Extremely Drained from Work? Here are 5 Ways to Feel Less Tired

There’s something about working eight hours a day that leaves us feeling exhausted. Whether you constantly deal with difficult clients or completing an important project, a day at work can leave you unmotivated to do anything else. How are you supposed to meet up with your friends or to teach your child how to accomplish his homework?

Feeling depleted or burnout due to work demands can manifest in a variety of ways such as:

a. having negative, cynical, or pessimistic feelings about your job,
b. finding it difficult to be productive, and
c. feeling less confident about your work.

If you experience any of these symptoms, it may be time to start identifying the triggers that may contribute to your fatigue and consider making changes to achieve a healthy work-life balance.

WHAT IS STRESS-RELATED FATIGUE?

When you are heavily suffocated with stress in the workplace, you can experience stress-related fatigue. Feeling emotionally and physically down can be due to being sedentary at work, consuming too much sugar and caffeine, not taking enough breaks, and being in a stressful work environment. You may deal with this type of fatigue because of heavy workload, job insecurity, or other life and work stressors.

#1: SKIP ON CAFFEINE

We cannot deny the stimulating effects of caffeine, but if you do not want to spend the entire night scrambling around, drinking espresso after work is probably not a good idea. Try munching a banana instead.

You will be surprised by how a banana boosts your productivity! Bananas are a fantastic source of carbohydrates, natural sugar, and vitamins. All of these helps increase your energy levels.

#2: TAKE A POWER NAP

During your lunch break or after work, you can consider taking a power nap. If you can find a quiet space to rest, napping earlier in the day is better to avoid ruining your nighttime routine.

Even a 20-minute nap will help revitalize your body and make you feel fresh. However, be sure to set your alarm to prevent oversleeping. Otherwise, you’ll wake up feeling groggy.

#3: EXERCISE REGULARLY

After an exhausting day at work, you might feel that exercise is the last thing on your mind. Believe it or not, regular exercise will make you feel less tired in the long haul. Walking and physical activity can help manage stress and increase your energy levels.

Do this gradually. Build up your stamina over time until you reach the recommended goal of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g., cycling, doubles tennis, or brisk walking) as well as strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (i.e., legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

#4: DRINK MORE WATER

You’ll likely notice a change in your mood, ability to concentrate, and energy level when you are dehydrated. In fact, studies have shown that being just half a liter dehydrated can elevate your cortisol levels. So, keep fatigue at bay by drinking water sufficiently. Drinking enough water can help reduce the negative psychological and physiological impacts of stress.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

#5: CONSIDER TALK THERAPY

Research shows that talking therapies such as counselling or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) might help fight fatigue or tiredness, caused by stress, low mood, or anxiety. Ask for support from your trusted social circles or seek professional help.

Sources: 1, 2, 3,  4, & 5

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How to know if I’m burned out at work?

a stressed man at work

Burnout is a condition that results from continuous working stress that has not been effectively controlled. It occurs when someone is exhausted from completing the work at hand, and the expectations placed on you surpass your capabilities.

Burnout is far more than a bad day or a terrible week since everyone has those in their jobs. Burnout occurs when you don’t have any days to rejoice for an extended length of time. You should be able to quickly grasp the situation when it’s something that has lasted more than a week or two. However, it might be difficult to shine the flashlight on yourself and notice when you are on the verge of becoming burned out at work.

Let’s look at a couple of the most prominent burnout symptoms to see if we can make things clearer for you.

Insomnia

Prolonged stress, according to research, disrupts the complex neurological and hormonal mechanism that controls sleep. It’s a downward spiral, because not sleeping causes the system to get even more out of balance. If you’ve discovered that you can’t snooze easily at night, you may be suffering from burnout.

Impatience

Perhaps you used to be a patient person who could participate in complex conversations with others. However, you’ve noticed that you’re growing increasingly annoyed with even the smallest request from your coworkers. In other words, your capacity to solve problems and interact productively with people has dramatically deteriorated.

Exhaustion
woman lying on bed

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Burnout is typically identified by weariness and a general sensation of depletion. You may experience not just physical tiredness, but also an emotional emptiness and exhaustion. So, if waking up in the morning and heading to the workplace each day is becoming more of a challenging task than usual, you might be on the verge of burnout.

Reduced professionalism

It may show itself as a refusal to speak with coworkers, tardiness in completing urgent duties, engaging in other tasks during work hours, or a lack of enthusiasm in professional development and upgrading current expertise. It could also be a sense of being misplaced or detached in work meetings and conferences.

Changes in eating habits

Burnout might also manifest itself in eating more or less than normal. People may eat less as a result of being too busy or fixated, or they may constantly need comfort foods that we all crave when we need something to lift our spirits. Hormonal changes may also impact appetite, making individuals feel fuller than normal while they’re under a huge amount of pressure and more famished than usual when the stress subsides.

Some of these subtler indications might be hard to detect, so consider the habits that are affecting your day-to-day life. Personal awareness is critical to keeping track of your health. Consider consulting a mental health expert if you’re suffering prolonged physical symptoms that might be signs of burnout to check if they’re caused by situational stress or anchored in other physical illnesses. Help is readily accessible; don’t dismiss the signs and symptoms as unimportant.

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Inexpensive Ways To Lower Your Workplace Stress

You have been busy all week-long! Your mind is racing and your heart is pounding as the deadlines approach. These tasks are getting out of hand. It is no wonder that you feel down in the dumps.

Fortunately for you, there are affordable (and free) solutions to help ease the tension.

#1: ACTING VERSUS REACTING

When we come face-to-face with the circumstances which are out of our control, we typically experience stress. It activates mental and physical responses that can tear your productivity and well-being in the long run. This can be problematic at work.

Start focusing on the aspects that are within your control (e.g., your thoughts about your co-workers or your business attire). This will help ease your worries.

#2: STICKING TO THE SCHEDULE

Many Singaporeans propel through the day without taking significant breaks. You may think that you get more work done if you do not rest. However, doing so is counter-productive. Sleep deprivation can lower your concentration and productivity levels.

Consider scheduling a series of breaks throughout the day. For instance, you may allot 5 minutes to stretch in the breakroom or to do breathing exercises while sitting down. You need these breaks to allow yourself to remain energized while working.

#3: WALKING YOUR ADORABLE PET

Walking your dog at the nearby park is a concrete and no-cost hack to relieve your stress. Not only will you be able to exercise your dog, but you will also have his or her lovely company. This is healthier than sitting on a couch while emptying a pint of ice-cream.

If you do not own a pet, you may opt to brisk walk for 30 minutes instead. Ramp up your speed gradually.

#4: TREATING HOME AS A SAFE HAVEN

Let us be honest! The root of all your worries resides at work. If you regularly continue your tasks at home then, you may create a work-life conflict. Treat your home as a safe haven by building a boundary between these two realms.

As much as possible, avoid answering your emails from home or work-related phone calls before you sleep. You are not a convenience center who has to be available 24/7.

#5: PLAYING LIKE A CHILD

Children may not have the responsibilities and the pressures that the adult world brings, but they do have one thing. I am referring to the luxury of play. Blocks, jigsaw puzzles, and coloring books are just some of the things that are meant to be enjoyed by the kids. Why should they have all the fun?

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Cognitive stimulation and entertainment does not stop with age. Try it. You may keep adult coloring books on your desk to free your mind during the office lunchtime. Popular Bookstore sells these books for as low as S$8.43.

Sources:  1 & 2

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