Staying Energized at Work – And no, not just with Coffee!

It’s the old saying, ‘Find a job you love, and you’ll never have to work again.’  The point of this is clear; enjoy your work, and it won’t feel like you’re at work.  

This is lovely, but the overwhelming majority would still wish just the last five words to be true. If you’re interested in training, take the quiz to find out which one is best for you!

Luckily for me, I can move around all day as a personal trainer, but most people do not have this luxury. 

Whether you love your job, are addicted to your job, hate your job, or are looking for a job, one thing is key to making the very most of your day.  Feeling and being energized.

This may come easier if you love your work, obviously, but there are things you can do to physically and mentally optimize your productivity and performance.

Want to know what they are?  Well, they’re right here, actually…

Drink water

Drink lots of it. Besides a lack of quality sleep, the biggest reason for feeling fatigued is dehydration.  Water is the most fundamental substance to support life (ask NASA), so you should drink plenty of it.

 And you don’t necessarily need to feel thirsty to be dehydrated! A minimum of 2 liters of water daily is a great place to start feeling mentally and physically full of energy.

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Move

Most of the working population spends, on average 22 hours a day sitting down.  OK, I admit I’ve made up that stat but you get the point. If your day means you spend most of your time sitting down – get up!  

Every 30 minutes or so, go for a short walk, do a few stretches, and get outside for a few moments regardless of the weather.

It helps keep the blood moving, which supplies your brain with all that lovely oxygen.

Eat right

You’ll have been told this a thousand times, and you know you know it.  But eating right can make a world of difference to your energy levels.

It starts with a nutritious big breakfast, then throughout the day, lots of fresh vegetables, lots of protein, and lots of the right sorts of snacks will stop your blood sugar levels from plummeting, and you’ll see your energy levels go in the right direction.  

Tasty snacks are nuts, seeds, meats (not fried), pieces of fruit and veg, and boiled eggs.

Also, trying to avoid big carb based lunches is vital; carbs are just complex sugars, so once the body has digested them and sent them into your blood, there’s only one thing that will follow…a crash in blood sugar levels. You’ll sneak off to the storeroom to see if you can squeeze in a 5-minute nap.

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Less caffeine

The most commonly used of all stimulants, evidently, throwing more coffee down your neck is going to keep you bouncing off the walls.  

Well, no, actually. Similar to the lull after a sugar rush, your body will ultimately feel more tired once the caffeine starts to leave your system, which means you’ve either got to keep drinking gallons of the stuff and hope your heart doesn’t burst out of your chest, or limit it to one or two cups a day.  

Getting a coffee is often just a nice break in the day and a chance to get away from your desk, which is good. But next time, get a peppermint tea, a decaf, or even just water (see point #1!)

Listen to music

This depends on what your job is.  I, for one, wouldn’t want to visit a therapist who was sitting there with headphones in, tapping his foot and mumbling lyrics to himself.  

But much evidence shows that music can increase your focus and energy levels. The more instrumental, the better, have a search for YouTube/Spotify playlists with titles like ‘Elevator music’ or ‘coffee shop tunes.’

Sleep

So famous for many things like weight loss, stress, focus, and energy during the day. And it’s not just the amount of sleep you get; it’s the quality of it that is also important.

Help yourself sleep better by putting down your phone and turning off your TV well before bedtime. Give your brain a chance to switch off and change pace; you’ll find it’s easier to stay asleep then.  

Read, stretch, bathe, do some breathing exercises, and ensure your last coffee isn’t in the afternoon.

You’ll feel so much better the following day, and if you’re less tired, you are less anxious, and being anxious is exhausting and ruins your focus and energy levels.  See, it all makes perfect sense!

Morning exercise

 Making your body move before breakfast has many benefits, no more than improving your energy levels for the rest of the day.  

And don’t think that means setting your alarm 2 hours earlier than you’d like to get to the gym and interrupt all that wonderful sleep we’ve been talking about.

There are roughly one billion videos on YouTube that offer 2 – 15-minute workouts for all abilities you can do in your pajamas before leaving the house.

Talking.  If your energy levels are at rock bottom and have been for a while, it may be a sign of not being in good mental health.  The physical impact of stress, anxiety, and depression should never be underestimated.

Get talking to someone, anyone, about how you’re feeling. Whether that be specifically about work or, more generally, with someone you know or someone you don’t.

With a specific goal in mind or just a catch-up. Talking to someone may give you a new perspective and a renewed spring in your step again, or if it’s not as straightforward as that, go and see a doctor.  

There is no shame in doing that, it’s what they’re there for, and it could be the first step to being happy again.