How to Boost Energy Levels at Work

Do you begin your day energetically only to end up yawning more often in a few hours? At such moments, you may stare blankly at your screen without having a single thought in your head. That is if you don’t feel drowsy. 

The culprit behind all of these and your lack of productivity are lower energy levels. This may result from several issues such as lack of quality sleep and nutrient deficiencies.

So, before grabbing yourself another cup of coffee, let’s try resetting your system naturally to recover your energy levels.

Here are six steps you should take to feel energetic even during the most tedious work meetings. 

Key Takeaways

• Identifying your chronotype, which determines your natural sleep patterns and energy levels, can help you optimize your productivity. Different chronotypes, such as bears, wolves, lions, and dolphins, have different peak energy times and ideal sleep schedules.
• Maintaining a balanced diet is crucial for sustained energy levels. Eating the right foods at the right time, including unrefined carbs, proteins, fats, vegetables, whole grains, and high-octane foods, can provide the necessary fuel. Having smaller meals, adding complex carbs, and avoiding excessive fats are important considerations.
• Implementing certain lifestyle adjustments can boost energy levels. Taking intentional rest, incorporating mid-day workouts, using pre-workout supplements for exercise, varying your workload, and surrounding yourself with energetic people can all contribute to increased energy and productivity. Additionally, staying hydrated by drinking sufficient water is essential for optimal brain function.

Rest for Success

There’s a misconception that associates success with constant moving, doing, and pushing. Those who believe this are bound to be overwhelmed and stressed. As a result, they’re just inches away from burnout. 

One of the reasons for this is because they’ve yet to understand the concept of ‘intentional hustle.’ This term indicates someone has clear, defined goals and identified the steps they should take to achieve them.

This is the opposite of busy hard work, where frustration and fatigue are bound to occur. 

By embracing the intentional hustle mindset, you agree that rest is vital to the cycle. Rest is actually productive as it prevents burnout. Moreover, it allows you to reconnect to yourself through self-care.

However, you shouldn’t treat it as a reward. Otherwise, you’ll never get to enjoy this at all. Because the truth is ‘everything’ will never be done.  

Identifying your Chronotype

One of the important types of rest you can get during the day is your sleep. A good night’s sleep has the power to improve your productivity, performance, and safety outcomes. And to achieve this, you need to understand your chronotype. 

Chronotypes are the circadian rhythms that define an individual’s levels of alertness and activity. They vary from person to person based on factors such as age and activity level.

By knowing your chronotype, you’ll be able to understand your body’s needs and become more energetic. 

There are four chronotype categories:

• The Bear

Around 55% of the world’s population falls under the bear chronotype. They have no trouble waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. That’s why they feel more productive in the morning.

However, they may experience a slump after lunch (around 2-4 pm). 

• The Wolf 

Wolf chronotypes comprise 15% of the population. As they’re more productive during the night, they may struggle to be creative when the sun’s up.

If this is your chronotype, you’re bound to be more productive twice – around noon and 6 pm. To ensure you’re ready for the day, get the most sleep between midnight, and 7:30 am.  

• The Lion 

Also comprising 15% of the population, the lion chronotype feels most alive during the day. In fact, their energy levels are highest before noon. However, the afternoon slump hits this chronotype the hardest. That’s why they need a power nap to recharge.

Similarly, they’re drained by the evening. Therefore, they need a wind-down routine to decompress from the day. After that, they need eight hours of sleep per night to recover their energy for the next day. 

• The Dolphin 

The final 10% of the population falls under the dolphin chronotype. While they have a hard time waking up early, they’ll be quite productive once they get going. And their productivity will hit its peak around mid-morning.

However, they may feel more tired often because their brains are alert even while asleep. As their sleeping habits tend to be sporadic, it’s important that they sleep from midnight to 6 am. 

Eat Well

Healthful eating is a key ingredient of high energy levels at work. You need to switch to a balanced diet that comprises unrefined carbs, proteins, fats, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy oils. You should also take multivitamin supplements to get your body’s necessary vitamins and minerals. 

There are a few tips you need to keep in mind to get the benefits of eating right. 

• Eat the Right Food at the Right Time – to gain energy from food, timing is an essential factor. You need to eat every few hours to give your body the fuel it needs. Otherwise, you’ll end up burning muscle tissue rather than fat tissue. You should also learn the different rates of converting food to energy. For instance, candy can give you a quick lift. Meanwhile, whole grains will provide you with enough energy to last throughout the day. 
• Have Smaller Meals – research shows that people who eat more at lunch are hit harder by the afternoon slump. One of the possible reasons for this is the increase in blood sugar after eating. This is usually followed by reduced energy. 
• Don’t Forget to Add Carbs – carbohydrates are important to energize the body. In fact, they’re the preferred form of fuel as they can quickly be converted to glucose. Just make sure to opt for complex carbs to get the most energy and remain healthy. 
• Stick to Small Amounts of Fats – you should consume small amounts of healthy fats to stay energized. Foods high in fat will produce serotonin, a chemical that’ll make you sluggish and tired. 
• Eat High Octane Foods – high octane foods are rich in complex carbohydrates, antioxidants, fiber, and other health-promoting substances. Examples of such foods include blueberries, spinach, nuts, tea, and citrus fruit. 

Workout Mid-Day

Sneaking in a mid-day workout is more than a guilty pleasure. Several studies show that this is an important step in increasing energy and productivity. 

• A mid-day workout can increase your cognitive function by 5-10%. This means you’ll be able to be more creative, better at problem-solving, and quicker to recall things. 
• Mid-day workouts enhance cognitive performance and improve mood. These, in turn, inspire you to work harder. 
• Exercise is a great mental health break. It can help you counter the stress you feel while working. 

It may take some time before setting up a routine where you work out during the day. However, it’ll be worthwhile. With the shift to a hybrid work from home lifestyle, the small changes to improve your daily routine can be easier to implement, with the discipline to take the time for yourself. Especially as you gain the energy, you need to work productively. 

Take a Pre-Workout Supplement

Nutrition before exercise is important. For starters, it enables you to achieve peak performance while working out. It also prevents you from depleting your energy levels and tiring out too quickly.

Moreover, it reduces protein breakdown. Therefore, you get to maintain your muscle gains. 

This doesn’t mean that you should have a meal before exercising. Instead, eat a light snack such as a banana or whole-grain toast. 

But if you genuinely wish to feel energized during and after your workout, opt for pre-workout supplements.

Available in pill and powder form, these supplements help you recover and ease the fatigue of intense workouts. That too without you feel heavier or nauseous while exercising. 

Take TUNE IN, for example. This supplement combines medicinal and adaptogenic mushrooms and herbs. Together, these will ensure higher energy levels, more focus, and numerous benefits to make your workout great.

TUNE IN’s ingredients will also give you the productivity boost you need at work. 

Vary Your Workload 

Your workload may be causing your energy levels to go down. It can easily overwhelm you and prevent you from making any progress. Especially when complemented by late nights, early mornings, and tight deadlines. 

What you should do is break up your work. When faced with a series of tasks that require high concentration, your energy levels will deplete. So, mix up such tasks with ones that you enjoy or require less attention. This will give you (and your mind) some rest. 

Here are other important steps you should take to better tackle your workload: 

• Plan your day and prioritize tasks based on factors such as urgency and importance. 
• Identify your peak productivity hours and schedule your work accordingly. 
• Take 5 to 10-minute breaks every 60-90 minutes. This will refuel your creativity and allow you to feel refreshed. 
• Be open to delegating or outsourcing your work if your schedule is overflowing. 
• Have scheduled nights off, even if you tend to work late into the night. This will help you achieve work/life balance while allowing you to rest. 

Surround Yourself with Energetic People

The company you keep and interact with will affect you. Surrounding yourself with individuals exuding energy and enthusiasm will rub off on you, especially if they’re part of your team and share the same goals. 

There are five types of people you should keep close if you wish to be successful and energized: 

1. Inspired Individuals – being around inspired people will help you stay interested in your work and enable you to be productive. 
2. Motivated Individuals – having motivated people around encourages you to have a vision and achieve your objectives. 
3. Grateful Individuals – grateful people will help you maintain a positive outlook. Without negativity, you’ll feel energized longer. 
4. Open-Minded Individuals – narrow-minded people will restrain your creativity and dampen your energy. On the other hand, open-minded people will challenge you beyond your comfort zone to make you achieve more. 
5. Passionate Individuals – passion is infectious and can fuel you to be more productive at work. So, surround yourself with passionate people. 

Stay Hydrated

Hydration can impact your brain performance. Even losing 1-3% of body weight can impair brain function, mood, and concentration. Studies also indicate fluid loss can result in headaches, memory lapses, anxiety, and fatigue. 

But how much water is enough? The Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board recommends 125 ounces for men and 91 ounces for women. However, this isn’t set in stone. You’ll need to increase your intake due to factors such as activity levels, climate, and medical conditions. 

The easiest way to determine if you have sufficient water is by checking the color of your urine. If it’s clear and light yellow, your body is hydrated. If your urine is darker in color, you need to drink more water. 

You should also control the number of soft drinks and caffeinated beverages you consume. These have a diuretic effect, which leads to dehydration. So, stick to good ol’ water to stay hydrated.