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If after work you do not have enough energy for anything other than the road home, most likely you are doing something wrong. We figured out what steals our energy during the working day, how to make up for its lack and not bring ourselves to overwork.
What do you usually do in the evenings? Meeting friends, spending time with your kids, going to the gym or to the movies? Or, complaining about overwork, do you get home with the last of your strength and you are no longer enough for anything else?
If all your energy remains at work, you are probably doing something wrong. We figured out how to use your energy efficiently and where you can find unexpected sources of it.
1. Do what you love
Let’s start with the obvious. We will never feel energized at the end of a work day if the previous 8 hours have been doing something we hate. According to research from the Canadian University of Alberta, in order to feel happier and less tired at work, we must clearly understand the purpose of what we are doing.
Every day, try to think about who your work could benefit, even if it is insignificant. Every work has a result that someone needs, remember this. Then focus on what your work gives you personally, what your needs are met with it, and what goals are being achieved.
Finally, try every day to celebrate something good that happened at work today. The more often you do this simple three-step exercise, the happier and more energetic you will feel, the less likely you are to bring yourself to overwork.
2. Open windows
First, by ventilating the room, we cool it. We are much more tired at work when the air temperature reaches 28°C and above. Secondly, by opening windows, we reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide, which some experts also associate with work overwork.
“Carbon dioxide concentrations increase over the course of the day if the space is not well ventilated,” explains Richard Barry, home climate control specialist.
If there are few or no windows in your office, get some plants: they absorb carbon dioxide and other environmental pollutants that can contribute to overwork. In addition, they are simply pleasing to the eye.
3. Sit up straight
If you sit slouched all day, then you put your muscles under tension, which provokes overwork. “When you slouch, you feel less attractive, it affects your mood and, as a result, causes fatigue,” says physiotherapist Sammy Margot. She advises sitting upright in a chair, as if someone is trying to gently pull you out of it.
4. Review completed and unfinished business
Unfinished business robs us of energy. Thoughts about them will haunt us at home, not allowing us to rest. But if you take time at the end of the day to review what we have done today and make a list of tasks for tomorrow, there is a chance to leave work with a sense of accomplishment and with a boost of energy.
5. Watch your computer screen
If your eyes get tired by the end of the day, it could be a badly tuned computer monitor. Ophthalmologists recommend choosing fonts that are easier to perceive by the eyes, at least 12 pt. It is important that the monitor itself is located at a distance of 33 to 59 cm from the face, and the center of the screen is approximately at the same level as your eyes. And of course, do not forget to wipe the screen from dust – it can distort the image, giving additional strain to your eyes.
6. Use blue light
Researchers at the University of Surrey, England, found that those who replaced regular white bulbs with bulbs with a bluish tinge (which are closer to natural daylight) felt less sleepy during the day.
“Blue light stimulates melanopsin receptors in the brain, which are responsible for maintaining a state of arousal in the body,” says Dr. Derk-Jan Dijk, author of the study.
If you can’t get your boss to drastically change the conditions in the office, start by buying blue-tinted light bulbs that mimic natural light, they will help keep your body in good shape.
7. Drink Licorice Tea
Our adrenal glands produce stimulating hormones that help us stay awake during the day. Their action is especially strong at the beginning of the day after waking up and gradually decreases in the evening.
But with minor disruptions in the body, a decrease in their action can begin as early as in the middle of the day, provoking afternoon drowsiness and evening apathy. To check how your adrenal glands are functioning, you can do a simple test. Ask a friend to walk with you into a dark room.
People who eat a balanced diet are on average 10 times more energetic.
Stand quietly with your eyes open for a minute or two until you feel completely accustomed to the darkness, then ask a friend to shine a flashlight into your eyes and observe your pupils.
“If they pulsate instead of shrinking, it’s a sign you have a problem with your adrenergic system,” says nutritionist Ali Godbold. The main preventive recommendation for the restoration of the activity of the adrenal glands is the reduction of stress factors.
But at the same time, Ali advises drinking licorice tea, which stimulates the adrenoreceptors, and therefore can have a temporary positive effect on your body.
8. Drink water after every phone call
If your job involves frequent phone calls, dehydration may be the cause of your fatigue. Researchers at the American Stress Center have found that phone fatigue is a major problem for call center employees.
Increased production of stress hormones leads to the deposition of fat in the abdomen
The fact is that when we talk, the moisture from the mucous membranes of the oral cavity evaporates. The more dehydration, the more the blood thickens, the less it is able to carry oxygen.
Get in the habit of taking a few sips of water after every phone call, it will help both your vocal cords and your overall well-being.
9. Watch your waist
A study by the National Taiwan University Institute of Occupational Health found that women with a waist circumference of more than 80 centimeters were twice as tired as their slimmer counterparts. Dr. Marilyn Glenville believes that increased production of stress hormones, especially cortisol and adrenaline, leads to the deposition of fat in the abdomen.
Therefore, if you strive to minimize stress and at the same time monitor your volumes, you are more likely to learn how to manage your energy throughout the day.
10. Eat right
If your energy starts to wane around lunchtime and you notice sugar cravings, it’s probably because you’re not eating right, says nutritionist Nigel Danby. “Foods rich in simple carbohydrates, like a sandwich on white bread, help you expend energy quickly,” he says.
Reduce carbohydrates and replace them with complex ones, such as whole grain bread or bran, add fruits and vegetables to your diet. People who eat a balanced diet are, on average, 10 times more energetic than those who do not include healthy foods in their diet.