Tips To Stay Awake When Working

The switch to doing business from home has taken its toll on the nation's workforce in many ways. Some of those ways are blessings in disguise: your workday and family life have had to integrate like never before. Some things, like staying awake as you work, have gotten harder than they were.

To make your morning complete and fulfill the tasks before you, take some of these tips to heart to help you have a more wakeful — and productive — day.

1. Grab a Snack

Food is a meaningful way to gain more energy, provided you do it right. Your desk snacks should be something small, healthy, and protein-filled so that it gives you an energy boost without an accompanying sugar crash an hour later. Try a handful of nuts, a bowl of granola and yogurt, a block of cheese, or peanut butter with celery.

Staying hydrated will also help with your fatigue, so make sure you get plenty of water as you work too. If you need a quick boost, get some coffee, caffeinated tea, or whatever your preference is — just be ready for an energy slump a while later if you drink too much sugar.

2. Move Around

If your job involves staying in one place for the day, your muscles will get used to not moving and settle into wherever you are. Take an opportunity to move every couple of hours, preferably for at least ten minutes. Breaking up your workday with movement will also make it go by faster, which is a bonus!

You don't have to set aside an hour to get in an intense workout, either. Just take a few minutes to get up, walk around, stretch a bit, or find another way to get your blood flowing again. If you're working from home, you can use chores and cleaning up to take a break from your job.

3. Crank up the Beats

The right music can help your energy levels rise and keep your mind engaged as you work. Use upbeat tunes that make you want to enjoy the songs, and put it on loud so that their energy fills you up. Be kind to your neighbors, though; use headphones if you think it might distract someone else.

If you don't listen to energizing tunes much or don't enjoy beats that would help you concentrate, maybe apply some reverse psychology and put on something you find annoying. The sooner you get your work done, the sooner you can turn it off!

4. Wake All the Way

Even though you're working from home, you'll find it helpful to get ready for work each day as if you were going into your office. Standards may change: you can get away with sweatpants and comfy clothes, but going through the motions still helps your body realize it's time to be awake.

Take a shower, put clean clothes on, comb through your hair, and perform whatever other morning rituals you need to get ready for the day. Your overall productivity will be much better if you make an effort to be ready for the day.

5. Work Smart, Not Hard

If you find yourself having trouble starting your day, give yourself permission to do easy things until you wake up. Don't worry about that big, complex project that you need to finish; instead, reply to standard emails, organize your space, or file documents as you wait for your energy to kick in.

6. Energize Your Environment

A lot of different factors can contribute to your workspace that will help you stay awake and accomplish your tasks. Natural light has proven to improve energy levels, so see if you can work near a window or take breaks to step outside and feel the sunshine.

Scents can also help boost your productivity, so find an energizing smell, like citrus or peppermint, and diffuse it through your workspace to keep you awake.