Working from home—especially when we’re in the middle of a crisis—can be draining.
We have a lot of things pulling on our time and attention, whether it’s our work, our kids, our concerns for the world, or something else entirely.
What’s more, we may need to spend some of our energy learning new tools and developing new workflows to accommodate the shift to remote work. If you’re building a business, you may also find that you need to pivot the work you’re doing based on current market concerns. That can feel draining as well.
If you’ve tried just powering through your day, you know what it means to hit a wall.
If you saw my previous blog post, you know my “Biological Prime Time”—the time of day I have the most energy and focus—is in the morning.
After lunch, however, I often hit a real dip in my energy level. I just can’t seem to focus on those hard-to-complete tasks that take extra creativity.
It can feel impossible to move forward or get things done. All of a sudden, the momentum stops.
Let’s be real.
Just sitting down and trying to slog through your lull is probably not going to help you be at your productive best.
I tried this already, and trust me: it doesn’t work!
When I tried to force myself to keep going after hitting a lull, my tasks took me much longer than they normally would, and I wasn’t satisfied with the quality of my work, either.
Something had to change.
Here’s what I mean: I used to go to the gym first thing in the morning. It’s what everyone else seemed to be doing, so I figured that’s when I had to do my workout.
But when I noticed my most productive hours, my BPT, were first thing in the morning, I realized I needed that morning-level of focus for the tasks that required mental energy.
I started putting my gym time in the middle of the afternoon, and I came back from the gym feeling refreshed.
It was so much easier to get things done at a high level after I got my body moving.
You can do this, too.
When you hit a lull, instead of pushing through, get your blood flowing to restore your energy.
I know we’re all stuck at home right now, but you don’t need to go to a gym to do this.
Neurologically, we can restore some zip by taking a nap (just 20 mins is enough) or by exercising. Try doing some jumping jacks in your office, or go out to the backyard and throw a ball around with your kid or your dog. If you find you need more intensity, there are plenty of fitness gurus offering free at-home workouts right now.
You should find that you’ll have another surge in energy after you nap or exercise. This may not be as good as your Biological Prime Time, but it should still be good enough to produce some excellent results.
If you know when your high- and low-energy times are, you can even plan for this when you set your schedule.
Next time you feel yourself lagging, give yourself a break. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself, and then come back to your desk with renewed energy.
Your brain will thank you for it.
How do you restore your energy? What works for you? Comment below.
