Have you ever finished a workday and thought:
“Why am I so exhausted? I’ve been sitting at a desk all day.”
You’re not imagining it.
A day spent answering emails, sitting in meetings, staring at screens, making decisions and constantly switching between tasks can leave you feeling completely drained—even if you haven’t done anything physically demanding.
That’s because mental work is work.
Your brain uses a tremendous amount of energy processing information, solving problems, managing emotions and making decisions throughout the day. Add in long periods of sitting, screen time, deadlines and interruptions, and it’s no wonder you can feel exhausted by 5 p.m.
The good news? There are simple things you can do during your workday to help protect your energy.
1. Your Brain Needs Breaks Too
Most of us understand that our bodies need rest after physical activity.
But we often expect our brains to work continuously for eight hours.
Emails. Meeting. Spreadsheet. Phone call. Meeting. Slack message. Deadline. Another meeting.
No wonder you’re tired.
Your brain benefits from short periods of recovery throughout the day.
Try taking a few minutes between major tasks to step away from your computer, look out the window, walk around or simply sit quietly.
A break doesn’t have to be long to be useful.
2. Sitting All Day Can Make You Feel Sluggish
You don’t need to spend your entire workday at the gym to benefit from movement.
In fact, one of the easiest ways to improve your energy is simply to move more frequently throughout the day.
Try:
- Standing during phone calls
- Taking the stairs
- Walking to speak to a colleague instead of sending an email
- Taking a short walk at lunch
- Stretching between meetings
- Doing a few simple mobility exercises at your desk
Think of movement as something you sprinkle throughout your day—not something you have to save for your workout after work.
3. Constant Notifications Are Mentally Exhausting
Every notification creates an opportunity for your attention to be interrupted.
Email.
Teams.
Slack.
Your phone.
Calendar reminders.
Even if you don’t respond immediately, your brain has to process the interruption.
Try turning off non-essential notifications for periods of the day when you need to concentrate.
You might find that you accomplish more in less time—and feel less mentally exhausted at the end of the day.
4. Meetings Can Be More Draining Than You Think
Back-to-back meetings can leave you feeling surprisingly exhausted.
You’re listening, processing information, contributing ideas, making decisions and trying to stay engaged.
And if you’re staring at a screen the entire time, there’s very little opportunity for your brain or body to reset.
Whenever possible, build a few minutes between meetings.
Stand up.
Stretch.
Get some water.
Take a few deep breaths.
Give yourself a transition period before jumping into the next task.
5. Your Body May Be Holding Onto Your Stress
Have you ever noticed that your shoulders are practically touching your ears by the end of the day?
Or that you’re clenching your jaw?
Or that your neck and back feel stiff?
Stress often shows up physically.
Try doing a quick body check during the day:
Relax your jaw.
Drop your shoulders.
Take a slow breath.
Unclench your hands.
Stretch your neck gently.
It takes less than a minute.
6. Don’t Forget the Basics
When you’re busy, it’s surprisingly easy to forget the things your body needs.
Have you had any water today?
Have you eaten a proper lunch?
Have you been outside?
Have you moved?
Have you taken a real break?
These sound simple, but they’re often the first things we sacrifice when work gets busy.
Your body can’t run efficiently if you’re constantly operating on caffeine, stress and four hours of sleep.
7. Try a Different Kind of Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
When the afternoon slump hits, your first instinct might be to reach for another coffee or sugary snack.
Sometimes what you actually need is movement.
Try taking a five-minute walk or doing a few stretches instead.
Even better, participate in a short workplace fitness, yoga or meditation session if your company offers one.
Innergy Corporate Yoga offers corporate yoga classes in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton and more.
A few minutes away from your desk can be surprisingly refreshing.
Your Workday Doesn’t Have to Drain Every Last Drop of Energy
Feeling tired after work is normal.
But feeling completely depleted every single day doesn’t have to be.
Start paying attention to when your energy drops and what you’re doing immediately beforehand.
Are you coming out of three back-to-back meetings?
Have you been sitting for four hours?
Have you barely looked away from your screen?
Have you skipped lunch?
Have you been dealing with constant interruptions?
Once you identify what’s draining your energy, you can start making small changes.
You don’t need to overhaul your entire lifestyle.
Sometimes a five-minute walk, a few stretches, a glass of water, a proper lunch or a couple of minutes of quiet can make a bigger difference than you think.
And if your workplace offers wellness programs, use them.
A yoga class, meditation session, fitness class or wellness seminar isn’t just another activity on your work calendar.
It can be an opportunity to pause, recharge and take care of yourself in the middle of your workday.
Because productivity isn’t about pushing yourself until you’re completely exhausted.
Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is take a break.