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We have all experienced those tiresome days in the office that made us unable to perform our duties efficiently. For some, such fatigue is a common occurrence that takes place all day when in the office while others get tired within the first hour of getting into the office. Well, you need to know about such fatigue and understand that it can be avoided. There are tips which when incorporated into your routine can make your working time less tiring. Here are four tips to get you through the day:
The objective of office ergonomics is to help you design your workstation in a manner that fits you so that you are comfortable to work. The benefits of maintaining ergonomics is that it reduces the costs that you could incur to treat musculoskeletal disorders, enhances your productivity, and improves the quality of your work. Among the ergonomic tips that you could adopt are:
Poor time management can have you working on a single task for hours. In order to avoid this, put in measures to help you work smart and in the shortest time.
For instance, you can adopt a smart way of grouping files together. Just pick related files and put them in one zip file. This helps in two ways. One, it makes files smaller saving on storage space and making file sharing via email or web easier and faster. Second, it simplifies file searching especially when in a hurry to find it. Once you find it, you only unzip files in seconds and start working on them.
Working smart also entails handling the important tasks first so that you do them diligently followed by the less essential ones. You should also avoid multitasking as it drains you of energy and it is often counterproductive. Additionally, ensure that when you take on a task, you devote your whole focus to it. This means closing other tabs on your computer, putting your mobile phone on silent mode, and ensuring that your working place is quiet and free from distractions.
Sitting down for too long will automatically make you feel tired. Therefore, you need to stay active while you work by taking 10-15 minutes breaks between tasks. During this time, you can grab a cup of coffee in your office kitchen. Coffee is a stimulant and it will enhance your brain activity thereby improving your mental performance and thinking ability. You can also go to the washroom, or take a walk around the block.
A 15-minute break is also sufficient for you to perform office-friendly exercises such as desk push-ups, chair squats, wall push-ups, calf raises, arm circles, or arm pulses according to your physical activity goals. Exercises will have your blood pumping such that you will feel more energized to work. While at it, make sure that you stay hydrated to enhance your body’s metabolism.
Sometimes shutting your eyes for 30 minutes when you feel exhausted is the only solution to get back on track. The best time to take a power nap is after your lunch break. You can take your lunch fast then go back to your office and set your alarm for 30 minutes.
In case you didn't know, after a meal, your body tends to slow down as it digests the food. That is why you tend to get sleepy after your lunch break. Rather than trying to fight it off, you are better off taking that nap. Once you wake up, your body will be charged up to go for a couple more hours without fatigue kicking in.
When you are feeling tired, you need to get creative about how you get back your lost energy. These four tips will help you get over the slump so that you have a productive day. The truth is that work will always be tiresome but you can choose to make it less exhausting.
Andy Latkovskis is an HR Officer specialized in employee training and development. He is truly passionate about nurturing talent and ideas that evoke transformative change in individuals, teams, and organizations. When he is not working, you can find him exploring the deepness of nature.