Low Energy Levels While Working From Home? Here's How To Fix It

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post. Please welcome today's contributor.

You wouldn’t think that sitting at a desk all day long could be tiring, so why do so many people suffer from fatigue when working from home? In reality, being stuck at home all day long can be very exhausting because you’re not very active and it’s easy to get into a bit of a rut. The problem is, it’s tough to get any meaningful work done when your energy levels are low. However, with a few changes to your routine and your lifestyle, you can avoid fatigue and stay productive. These are the best ways to boost your energy levels when you are working from home.

Pixabay CCO License

Eat A Healthy Breakfast

It’s a bit of a cliche that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it’s true. Your brain and body need energy and nutrients to function properly, so you need a healthy breakfast to kick start your day in the right way. If you don’t eat unhealthy food in the morning or you skip breakfast altogether, you will end up feeling tired as soon as you wake up, and the day will drag. Check out these easy home office breakfast ideas if you struggle to find the time to make a healthy breakfast. Simple things like oatmeal or a healthy breakfast sandwich will give you the boost you need at the beginning of the day.

Avoid Sugary Snacks

A lot of people gain weight when working from home because it’s too easy to snack throughout the day. When you are feeling a bit lethargic and you can’t focus on your work, you might think a sugary snack is just what you need to boost your energy levels. But even though it might help you in the short-term when you get a sugar rush, it won’t be long before you crash and feel even more tired than before. But if you eat healthy, nutritious snacks that give your body what it needs, you will feel a lot more energetic. Don’t eat anything too heavy either because this will also make you feel more sluggish and tired.

Moderation: Coffee can be Good but Limit Your Intake

Coffee is another thing that people reach for when they are lacking energy during work hours but you have to be careful. A few cups of coffee throughout the day will boost your energy and it can even be healthy for you too. However, if you drink too much coffee, you will start to become reliant on it. Just like when you eat sugar, you will crash once the caffeine wears off and feel even worse than before. Then, you need to keep drinking coffee to stay focused and as soon as you stop, you’ll feel tired again. This soon becomes a vicious cycle that makes your situation worse, so limit your coffee intake as much as you can. Be careful about drinking it late in the day too because this will affect your sleep and make you feel even more tired.

Drink Plenty Of Water

People tend to think there is a complex reason why they are feeling tired but sometimes, it’s simple. If you lack energy, it might just be because you are dehydrated. When you are engrossed in your work, it’s easy to forget about drinking water and this will sap all of your energy. So, make an effort to drink water throughout the day by keeping a bottle on your desk at all times. When it’s empty, that’s a good excuse to take a 5 minute break and fill it up again. Regular breaks are also good for helping you maintain your focus, so don’t stay stuck at your desk all day long.

Stick To Regular Working Hours

Speaking of sleep, you need to make sure that you’re getting your 8 hours every night, but that’s hard to do if you’re up late working. When you work from home, it’s easy to let your schedule slip and work longer hours. You might think that you’re getting more done but the problem is, sitting up late on your laptop will make it harder to get to sleep. That means you’re more tired during the day and you are actually less productive. If you want to keep your energy levels up and get more done, you need to give yourself time to wind down in the evenings so you can sleep better. You don’t necessarily need to work 9 to 5 if that’s not when you are most productive, but you do need to set hours and stick to them. Answering emails at night still counts as work, so be strict with yourself and switch off at a certain time and leave everything until the next morning. If you are working remotely with colleagues, make sure that you set clear expectations so people don’t keep trying to contact you outside of work hours.

Let Some Light In

A dark, dingy office space will make you feel more tired during the day, so light is crucial. A lot of people try to shut everything out because they think it will make them more focused, but if you block out the light, it will make things worse. Ideally, you want as much natural light as possible because it has been shown to boost energy levels and reduce stress. When you are setting up your office space, put your desk close to a window if possible. If the room doesn’t get a lot of natural light, you will have to make do with artificial lights instead. A few well-placed lamps around the room will help you stay focused and stop you from getting tired. You should always go for cool lights instead of warm ones because warm lighting creates a more relaxed atmosphere that is not ideal for working productively.

Everybody suffers from lack of energy sometimes when they are working from home and it’s just something that you have to learn how to deal with. Making these simple changes to your office space and your lifestyle will make a big difference but if you are still struggling, don’t be afraid to give yourself a bit of time off to recharge your batteries.