Post-work fatigue can be a downer in multiple ways - you won’t have the energy to make yourself and family a proper dinner or you’ll miss that movie you’ve been looking forward to because you just can’t drag yourself off the couch and get dressed. If you are missing on life’s finest things simply because work is leaving you too exhausted, it’s time to make some changes. And that’s not to contemplate calling it quits. Here are a few helpful tips to keep you energised during and post work. 

STRETCH

Sitting at your desk all day and not taking the time to move about will ensure that by the time you’re ready to go home, you will have little energy left for after-work activities. Do yourself a flavor and get up and stretch your body every 15 minutes or so. This will get your blood circulating as it should and you will stay limber and energetic.

TAKE A WALK

The next time you’re tempted to eat lunch at your desk, resist. Instead, take your lunch over to a colleague’s desk, one that is preferably at the other end of the office. And don’t just sit and gossip after lunch. You can use those extra 10-15 minutes to step out of the office and get some fresh air. It will perk you up and at the end of the lunch hour you’ll find that your energy levels have soared.

BREATHING EXERCISES

Sometimes, it’s as simple as just taking a deep breath. When people are stressed, as they usually are at work, they tend to take short, shallow breaths, which in turn, increase stress levels and leads to greater exhaustion by the end of the day. Feel your tension melt away by taking a 10 minute break to just breathe deeply and regularly.

NECK AND SHOULDER EXERCISES

This should be a no-brainer, but it’s surprising how few of us take the time out to relieve the tension in our neck, shoulders and back. These are the areas that accumulate stress as we sit hunched over our computers for hours at a time. Just a few minutes of working these body parts will make an immense difference and minimise much of the exhaustion that you would otherwise feel at the end of the day. Recommended exercises include shoulder rolls, shoulder depression and elevation and turning the head both ways, making sure to stretch the shoulder muscles as well.

STAY HYDRATED

It’s surprising how we forget the most important things as soon as we start to get busy. One is to drink enough water. One should start the day with water and as the work day progresses, get up frequently for water breaks. Staying hydrated will make sure proper functioning of all your body systems.