Seven Unconventional Ways to Keep Up Your Energy and Stay Alert at Work

Cut Back on Coffee And Soft Drinks.

Caffeine may be great for giving you a boost, but once you’re addicted to it (and believe you me, most coffee drinkers are), the actual boost in energy it gives you is considerably less. You’re only drinking it to satisfy withdrawal, NOT tiredness! Saying that, if you control your caffeine intake it can be useful as a pick me up if you’re starting to feel drowsy. Just remember that for the surge, there is a crash. Caffeine and carbohydrates can also linger in your system for hours, producing a residual ‘buzz’ that can make relaxation very hard. This buzz isn’t enough to keep you going however- so you end up too wired to relax, but too tired to work!

Take your breaks!

Too many people neglect to take their 10 minute or 15 minute breaks. Most companies allow you to take a break in the morning, and then another in the afternoon after your lunch break. Use them! A lot of the tiredness you feel in the office is associated with your brain disengaging as you get bored rather than physical tiredness. A short break reading a magazine or having a chat (anything you enjoy really) is enough to reset your mind and allow you to return focused and sharp on the task at hand. You can also achieve similar results by changing the job you are doing frequently. Work on different things as much as possible!

Set milestones in the day.

You can make the day pass more quickly by counting down the time to your next break, or other interesting event rather than to the end of the shift. This may sound silly, but the closer a goal is, the more motivated you feel. So thinking “Only an hour before my next break” will give you more oomph than “Only six hours before I can go home”.

Stop clock watching all together!

A colleague of mine does this and swears by it. By covering all clocks and ensuring you can’t tell the time, the passage of time seems to speed up. Keep yourself busy, stop thinking about the time and believe me, it will pass much faster. That’s why time flies when you’re having fun- you’re not keeping track of it.