Whether it’s a case of the Mondays, a 3pm slump, or you’re just plain ready for vacation, we all have our reasons why we drag ourselves through the work day sometimes (okay, maybe a little more often than sometimes). Identifying the reason why and figuring out how to fix it is essential to bringing your best self to the office – and to your life.
You’re not sleeping enough at night. This is probably the number one reason I encounter, when talking to clients, as to why they’re tired all day. I know what you’re thinking – “Well, of course not sleeping enough at night would cause daytime drowsiness, but there’s not enough time!” First and foremost, set a hard stop and stick to it. Your hard stop is the time, one hour before bedtime, that all work ceases and you start consciously winding down from your day. Drink some tea, read a book, or spend time with your family. You DO have time, you simply need to prioritize and drop a few things, if needed. I actually function much better in the morning, and I realized that by taking a few minutes to clean the house in the morning instead of pushing myself to do it at night when I was tired was a lifesaver. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try a white noise machine and diffusing lavender oil in your bedroom.
You’re skipping breakfast and/or overindulging at lunchtime. I can never stress this enough: skipping breakfast will get you NOWHERE. It won’t help you lose weight, and it won’t save you time – maybe ten minutes in the morning but trust me, you’ll get that back later when you’re too tired to be productive any longer. A good, healthy breakfast jumpstarts your entire body for the day in front of you. If you’re really short on time, you can still grab some oatmeal or fruit on the go. Another common complaint and a huge contributor to that dreaded mid-afternoon slump is overeating at lunchtime, either from taking one too many slices at the pizza party or grabbing takeout from a fast food place. Do your body a favor and prepare a healthy lunch at home, and take your time eating it. When you eat a heavy, carb-rich meal, your body needs extra energy to digest it – you know, that energy you would otherwise be using to power through the second half of the day. See the connection?
You’re not really present at work. Hear me out. If work is the last place you want to be, why wouldn’t you want to space out in the morning meeting? I’m telling you from loads of experience, totally checking out during the 9-5 hours is way more exhausting than giving it all you’ve got. The day feels so much longer, you’re mentally drained, and you have no sense of fulfillment. This might not be your dream job, but it’s still your life. Make the most of it – even if it’s not your first choice of whereabouts. Make it a point to check in with yourself through the day, take deep breaths, and revel in the knowledge that you’re doing amazing. You can celebrate a job well done the minute you get home.
These things might seem simple, but they’re easy to forget once you get caught up in the hustle and bustle of your work week. Keep in mind that you typically spend more waking hours at work during the week than you do at home (sorry, but it’s true!). You really don’t want to spend all of that time feeling sluggish. Next time you feel like you just want to crawl back into bed, use this list to nail down the reason why and adjust accordingly.
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