How to Keep Energy Up All Day with these 8 Easy Tips

How often have you been sitting at your desk at 2.57pm feeling like you could easily just put your head down for a sneaky afternoon nap? No matter how much you love your job, everyone's had those days before. Below are some helpful tips to keep energy up all day.

1) Get Out

Stuck at your desk all day? Did you even eat lunch there? Then it's definitely time to get up and get out of there. Even just a walk around the block can be great - stretching out those muscles and getting some fresh air not only boosts your energy but also creativity, and does wonders for your mood.

2) Have a Good Breakfast

We all know this one, but so often either decide not to eat anyway, or choose a bad option. For an energy packed breakfast, you want to choose something that's high in protein with minimal carbs (hint: try Protein Bread ;) ), but eggs, bacon, ham or leafy greens are also great places to start.

Be careful with cereals, a lot contain more sugar than you think (even the healthy sounding ones), so make sure you read the label carefully. Most fruit also has a lot of sugar, so before you make a smoothie make sure you're adding the right ingredients.

3) Keep Your Sleep in Check

If you're finding you're tired regularly, keep a track of your sleeping patterns and what you might need to change. Here are a few standard tips for a good nights sleep:

• Go to bed and get up at the same time (or close to) each day
• Avoid technology 30 minutes before bed (preferably even longer!) - even keeping your phone in another room can be really helpful
• Don't have any caffeine after 3pm
• 7-9 hours is the recommended length of sleep for adults, but everyone is different. Test out what is best for you and stick to that as close as possible.
• If you're finding it hard to go to sleep, try meditating or light yoga to help you wind down.

4) Avoid Having Too Much Sugar or Caffeine

It might be tempting to start the day with a coffee and then down a few more if you're feeling really tired, but this will just make you crash later (not to mention messing with your sleep!). One cup of joe is the best at providing you with that kickstart you need without the annoying crash later on.

Instead of multiple coffees, go for a water bottle instead. Dehydration can cause drowsiness so don't forget to keep one on your desk and reach for that before going for a coffee. Green tea is also a great alternative to coffee - plenty of health and energy benefits.

5) Keep Up the Exercise

Exercise is a great way to increase energy - but it's easy to miss if you're working full time (and especially now it's so cold!). But even getting a run in at lunch time can do wonders for your energy levels in the afternoon (and help you sleep better). If you can't fit a run in, try just doing some stretches at your desk or taking a walk around the office.

6) Limit the Lunch

A big lunch (especially one that's full of carbs) does you no favours in keeping your energy up. Your body has to work harder to break down the carbs and so you end up feeling tired. Just pack a little less or choose the lighter option at the cafe next door.

7) Be Social

Falling asleep at your desk? Instead of sending an email, go speak to your colleague down the hall or call the client. Speaking to them will wake you up and be a bit more interesting than just staring at the screen.

Pro tip: for that 3pm meeting you're worried about falling asleep in, grab a piece of chewing gum - the chewing and strong flavour will keep you awake even in the most boring meeting. Just make sure you have good manners with it - no chewing with your mouth open or blowing bubbles!

8) Leave the Best Until Last

When you plan your work day, try and put your most interesting tasks off until you're feeling drowsy. This way, you'll perk up as you start doing what you like best, instead of the tasks that you find a bit more boring.

Do you have any tips on staying energised during the day? Visit our Facebook page, Instagram page, or comment below! We'd love to hear your tips :)