How To Encourage Productivity When You’re Tired

We should constantly try to improve productivity, not only for business purposes but also for our mental health. Being productive can positively impact job fulfilment, which is good for mental health and general well-being (source: mentalhealth.org). 

Companies have adopted many different initiatives recently, including remote/flexible working, shorter working days, and even the four-day work week. 

There is no arguing that the majority of us lead busy lives, juggling outside-of-work responsibilities with full-time professions. This is why Safety and Health magazine reported that people are more tired than ever. But how should people focus on improving productivity when tired?  

If you're feeling tired and want to improve your productivity, try some of these simple tips:

Health and Fitness

The last thing you want to do when you're feeling tired is exercise or eat anything healthy; however, eating the right thing and taking a brisk walk can transform your energy levels. Have you ever heard the phrase 'you are what you eat'?  If you are lazy with what you put into your body, you will likely feel the effects.  Opt for healthier, high-protein snacks and meals that can encourage your brain to work at peak performance.

Dehydration could also make you sleepier, as when you're dehydrated, your blood pressure is affected, decreasing blood flow to the brain and potentially making you feel sleepier and fatigued.

Get some fresh air

Escaping from the office for a few minutes or a packed lunch hour can help alleviate mental fatigue by relaxing and restoring the mind.

Take a walk to grab lunch or find a bench to eat at. If outdoors is out of the question, try surrounding yourself with mini office plants—they can help boost your mood.

Take a break

It's easy to sit at your desk all day and 'work'; however, studies dating from the 1990s suggest that due to natural variations in our cycle of alertness, we can concentrate for no longer than 90 minutes before needing a 15-minute break. Regular breaks are essential whether you get a snack, take a walk or make a cup of tea.

Take a break every 52 minutes.

A recent study analysed 5.5 million daily records of office workers' computer use and found that the top 10% of productive workers worked an average of 52 minutes before taking a 17-minute break.

But why?

• You're more likely to be more productive when you know there is an end goal – in this case, a short break.

• Working for long periods of time strains cognitive ability. Nobody is programmed to work for 8+ consecutive hours.

• Moving around boosts mental focus and overall health.

Distract yourself from work.

No, we don't mean avoid all work – we mean distract yourself from work when you're supposed to be taking a break.  Switching off is difficult, but creating distractions when you're on a break will keep you from overthinking and allow your brain to take a break, too.

Try having your break at the same time as friends so you can engage in non-work-related conversation.

Give your eyes a break.

Have you checked your screen time on your phone tracker? If you're anything like most people in the UK, you'll be surprised at how much time you've spent staring at that screen; however, the time you spend staring at your computer screen will be considerably higher.  Take these steps to exercise and rest your eyes.

• Reduce glare – invest in a cover for your screen to prevent strain.

• Make sure your screen is at the right height. This will prevent your eyes from having to work too much.

• Take the time to look away from your screen!

Prioritise your time and focus.

Most of us think we can multitask however, this is untrue. Humans are better at doing one task at a time, so prioritise and plan your day. This will stop anxiety and fatigue, which can often be by-products of multitasking. 

For essential tasks that need focus, put your phone on DND and avoid checking your emails for the duration. 

Reflect

Daydreaming might seem like a pointless, distracting, and unproductive activity, but in reality, it gives your brain some time to think for itself naturally. A report published by Science magazine found that letting our minds wander into daydreams had similar effects to meditation.

Daydreaming also allows people to activate their subconscious throughout the day, allowing them to develop new ideas without consciously thinking about them.

Work when works for you

We're not all early birds, just as we're not all night owls. People are different, which is why we all work best at different times of day. Understanding how you work best can help you increase your productivity while avoiding tiredness. 

Resources from the Professionals

Here are some productivity resources to consider from the people who are the experts:

Atomic Habits by James Clear is a guide for breaking bad behaviours and adding good ones to your day. It proves that small, incremental routines can lead to a largely positive change over time.

Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy. A metaphor for tackling the most challenging task of your day, this book reminds us that if we eat the frog first thing each morning, we'll be satisfied knowing that it was probably the worst thing we'd do all day. In other words – identify the tasks most critical to do first and have the most impact.

Secrets to Productivity, Work/Life Balance and Success. You know I had to squeeze a Heinz Marketing resource in the list, right? But this is where I got the Outlook "Work Offline" tip that has changed my work life, so it's legit. Matt Heinz is productivity-obsessed and offers some great tips in this guide on beating procrastination and making yourself efficient right now. Check it out.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen and James Fallows is a guide for stress-free productivity. It includes lists and reminders to free your mind from having to remember all the things you need to do.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is sitting on my desk as we speak. This book examines the internal obstacles to success so that readers can identify and overcome the inner barriers to creativity.

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport explores the idea of developing a habit of deep work—the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task.  

Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School by John Medina. By the end of this book, you'll understand how the brain works and how you can harness its powers to get the most out of it.

What are your productivity hacks? We would love to hear them.