Remote work should have been a dream come true for you. After all, commuting to your workplace has turned into walking down the corridor at home. But then, why are you feeling tired all the time?
It is frustrating to go to bed tired and to wake up with even less energy. When you feel weary for a prolonged period, you might start finding it hard to focus, make more mistakes than usual, be less productive, struggle to make decisions, etc.
That said, if you are experiencing a work-from-home lethargy, then you might need to review your habits and, more importantly, know what you can do about them.
1. You Are Not Getting Quality Sleep
Getting quality sleep is essential to your physical and mental wellbeing; it helps you feel energized in the morning, increases productivity, reduces stress, and improves your mood. However, the opposite can happen if you regularly deprive yourself of quality sleep. So, why are you not getting quality sleep?
That’s likely because you are binge-watching Netflix in bed, scrolling through your social media news feed, going through your emails, playing Candy Crush on your phone, etc. Note that exposing yourself to light at bedtime can impair the quality of your sleep.
Fortunately, you can easily make changes to these unhealthy nightly habits by switching off your smartphone and other devices or using FocusMe on Android to block all online temptations that keep you in front of a screen during bedtime.
Download: FocusME for Android (Free)
2. You Are Getting Too Much or Not Enough Sleep
Chances are you have heard about the dangers of getting too little sleep. Now that you are confined to the four walls of your home, this seems like the best time to finally get enough sleep. Besides, if getting too little sleep is problematic, then the more sleep, the better, right? Well, not necessarily.
It might be counterintuitive, but oversleeping can lead to cognitive impairment, depression, and even more tiredness. With this in mind, you will do well to aim for about 8 hours of sleep or between 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night.
It is also vital for you to have a regular sleep cycle, waking up and sleeping around the same time every day. For a start, you might need some help to achieve this. You can use the Sleep as Android app to fall asleep and wake up feeling energized. This app allows you to use custom alarm songs for smart wake up at an optimal sleep phase so that you feel well-rested in the morning.
Download: Sleep as Android for Android (Free)
3. You Drink Alcohol to Fall Asleep
Are you not feeling sleepy? How about a glass of wine or two? We bet you’ve done this at least once. That’s because the sedative effects of alcohol can help you fall asleep fast.
But alcohol also causes sleep disruptions and interferes with REM sleep, the more mentally restorative sleep phase, leading to overall poor sleep quality and duration. This means you will still feel exhausted and lose your productivity in the morning even if you slept for 8 hours.
So, what’s better to induce sleep? If you are approaching your regular bedtime but are not feeling sleepy, you can pick up a physical book (avoid e-books because of the screen light) or listen to relaxing sounds and bedtime stories on Relax Melodies.
Download: Relax Melodies for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
4. You Don’t Have a Dedicated Home Workspace
Now that you have ditched your daily commute, it can be tempting for you to wake up from bed and place your laptop next to your pillow to start working. That’s because your bedroom is warm and cozy, so you feel it’s the most appropriate place to be productive.
In reality, you will need to avoid your bedroom at all costs during working hours. Why? A bedroom is a place of rest, so you will be tempted to doze off instead of working. Secondly, you will be retraining your mind to associate it with a place to get work done, making it harder for you to get quality sleep in your bedroom in the long run.
The first fix is to reserve your bedroom for rest. The next fix is to create a dedicated workspace at home. That sounds hard, especially if you feel uninspired.
But you can design an ergonomic space that your mind will associate with productivity by using Room Planner. The interior design app allows you to create beautiful 2D/3D floor plans, get inspiration from predesigned layouts, and furnish the space with recognizable brands.
Download: Room Planner for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
5. You Are Not Exercising
If you have been like many people working from home in the last few months, you haven’t done much physical exercise. And the thought of working out has been dissolving with each passing day as you feel more and more exhausted.
It might make more sense for you to go for a nap to replenish your batteries, especially if you have been living a sedentary lifestyle. But physical exercise is actually an effective fatigue antidote.
Yes, you will feel drained after moving from your cozy couch to your first intense workout, but you will gradually gain more energy over time as it will boost your cardiovascular health and physical fitness. What’s more, physical exercise also allows you to get a better night’s rest, which helps you feel energized in the morning.
Are you wondering how you will start and maintain this new habit? You can use FitOn to gain unlimited access to effective workouts from world-class trainers. It provides a wide range of options, including strength training, HIIT, cardio, yoga, etc.
Download: FitOn For Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
Replenish Your Energy Levels and Get More Work Done
If you are tired of feeling tired, then it is time for you to abandon bad habits that drain your energy and practice good sleep hygiene to be more rested and productive throughout the day. Adopting these new habits might be hard at the start, but they will become more automatic with consistency.