7 Responses

1. Kick them into action!
   I find the best thing to do is to give them fifteen minutes or so of inactivity to allow their lunch to settle, then to give them an activity that involves them in moving about – could be as simple as a couple of three minute buzz groups or could be a problem solving exercise of some sort – depends on numbers and the training being given. Playing some upbeat music during short breakout sessions like this can help too.
   Or how about a quiz on the contents of the morning sessions to reinforce the learning and with sweeties as a prize?
   Good luck!
   Shelley

2. after lunch lull
   Hi Tracy

   Things I’ve used before are to write the title of the course/session at the top of a piece of flipchart and get them, in teams, to write as many words of 3 letters or more that they can make from the letters of the title words. They must all contribute and they must be stood up. A short time limit adds to the energy. Another is to get them, in teams, to draw a team picture on a piece of flip paper that contains all their learning from the morning. Again they must all contribute and they must be stood up. It’s amazing how creative people can be!

   Good luck

   Sue

3. avoid this problem and save money too!
   Hi Tracy
   Organise your training events to only cover half the day!
   This:
   ~prevents this particular problem,
   ~saves you buying lunch/being criticised for being mean with lunch, ~supports all those people who won’t come to a training event because they are too busy to be away from their desk for a whole day (or the managers who won’t let their staff go for a whole day because they don’t want to be without them for so long)
   ~breaks up the days for the trainers as well
   ~probably makes it easier to capture all the people who have to come in late or go home early due to childcare commitments

   You never know, it might bring universal benefits!

   Hope this helps
   Rus

4. Some other thoughts
   Hi Tracy

   I agree with getting the group involved in some form of exercise which gets them going. Here are a few other suggestions you can include too:

   1. What you give them for lunch will affect the depth of the dip! Try to keep away from sandwiches, red meat and foods that lie heavy on the digestive system and stick to light foods like fish, salads, fruit and vegetables.

   2. Make sure everyone has at least 5 minutes outdoors before they come back into the room and they take a brisk walk rather than just standing around. This gets the circulation going.

   3. When you’re in the room, get people to take three very deep breaths into the abdomen (not just the chest area – that’s too shallow)to get lots of oxygen into the lungs.

   4. Then do a series of shoulder and head rolls to release any tension.

   5. Make sure windows are open to increase air supply to the room or turn down the air con, so it’s a little cool.

   You can then continue with an absorbing and challenging activity which should dust away any remaining cobwebs!

   Best wishes

   Annie

5. Course Design
   This raises a wider question about course design. If lectures are necessary then place them away from lunch (or dinner) breaks.

   Rather use active and competitive activities after lunch – activities such as games and simulations. Several trainers I know spread a simulation though a course using the after lunch and after dinner time slots.

6. Wake them up
   Typical Local Authority moaning responses.
   Take away their chairs during lunch.Make ’em stand for a while or can replace them with those big, blow-up exercise balls to sit on. Or rather,test their powers of balance.
   Turn the air con to colllddd!
   Raise your voice and make a lot of noise (slap the flipchart).

7. Half-day sessions rule OK!
   I work in the oil service industry so most of the people I train have a degree (or two) and are busy. Most of my IT training sessions are half-dayers, and the topics divided up into logical chunks. All of my sessions are interactive and hands-on but take place in the mornings – the afternoons are for “specials” or 1:1s or general support. Lynn Wood