Work overload, stress, and burnout can leave anyone unmotivated to stay productive. Not to mention the physical and mental challenges you have to go through to actually complete any kind of work. Feeling mentally and physically burned out and exhausted is a no-go when it comes to productivity and dealing with daily responsibilities at home and work. Therefore, having enough good quality resting time and restorative sleep is essential for those who want to become and stay productive, creative, calm and collected every time there is a new life challenge.
Even though many people associate ‘unnecessary’ resting with simply absence of work or laziness in the work culture of the 21st century, the truth is, they couldn’t be more wrong. Many companies around the world are introducing ‘resting and napping time’ during the work hours, and in countries like Sweden or Norway, you are even allowed to leave early or work for fewer hours in case you’re experiencing exhaustion and stress. And guess what; the employees in these countries have never been more productive or happy. Therefore, in order to become a relaxing king/queen even with tons of work, we’ve decided to provide a few simple tips and tricks on how you can do it.
Tip no. 1: Get enough sleep
Having enough good quality sleep can do wonder for your both, mental and physical health as well as productivity. Of course, the amount of required sleep varies from person to person, and usually regards gender, age, genetics, and many other factors. However, the estimate hours of sleep an adult requires is between 6 to 8. Sometimes, it is hard to get those hours of sleep, especially if you have a lot of work to do or you have small children who are always restless.
Even so, there are few things you can do to get a good night’s sleep, every night. According to Management30, there is a simple trick that can improve not only your sleep, but also productivity; it is called the 10-3-2-1-0 method, and here are the rules:
- 10 hours before sleep, you stop consuming caffeine
- 3 hours before bedtime, you stop consuming food and alcohol
- 2 hours before bedtime, you stop working
- 1 hour before bedtime, you stop using your phone/laptop and other screen-devices
- 0 is the number of times you hit the snooze button in the morning; the longer you delay waking up, the harder it is actually to get out of bed and start with the day
As you can see, the method is entirely focused on getting enough of good quality, restorative sleep. Make sure to try it; you will feel much better and rested, with the required energy and motivation to embark on new journeys each day. Also, make sure to establish a healthy morning routine, to increase the effects of a good night’s sleep and increase the productivity for the rest of the day.
Tip no. 2: Exercise
Incorporating exercise into our daily routines can be extremely difficult. After a long day at work, all you want to do is come home and get into the bed; no one really has energy and time to actually exercise after the work, right? Wrong. It’s all about establishing a routine, whether it is in the morning or at night after you get home from work or going out. Of course, in the beginning, you should always start small. There are numerous 5 to 15 minutes workout videos on YouTube which are extremely easy to follow. Or, in case you aren’t really an ‘exercise’ person, make sure to at least get enough movement throughout the day; go for a 30-minute walk, go shopping or stop relying on your car as the primary transportation; moreover, instead of taking the elevator, use the stairs or park your car a little farther from the office. There are numerous ways to get your body moving without actually doing any exercise.
Exercise and movement are crucial for your body’s functionality. During a workout, you increase blood flow to the brain, which makes you more alert, aware and more ready to deal with different tasks. It also helps you feel more awake, improves your cardiovascular health, mental health and overall outlook on the world and life. Not to mention that by getting enough exercise and movement, you are also preventing the development of illness or disease. With improved immunity, you will be ready to conquer any challenge you face at work.
Tip no. 3: Relax
This tip is pretty obvious, but many people tend to neglect it for some reason. There is a direct connection between relaxation and an increase in productivity, as relaxation techniques can alleviate stress and exhaustion caused by the sometimes, outrageous demands at the workplace or college. It is so much better to spend money on a scholarship essay writing service instead of panicking and crying whilst trying to finish a paper an hour before the deadline. Relaxation is essential to re-boot, renew and refresh the mind and body because only such a mind and body can reach the full potential and highest levels of productivity. Because relaxation is crucial for one’s productivity, creativity, and calmness, here are some tips on how to relax, according to Life Advancer:
- Breathing techniques; try out breathing techniques like The Stimulating Breath (three in-and-out breath cycles per second), or the 4-7-8 Relaxing Breath exercise (exhaling through the mouth while making whoosh sound, inhaling and counting to 4, repeating the process by increasing the time to 7, and then 8 seconds).
- Healthy Snacking: avoid snacking carbs and sugar, instead, consume a snack that provide long-term energy, like almonds, raisins, carrots, walnuts, sunflower seeds, green tea and ginger, dark chocolate, etc. Make sure to snack away from your desk at the office, and wait 5 minutes before you return to work.
- Muscle relaxation: make sure to take some time to tense up the muscles in your body while you’re sitting at the desk or working in some other environment. Muscle tensions remove physical tension from the muscles and only takes around 5-10 minutes.
- Laugh and stay positive: comic relief is a term used to refer to the fact that humor is the best relaxation technique out there. Make sure to surround yourself with people who make you laugh, who are optimistic and positive. Moreover, make sure to adopt such a mindset, because it will help you release endorphins and refresh your attitude towards stress, exhaustion and work overall.
