Action Steps:

1. Develop a Work Schedule that Maximizes Efficiency

To the extent that you are able, break up your work day into a series of work intervals. Decide that you’re going to start work or start studying at 9am, and really focus until 11. At 11, you’ll take a ten minute break, and be back to work by 11:15 (cut yourself a little slack on each side…) Focus on work again up until 1:15, then take 45 minutes for lunch. At two, dive back in to work, and focus until 3:30. Take a break from 3:30 to 3:45, then work solidly until 5:00 and then call it a day, or take another 15 minute break before working untill 6:30. By keeping the same schedule every day, your body will get used to working and resting in this rhythm, becoming more efficient at both (yes, strange as it sounds, you can learn to rest and recover more efficiently). You may have noticed that the work intervals in this schedule get shorter as the day goes on. This is deliberate. The longer you spend at work, the more tired you get, and the more frequently you need to take breaks to keep working at your best.

If you can't take breaks on your own schedule, try to organize your day such that the most demanding, challenging tasks are broken up into 60-90 minute intense work blocks. Intersperse easier, more mindless tasks with intense tasks to give your brain a chance to recover. For instance, if you need to spend 4 to 6 hours crafting a presentation or structuring a deal, split that time into 4 work blocks, and take at least 15 minutes in between these blocks to make calls, answer e mails, and knock out other rote tasks that don't consume as much mental energy. Keep in mind that most of us can't really focus longer that 50 minutes at a time before our productivity starts to drop a bit, and that after 80-90 minutes of intense focus, our mental resources rapidly deteriorate. Even 10 minutes is enough time for our brains to recharge, so switching gears every hour or two can help nip burn out in the bud. 

2. Practice Active Relaxation

Every system in our body needs regular breaks to function at its best. Work out your muscles everyday and they won’t grow. Run15 miles per day every day, and your heart health will actually deteriorate.  The same thing holds true for your mind. If you are mentally on the go every minute that you’re awake, you are inevitably burning your mind out, and undermining your creativity and productivity.  So how do you give your mind a break? Listening to music, talking walks out amidst nature, or relaxing into a hot bath can all serve. But none of these things are as effective as meditation.  In its most basic form, meditation simply involves clearing your mind, focusing on your breathing, and willing yourself to rest and relax. More and more people are embracing meditation everyday as a wonderful way to let go of stress and recharge their batteries. For more on meditation, see our Meditation Tutorial. You can use meditation to relax and recover more efficiently during your rest breaks at work.

3. Try Our 5 Minute Energy Workout

The ReEvolution 5 Minute Energy Workout is a great way to pick up flagging energy levels and clear mental fog. You can perform this workout in the morning before breakfast to start your day, during breaks at work, and any other time when your feeling sluggish and need to mobilize some energy.