How To Encourage Productivity When You’re Tired

Productivity is something that we should be constantly trying to improve, not only for business purposes but for our mental health too. Being productive can positively impact your job fulfilment, which is good for your mental health and general well-being (source: mentalhealth.org). 

There have been lots of different initiatives being adopted by companies recently, including remote/flexible working, shorter working days and even the 4-day work week. 

There is no arguing that the majority of us lead busy lives, juggling outside-of-work responsibilities with full-time professions, which 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 then you are likely to feel the effects.  Try and opt for healthier, high protein snacks and meals which can encourage your brain to work at peak performance.

Dehydration could be making you sleepier, too, 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, whether for a few minutes or a full lunch hour, can help you alleviate mental fatigue by relaxing and restoring the mind.

Take a walk to grab lunch or find a bench to eat your lunch at.  If outdoors is out 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. Whether you get a snack, take a walk or make a cup of tea, regular breaks are important.

Take a break every 52 minutes

A recent study analysed 5.5 million daily records of how office workers are using their computers and found the top 10% of productive workers all 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 puts strain on 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 conversation which isn’t work-related.

Give your eyes a break

Have you checked your screen time on your phone tracker? If you’re anything like the majority of 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, having it at the right height 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. As humans, we are better at doing one task at a time, so prioritise tasks 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 of the task. 

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 mind wander into daydream had similar effects to meditation.

Daydreaming also allows people to activate their subconscious throughout the day which gives them a chance 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 have different times of day we work best. Understanding how you work best can help with increasing 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 the guide for breaking bad behaviours and adding good ones to your day, proving that small, incremental routines can add up 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, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that it was probably the worst thing you’ll do all day. Or 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 in 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 with lists and reminders so you can free your mind from having to remember all the things you need to do.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. This one 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. This one explores the idea of developing a habit around 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.