Tired of dealing with fatigue while at work or school? Are you wondering why you feel so drained even after a good day of productivity? Read on to find out why.
Feeling lethargic during the day can disrupt your productivity. Feeling sleepy when you’re about to work on that project is not ideal. As much as this feeling is a part of us, it doesn’t happen by itself.
Our daily habits are directly correlated with our productivity during the day. Energy-boosting habits keep us active during the day, while other habits destroy our energy levels. So which habits are these and why should you avoid them? Let’s find out.
Lack of Enough Sleep
You’ve all heard the famous phrase “I will sleep when I die” at some point in your lives. As hardcore as that phrase may sound, it’s actually very harmful to your body. Lack of sleep has been linked to certain complications like chronic diseases, weight gain, or even Alzheimer’s disease.
The average person should get between 7-8 hours of sleep each night, regardless of the weekend. Sleeping less – or even more – hours have shown to lower productivity, since the body has not fully rested. Sleeping for more than 9 hours makes you lazy, hence reducing the chances of getting any work done.
For the best results, try going to bed and waking up at around the same time. This sets your body’s circadian rhythm and allows proper recovery during the night.
Lack of Movement
Exercise is one of the most essential habits to maximize our productivity. Despite feeling exhausted during workouts, exercise provides a major boost in our energy levels throughout the day. But exercise is not the only way you can incorporate movement into your lives.
Walking has great effects on the brain and body. By simply going for a 20-minute walk, you improve blood circulation to your brain, boosting its power and alertness. The best times to go for a walk are in the morning, right after lunch, and before the sun sets.
Timing your walks also plays a key role in properly aligning your circadian rhythm with the sun.
Poor Sunlight Exposure May Affect Productivity
The sun is one of the most crucial components in regulating energy levels during the day. During these modern times, people are working from home or in offices and exposing themselves less to sunlight. The action leads to a deficiency in vitamin D, which is an essential vitamin for your body.
For maximum productivity, try exposing yourself to sunshine within the first hour of waking up. This sends a signal to your brain that the day has begun, boosting metabolism and prepping your whole body for the day ahead. It also contributes to attaining vitamin D for the day.
Also, walking under the sun in the afternoon and evening will set your body’s sleep cycle to match the sun. So going for evening walks while watching the sunset will tell your brain that the day has ended, rightfully prepping itself for sleep.
Undernourishment Leads to Poor Productivity
Everyone understands the importance of proper nutrition to the body. The healthier you keep your body, the better it performs. These are basics that are innate in all human beings. But the issue arises when people need to meet their nutritional requirements each day.
Surviving processed foods as our diet are dangerous to our health and overall performance. It is understandable that sometimes finances can be a bit tight, but minimizing your processed food intake is important. Better to eat a single avocado for a meal than a whole meal involving fried or sugary foods.
It is nearly impossible to be perfect on your diet, but try achieving at least 80% of your diet to come from whole foods sources. Consuming too many processed foods guarantee a reduction in energy levels.
Eating a Heavy Breakfast
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, is a lie fed to us for decades. If you decide to have breakfast, dining on protein-filled foods like eggs is okay, since it’s healthy. But most people opt for sugary and processed foods for breakfast, which is dangerous to their health.
During the morning, your blood sugar is usually very high. So, by eating a high-sugar-content breakfast, you spike your blood sugar to dangerous levels, which is then brought down by large amounts of insulin.
When the blood sugar levels are brought down rapidly, you experience a ‘crash’, meaning your blood sugar levels have gone down below the normal range, requiring you to bring them back up. But the only way to bring them back up is through sugary foods again, which is a dangerous cycle that can lead to diabetes.
So, opt for either a healthy breakfast or skip breakfast altogether and await for lunch instead. This levels out your blood sugar and balances out your energy levels throughout the day.
Key Takeaways
Nothing beats a productive and energetic day. Maintaining high energy levels throughout the day is crucial for focus and getting any work done. Eating less, exercising, and eating nutrient-dense meals are just but some of the reasons to keep up your productivity. Perfection is not entirely necessary, but keeping 80% of these habits will prove beneficial.