The thought of getting back home and doing all the household chores is my biggest nightmare! How many of you feel the same? Almost all of us feel the same – Right? About 40 – 43% of workers report feeling tired after work. Let us try to decode this nightmare of low energy or feeling fatigued. Too little sleep and too much stress are the two major reasons for this says a research. The irony is that, the cycle only drags down your overall productivity, your health and happiness. Want more energy – Here are some things which I have started doing and hope it helps all of you too.

“It’s always YOU first” – Be Good to Yourself!

We generally tend to take too much stress, saying yes to everyone – just to maintain cordial relations with our colleagues and later scrambling around to get it all done at the right time. It's hard not to be exhausted when you put yourself in that position. I have to remind myself that my to-do list is arbitrary and sometimes, rest needs to be bumped to the top.

Good Food for energy

I have often heard my friends discussing – skip food to lose weight, but remember blood sugar levels greatly affect energy levels. So, if your energy is draining after work, chances are you haven't fueled yourself properly during the day. The best fuel comes from whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Eat a healthy breakfast, pack a lunch, and bring nutritious snacks to fight the drowsy afternoon crash. If your blood sugar's stable, your energy levels will be more stable. 

Not only your Smartphone – But your body also needs to be reset!

If you are sleep deprived, a short nap can significantly improve your energy levels — and help you pay back some of the sleep debt you've been accumulating. I say a short nap because while it may be tempting to pass out for hours, instead of feeling energized you will end up becoming a zombie. In other words, it'll make you feel more tired. A study by NASA has found out that the ideal nap time for improving alertness and energy was 20 to 25 minutes. (While pondering over this point I remembered my colleague who used to tell me this – and I used to end up laughing. Today I have realized she was right)

It’s not the computer – But your Brain needs to be turned off!

When you feel exhausted, the word exercise seems like a punishment, isn’t it? Most of us in the recent times work in front of the computer where we use only our muscles all throughout the day typing emails, answering the telephone and sometimes turning your head to gaze longingly out the window thinking when will I go out of this work place. If you feel tired, that means the chances are that your brain is fatigued and not your body. So next time when you feel fatigued, turn off your brain, and do something that gets your blood pumping. It'll energize you immediately, and also improve your health and help you sleep better.

Stop high Caffeine intake!

Don’t worry – I will not tell you to cut caffeine out entirely since I am a caffeine addict too and all of us are aware that moderate caffeine intake can help you live longer. Excess intake of caffeine will surely help you in being awake but over a period of time it can cause insomnia, restlessness, irritability and upset your stomach. So next time onwards, when you are going to rely on coffee to complete your work remember these points.

These suggestions seems very simple right? Yes – they surely are but changing habits is hard, even when we want to. Try incorporating these changing slowly and you will surely agree that it’s not the body that is fatigued but the brain is fatigued.

If you could relate yourself with these points – do not forget to comment below and let me know that even you are my companion in feeling fatigued and running out of energy.