The afternoon slump: 5-minute self-compassion meditation, before a presentation

About this practice

5 minutes to meet the afternoon slump with less of a fight. A self-compassion practice, before a presentation. A guided session of about 5 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: the afternoon slump

The post-lunch dip is a normal circadian low, not a failure of willpower. Core temperature and alertness both dip in the early afternoon.

It tends to show up as:

• Heavy, foggy middle of the day
• Struggling to stay with anything
• Reaching for sugar or caffeine

The dip is temporary. A short practice gets you through the low without adding stimulants on top of it.

Doing this before public speaking

• Do it somewhere private, or in the washroom if needed
• Slow the exhale deliberately and check your speaking pace after
• Warm the voice by reading a line aloud, not by staying silent

Rushing is the tell of nerves. A slower breath now is what sets a slower pace in the room.

How self-compassion works

Self-compassion practice changes the tone of the inner voice rather than the content of the thoughts. It uses the same warmth and steadiness you would offer a friend, applied without requiring you to have earned it.

• Use the words you would actually say to someone you love
• Ask what you need, not what you deserve
• A hand on the chest or belly gives warmth and pressure a place to land

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00Part of you is still in the last conversation you had. That's fine. It can sit here too.
2. 0:16You are allowed to have a hard time without earning it first.
3. 0:29Let your body feel heavier than it did a minute ago. Let the chair or the floor take it.
4. 0:45This is not a performance. Nobody is listening to how well you're doing it.
5. 0:59Notice that you don't have to start a breath. It arrives by itself.
6. 1:12Let your belly rise first, then your chest, then the tops of your lungs.
7. 1:26Feel your upper back against whatever is behind it.
8. 1:37Let your throat soften. There's nothing to swallow right now.
9. 1:49Feel the outline of yourself, from the top of your head to your heels.
10. 2:03Take the next breath slowly.
11. 2:12Say it once, plainly: this is hard, and I am allowed to find it hard.
12. 2:26If you're sleepy, sit up a little. Or let the sleepiness be there.
13. 2:39If the heavy middle of the day shows up, let it be there without arguing with it. You are not trying to remove it, just to sit beside it.
14. 3:00There is a part of you that has handled hard moments before. That part is here now, even if it is quiet.
15. 3:18Notice your breathing getting quieter on its own, without you deciding anything.
16. 3:31the post-lunch fog may quiet down, or it may not. Either is fine. We are practising staying, not performing calm.
17. 3:48If you feel numb, that's a valid thing to feel. Nothing to fix.
18. 4:01A short silence. Let it be empty.
19. 4:11Whatever you are about to say to yourself, imagine saying it to someone you love. Use those words.
20. 4:27Take one breath that's a little fuller than the others, and let it out through your mouth.

Questions people ask

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.