best life for you, whatever that is.
Neuroscience provides several strategies to enhance productivity by leveraging the brain’s inherent capabilities.
Here are some practical ways based on neuroscience research:
Optimise Your Environment: Create a workspace that minimises distractions and maximizes focus. This could involve controlling noise levels, organizing your space, and ensuring proper lighting. I cannot emphasise enough how important the environment is for all of us!
Prioritise Sleep: Quality sleep is crucial for cognitive function. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to improve memory, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Take Regular Breaks: The brain can only focus for a certain period before needing a break.
Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness meditation has been shown to reduce stress and improve concentration and attention span. Even a few minutes a day can make a difference.
Exercise Regularly: Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, which can help enhance cognitive abilities and protect against cognitive decline.
Manage Stress: Chronic stress can impair brain function. Techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, or progressive muscle relaxation can help manage stress levels.
Lifelong Learning: Engaging in continuous learning and challenging your brain with new skills can harness neuroplasticity, leading to improvements in productivity and task performance
Nutrition: A healthy diet supports brain health. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins can boost cognitive function and productivity.
Social Interaction: Positive social interactions can stimulate the brain and improve mood and cognitive function.
Hydration: Drinking enough to allow cell functionality is huge in supporting the central nervous system to get things done! Ensure that you are hydrated to support your productivity.
By incorporating these neuroscience-based practices into your daily routine, you can enhance your productivity and overall brain health. Remember, it’s important to find what works best for you and make it a consistent part of your life.
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that can help you improve your productivity and focus. Here’s a detailed look at how it works:
Choose a Task: Start by selecting a task you want to work on.
Set a Timer: Use a timer to set a 25-minute work session, known as a “pomodoro” after the Italian word for tomato.
Work Intently: Work on the task until the timer rings. Try to maintain focus and avoid any interruptions during this time.
Take a Short Break: Once the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break. This is crucial for your brain to rest and recharge.
Repeat: After the break, start another pomodoro. Continue this pattern until you’ve completed four pomodoros.
Take a Longer Break: After four pomodoros, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. This helps to prevent burnout and keeps your mind fresh.
The technique was developed in the late 1980s and is based on the idea that the timer creates a sense of urgency, which can prevent procrastination and help you focus more intensely. The breaks in between pomodoros serve to refresh the mind, making it easier to maintain a high level of productivity throughout the day.
It’s also flexible; if the standard 25-minute pomodoro doesn’t fit your workflow, you can adjust the intervals to better suit your needs. Some people use longer work intervals or shorter/longer breaks depending on their personal productivity rhythms.
The Pomodoro Technique is not just about working in bursts, but also about understanding your own work habits, learning to work with intense focus, and finding a rhythm that allows for sustained productivity. It’s a simple yet effective way to structure your workday and manage your time efficiently.
And for those of us who enjoy a little bit of different, here is a different asepct of Wednesday!
Wednesday is named after the Norse god Odin, who is known as Woden in Old English. The name “Wednesday” derives from “Woden’s day.” This is a result of a Germanic interpretation of the Roman calendar, which named the days after the planets and associated gods. In this system, the day named after the planet Mercury (Latin: dies Mercurii) was translated to “Woden’s day” because Woden (Odin) was considered the Germanic equivalent to the Roman god Mercury.
Odin, the Allfather in Norse mythology, is central to many myths that highlight his quest for wisdom, power, and his role in shaping the cosmos. Here are some famous Norse myths involving Odin:
The Creation of the World: Odin and his brothers, Vili and Ve, are said to have created the world from the body of the giant Ymir. They used Ymir’s flesh to form the earth, his blood to create the seas, and his skull to make the sky.
The Mead of Poetry: Odin stole the Mead of Poetry, a magical beverage that bestows the gift of poetry and scholarship, from the giant Suttungr. He transformed into an eagle to escape and brought the mead to the gods.
The Sacrifice for Wisdom: In his relentless pursuit of knowledge, Odin sacrificed one of his eyes at Mimir’s well to gain the wisdom of the ages.
The Discovery of Runes: Odin hung himself from the world-tree Yggdrasil, pierced himself with his spear, and peered into the depths of the well beneath the tree. After nine nights, he perceived the shapes of the runes and grasped their meaning, bringing this knowledge to the gods and humanity.
Odin’s Wanderings: Often disguised as a traveler, Odin roamed the worlds seeking knowledge and testing heroes. His wanderings are numerous and filled with tales of wisdom, war, and magic.
The Wild Hunt: Odin leads the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession through the sky, which was considered an omen of disaster or war. He rides at the head of a group of fallen warriors, collecting the souls of the dead.
These myths portray Odin as a complex deity with a multifaceted nature, embodying wisdom, war, death, and magic. His stories are woven into the fabric of Norse culture and continue to fascinate people with their depth and symbolism.
So however you reframe today, whether in neuroscience or Norse mythology, enjoy and I will write to you again on Friday!
My job is to give people who work hard all week something to enjoy on Saturdays and Wednesdays
As chair of the worksite wellness committee at the Hawaii Department of Health we had "WAWOW", walk at work on Wednesday. This was a weekly walking group that would walk at lunch time in down town Honolulu. We would give prizes and the comraderies was a great incentive.