How to Keep Your Energy Levels Up at Work

With deadlines looming, detail oriented mental or physical work can sap the energy out of the mind and the body. Here are some tips to maintain high energy levels at work.

• A fiber-rich breakfast and lunch with salads, fruits, greens, vegetables and whole grains can give a sustainable energy boost at work. Unlike caffeine and pastries which cause an energy spurt that dies away rapidly, fiber-rich diet will enable you to stay fresh through the work day.

• Have plenty of proteins in your diet - have milk with your breakfast and yogurt with your meal. Have a proper balance of fats and carbohydrates. Imbalances in diet can retard digestion and make you sluggish.

• Break up your diet into 3-4 small meals and snacks through your work hours. That will keep you uniformly energized all the time.

• Dry fruits like raisin, figs and dates and nuts like almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews and pistachios give a natural energy boost. Snack on them once every day.

• Never over-eat at work. It can make you sleepy as it is takes a lot of energy to digest big loads of food.

• Drink water periodically. Water hydrates the body and helps it to flush out the wastes efficiently. This eases the work load on the body. Consequently you get an energy boost for activities at work. Have a water carafe on your desk to remind you drink often.

• Sleep well at night to have high energy levels at work the next day. Sound sleep can be very rejuvenating. Disturbed sleep drains energy from the body and the mind.

• Mental stress at work can make the body weak and unproductive at work. Breathe long and deep for a few minutes every hour. This will calm the mind and improve the oxygen intake of the body. Automatically you will feel an energy boost at work.

• Get some fresh air and sunlight at least for half an hour every day. If you have a window in your office keep it open for some time every day. Otherwise take a small lunch break and step into the outdoors. While sunlight helps the body to make essential substances like Vitamin D naturally, fresh air and nature are invigorating to the mind.

• Get at least 30 minutes of exercise, yoga or stretches every day. If your company has a fitness center, steal a few minutes from your schedule to give yourself a quick workout. This helps not only physically but also mentally.

• Meditate for 10 minutes prior to leaving for work or at work on a relatively empty stomach. This will help you train your mind to calmly face the ups and downs at work life. Staying cool naturally boosts your energy at work.

Learn to balance work life and wellness. Do not let one displace the other.