Work Smarter Not Harder: How to Remain Energized After Working for Hours


It's easy to lose your energy after working for hours on end without a break. This lack of energy can make you slow, lethargic and demotivated. Sometimes, you might even want to give up on whatever you're doing and take a break from work for a while. So what are your options? How can you remain productive while at work without being drained of energy? Read on to find out.

13 Ways To Work Smarter Without Getting Drained Of Energy

  1. Start Early


“Lose an hour in the morning, and you will be all day hunting for it.”

~ Richard Whately


Starting early is probably the best practice you can adopt if you want to remain energized after working for hours. When you start early, you ensure that there will be enough hours left for doing the things you need to do. This means that you can take longer breaks during your workday if needed. This way, you can have additional time to spend on learning new skills or reading more about your industry so that you have something new to talk about with clients.


  1. Drink Water To Replenish Fluids And Keep Hydrated

Dehydration can affect your energy levels. Staying hydrated throughout the day improves your energy levels and brain function. If you're not well hydrated, you may end up feeling drained of energy and demotivated about working for hours on end. This is why it's important to drink water regularly even if you're already at work. If you often forget to sip on water from time to time, you can use apps like Aqualert, Hydro Coach, and WaterMinder to keep your water intake in check.

  1. Take More Breaks Than You Do Normally

Working for hours without taking a break may make you feel sluggish. When you take more breaks during your workday, it gives you time to rest and recharge. Taking breaks can also help increase your productivity levels by allowing your body and mind to relax. So, don't mind taking breaks. See them as an opportunity to refresh and renew your energies. These Break time apps like I Need A Break, Desk Athlete, and Exercise Dice help you manage your activity time and work breaks to stay productive throughout the day.

  1. Don't Multitask - Always


“Multitasking is the ability to screw everything up simultaneously.”

~ Jeremy Clarkson


Jim Taylor, a psychologist says in his article, “There is no such thing as multitasking—at least not the way you may think of it.The fact is that multitasking, as most people understand it, is a myth that has been promulgated by the "technological-industrial complex" to make overly scheduled and stressed-out people feel productive and efficient.” 


Individuals who believe they can divide their focus between multiple activities aren't really accomplishing more. In reality, they're doing less work and getting more anxious while also performing poorer than those who take one task at a time. It can be a bad idea if you want to remain productive throughout the day. This is why it's best to focus on one task at a time and then move on to another one. Also, if you have to handle more tasks than usual during your work day, you can use apps such as Focus Zen, Handle, and Omnifocus to handle tasks effectively without losing focus.

  1. Get Outside At Regular Intervals When At Work

Getting outside of your workplace at regular intervals can help you remain energized for several hours. This is because getting some fresh air clears out the toxins in your body and also helps your mind to relax. You may feel refreshed after spending some time outdoors. Studies suggest that being outdoors helps you reduce work stress and think more clearly. 

  1. Keep Your To-Do List To Minimal

Make it a point to keep your to-do list short at all times. The reason - the longer your to-do list, the more stressed you'll feel about completing everything that's on that list in one day. You might also end up doing not a single task efficiently. Make sure the tasks on your to-do list are attainable and achievable at the same time. You can use to-do apps like Todoist, Asana, and Omnifocus to make a more effective to-do list.

  1. Take Harder Tasks At The Start Of The Day

It makes sense to take harder tasks at the start of your workday and then continue with the easier ones. Why? You're more productive and energetic when you start your workday. This way you can do harder and simpler tasks with the same efficiency. Plus, if you take the easy tasks at the end of your workday, it can save you a lot of energy to end your day with.

  1. Snack Healthy At Regular Intervals

Have a healthy snack at regular intervals. It's not only going to keep your body energized for hours but also help you have a productive and relaxing workday. Healthy snacks include fruits, nuts and vegetables etc. Munching on healthy snacks helps replenish your energy levels and keep your body functioning optimally all day long.

  1. Limit The Amount Of Caffeine That You Drink Each Day

Caffeine is a great way to stay energized during the day but you have to control your caffeine intake. If you're drinking too much of it, your productivity levels can go down instead of going up. According to a study, caffeine confuses the brain by taking up the receptors for adenosine which is responsible for signalling your brain to slow down when you’re tired. So, limit caffeine intake between 1-3 pm and then switch to tea that has low or no caffeine after that time. 

  1. Prioritize And Schedule Tasks According To Your Energy Levels

If you're feeling energetic on a particular day, take up challenging tasks first. On the other hand, if you have low energy levels, start off with easier and less challenging work. You can easily finish harder tasks when you feel energetic while solving simpler problems while low on energy can boost your enthusiasm further.

  1. Take A Quick Nap When Feeling Sleepy And Bored

According to research by NASA, taking a quick power nap can help you wake back up with renewed energy levels. If you're feeling sleepy during the day, take a 20-minute snooze break to refresh your mind and body. Napping also improves memory and mood. The best part is that napping decreases stress hormones too making it a great way to relax after a stressful day.

  1. Automate The Tasks You Can

“You’re either the one that creates the automation or you’re getting automated.”

~ Tom Preston Werner


Automating tasks will help you save time and energy. If there are some tasks that you do every day, make it a point to automate them. You might not be able to set up an automatic system for everything but at least you can put together a manual checklist and then tick off the items while performing the task. This way, you'll save time and energy for other tasks. Use these strategies to automate simpler and regular tasks at work.

  1. Turn Off Notifications While Working On Important Tasks

If you're working on something important, make it a point to turn off your phone's notifications. You don't want the beeping and buzzing sound coming from your phone to distract you while working on important tasks. Turn off text messages, emails, social media notifications etc. while trying to finish a task in the allocated time period.

Conclusion

Staying energized for hours is not as difficult as you think. You just need to work smart, use the right techniques and have the right set of tools at your disposal. The above-mentioned tips are guaranteed to help you stay energized for hours without getting distracted or tired. So give them a shot and feel the difference.