Beat the midweek slump: 6 ways for you to feel more energised

When we hit a midweek slump, it can feel impossible to muster the energy to get through the rest of our work for the week. We’re procrastinating, not sleeping well and by the time we’re done work all we want to do is flop on the couch.

Particularly during the changing months, these bouts of energy deficit can hit more regularly as we lack Vitamin D and our regular routine alters to sync with the changing light and darkness levels, as well as the weather.

We don’t want to end up drinking 10+ cups of a coffee a day just to feel energised, so here are some natural and easy ways to get motivated and boost your energy levels quickly!

Cold shower

We know, it sounds horrible, but this really does work. Stepping under that ice cold spray for the first time, you’ll tense up and your breathing will quicken. This deep breathing will cause a surge in your heart rate which leads to an increase in energy levels! It’s that simple!

Exercise

Do you ever notice when you stop working out that you actually feel more tired than when you were working out and moving your body? When we work from home, we’re at our laptop all day and living a fairly sedentary lifestyle which actually saps our energy levels rather than boosting them with rest. Too much rest can make our energy levels dip, whereas exercise again boosts our breathing and heart rate, giving us more energy to tackle the day!

Look at your sleep schedule

Our internal body clocks end up all over the place this time of year, and if you're still working from home, this won't be helping either. With a ‘bed to desk’ routine, it’s easy to feel sluggish, un-rested and yet, unable to sleep at night, despite feeling tired. We need 7-9 hours of sleep a night in order to complete 4-5 90-minute sleep cycles. Keeping these cycles uninterrupted is the key to experiencing that ‘good night’s sleep’ feeling.  Take a look at how late you're eating, what kind of daylight you’re getting and your electronics use before bed to address sleep problems and low energy.

Get out in the sunshine

Try taking a walk on your lunchbreak to get in some much-needed natural light. Try go to a park or somewhere with lots of greenery around you, as just getting out of the house can change your mindset a little, give you a fresh perspective, or even just a little fresh air and daylight to reset you.

Hydrate

Have you ever found yourself absolutely exhausted in the afternoon, for literally no reason? Well, you are probably dehydrated, and there is no tiredness quite like it. Our brains are made up of 90% water, so drinking it helps us think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert. As an added bonus, your energy levels are also boosted!

Fake it til you make it

If you’re feeling sluggish, it’s far too tempting to throw on sweats, eat comfort food and work from the bed. And there are some days that we absolutely need that kind of duvet day. But when this becomes a habit, we naturally fall into the trap of generally feeling low energy, giving in too much to the cosy vibes. Even though you may not feel it, wake up as if you’ve had a great night’s sleep and are full of energy. Jump out of the bed, blast some tunes, wear your favourite outfit and make a great breakfast, Throw open the windows, let light and air in and fake that energy until you really start to feel it – sometimes it’s just about mindset!

Dance!

The point of exercise is to enjoy it. It boosts our energy, makes us feel good and can be a great way to feel you’ve accomplished something! There are so many online workouts to boost your energy that there’s simply no excuse to settle for something that doesn’t suit you. Drop that boring treadmill hour and replace it with some Zumba, some peppy pilates or a circuit workout that will really get your blood pumping! Variety is the spice of life, especially now, so go have a gawk on YouTube and find something that works for you! Bonus points if you make a great playlist to go with it – nothing is more motivating than Lizzo's 'About Damn Time’ blasting through your earphones. Music and emotions go hand in hand. So next time you find yourself slumped on the couch dreading the moment you have to get up to exercise, pop on your ready-made playlist of bangers and it will be an instant mood lift and motivator!