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Sustaining energy at work

A holistic guide to beating the afternoon slump
SYEDA ADIBA ARIF
Ever found yourself struggling to function properly during the second half at your workplace? You’re not alone. Extended meetings, prolonged desk hours, and periods of intense focus are quite commonplace in corporate jobs. Hence, it’s quite easy to get fatigued and burnt out if you’re not mindful about your work habits during your 9 to 5. The following techniques can be useful in efforts to stay energised throughout the workday, which is essential for both your wellbeing and productivity. And no, it’s not just coffee.
Start with good sleep
Without adequate sleep the night before, no matter what you do will be futile in keeping your energy levels high. Good sleep is needed to feel fresh, focus where it matters and make meaningful contributions at work.
Dr. Philip Stieg, a neurosurgeon who founded the Weill Cornell Medicine Brain and Spine Centre, claims lack of sleep might impair creativity, short-term memory, and attention span. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep every night. Humans are not machines; but even machines have planned downtimes that keep them functional, and the same applies in a truer scale for humans.
Eat the right way
Make a personal rule for yourself to not take your lunch at your desk if you can avoid it. Find a nice place much away from your desk, be it in the cafeteria or a cosy lounging zone and take some time to eat your lunch with or without company. A nutrient-rich, well-balanced meal, devoid of excessive grease does an excellent job of preventing fatigue.
Always try to consume a balanced lunch consisting of lean meats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Carry practical snacks with you to refuel throughout the day. Make a realistic meal plan for your hours at work, and stick to it to the best of your ability. Additionally, always carry a bottle of water with you and take frequent sips throughout the day, refilling as necessary.
Get some movement
For any job, there will be some days that are busier than others. In corporate jobs, a busy day often translates to spending most of it at our desks or in back-to-back meetings. It’s crucial to break free out of that & ensure at least some kind of movement throughout. Absorbing sunlight and fresh air, or stretching limbs and taking short walks, or simply getting up every hour for only a minute, works wonders in offsetting the weariness that comes with extended periods of immobility. Even the shortest bursts of physical activity can instantly make one feel revitalised. Besides, it is also important to focus on good posture at work. If you have the option, opt for an ergonomic set up.
Recharge with colleagues
Nobody can relate more to whatever workplace struggle you are facing, than the colleagues who you work with daily. Taking a few breaks to interact with coworkers goes a long way in inducing joy. Dr. Ben Waber, Prominent scientist at the MIT Media Lab, highlights the advantages of taking ‘micro-breaks’ of up to ten minutes. You can use these breaks to unwind with your favourite colleagues. To prevent burnout, view breaks as mandatory rather than voluntary, and plan your schedule accordingly.
Plan your time
It is not just the number of hours, but also the way those hours are arranged that play a role in your energy levels. Zhang, Spreitzer, and Qiu’s (2023) research demonstrates that energy levels are influenced by the ratio of meeting time to individual work. A well-structured week alternates between solitary work and meetings. Instead of compacting meeting schedules or pairing critical meetings with intense individual tasks, pair high-stress meetings with low-stress one-on-one work whenever possible and vice versa.
Employers and employees alike can benefit from the enhancing productivity, creativity, and job satisfaction that sustained energy at the workplace can bring. Employees should adopt a well-rounded approach that includes good planning, nutrition and workload management.
Employers should prioritise employee well-being by actively listening to the needs of the employees, designing wellness programs that truly work and eschewing the “set it and forget it” approach. By fostering an environment that supports these practices, all parties can win.
Adiba Arif is an HR Manager at BAT Bangladesh and a corporate columnist for The Daily Star. Having completed her Bachelor’s from IBA, University of Dhaka, she is currently pursuing a Master’s in Data Science & Analytics at East West University.