Multi-tasking. Incessantly checking email. Venting to a coworker.
It all adds up, sapping your energy.
There are plenty of other diversions and temporary fixes we turn to throughout the workday. But few will truly stoke your spirit or help you get things done efficiently.
Multiple studies have shown that doing several things simultaneously means you do none of them well – and drain yourself. Slow breathing and simple mindfulness exercises can help you focus.
Complaining to let off steam is okay a time or two. But do it often, and you’ll drag yourself – and everyone who joins the whine-fest – down.
Wellness experts say it’s not good to just sit there and ruminate. You’re feeding negativity with energy.
If you are going to point out problems, try to come up with solutions. Ask yourself: Can I make a change?
Don’t feel defeated. Some of the best ways to stay energized are straightforward:
- Get enough sleep
- Take breaks
- Drink water
There are also a few that might surprise you.
You can get a boost from helping a coworker. When you feel useful, you break that cycle of I’m bored, I’m tired, I’m stressed.
Also, being a little hungry makes you sharper.
About a decade ago, researchers at Yale University’s medical school discovered that the same hormone the stomach puts out when we’re hungry, ghrelin, stimulates the part of the brain associated with learning and memory. So go with it for a bit if you’ve got a little gnaw in your belly.
Journalist Mitra Malek writes about wellness, fitness and innovation. She has taught yoga regularly since 2006 and was a senior editor for Yoga Journal magazine. Learn more at mitramalek.com.
