1. Get a Standing Desk
If you can choose your work equipment, consider buying a standing desk. Standing up is much healthier than sitting for hours. It burns calories faster, lessens back pain, and encourages blood circulation. Ultimately, you’ll see your mood, focus, and productivity improve.
The thought of working while standing may sound exhausting. But once you get used to it, you’ll enjoy its benefits. If you’re spending too much time on your computer sitting down, invest in a quality standing desk. You can start with the best standing desks that will help your back and your energy levels.
2. Listen to Ambient Music
Do you like listening to music while working? The type of music you listen to can affect how well you work. Some types of music can make you sleepy or overly energized, both of which are counterproductive.
A study in the journal Work shows that music without lyrics is preferable because songs with lyrics are likely to reduce worker attention and performance. Similarly, an expert interviewed by Business News Daily says that music with a low tempo can make you sleepy. However, music that is too energizing and has engaging lyrics is also distracting.
The sweet spot is ambient music that doesn’t have a specific beat. This type of music is unobtrusive, creating a mood and atmosphere that’s conducive to other activities such as work. Ambient music drowns out other distracting noises and contains no lyrics, helping you focus on the task at hand.
Choose appropriate ambient rhythms, since some are better for sleep or meditation. Spotify boasts a large selection of ambient music curated by users. Just search for keywords or phrases such as “ambient music for work.”
Download: Spotify for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
3. Take Advantage of Smartwatch Features
Smartwatches and fitness watches have settings that can remind you to take breaks to recharge and get energized in between long bouts of sitting or working. For instance, the Huawei Watch Fit sends periodic reminders to stand up and perform quick exercises. When activated, you can follow the workout animations on your watch’s screen.
Fitness watches are also some of the best sleep trackers for a better night’s sleep. The Fitbit Sense, for example, calculates your Sleep Score by measuring sleep duration, blood oxygen, and disturbed sleep periods. If you want to unlock personalized and more detailed insights to improve your sleep, subscribing to Fitbit Premium may be worth it.
4. Do a Quick Online Workout
Feeling lazy or sleepy? Do a quick workout to get your blood flowing! Jumpstart your day with a workout wake-up call and include another quick workout late afternoon when energy levels are slowing down.
YouTube hosts many fitness videos. Just search for “quick workouts no equipment” to keep you awake while you work. You may not have the luxury of spending 30 minutes on a workout routine. But 10 minutes or less is all you need to get your blood flowing.
Download: YouTube for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
5. Stay Hydrated
Evidence shows that drinking water affects mental and physical performance. The Sleep Foundation writes that significant dehydration results in feelings of lethargy and fatigue. It can also cause headaches and muscle cramps that disrupt sleep. Of course, lack of sleep will not get you in the best shape for work the next day.
To avoid sleepiness and increase alertness while working, make sure that you take in the right amount of water. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends a daily total intake of around 2.7 liters (91 ounces or about 11 cups) for women and 3.7 liters (125 ounces or about 15 cups) for men. However, this number could vary depending on the following:
Birth sex Weight Health conditions Age Diet Activity level
Use online tools to make sure you stay hydrated. You can find out how much water you need and track your water intake with an app like the Hydro Coach. The app lets you set or calculate a target amount. It then uses your data to send detailed insights from a dashboard. Best of all, it works with Fitbit, Samsung Health, and Google Fit.
Download: Hydro Coach for Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
6. Reduce Sugar Intake
It’s no secret that consuming too much sugar negatively affects your health. However, the first research to report on high sugar intake on sleep quality was only published in 2019 by the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. The study conducted on university students showed that high added sugar intake was significantly related to poor sleep.
If you’re restless and can’t sleep at night, check your sugar intake. Sleeplessness at night will inevitably lead to sleepiness at work. Avoid snacking on food with added sugar, especially when you’re stressed or working until late.
To avoid unhealthy eating habits, try the Quitzilla app. One of several great mobile apps for breaking your worst bad habits, Quitzilla can help you stop splurging on and consuming too many sweets. It shows the average expenses for your addiction, tracks how many days you’ve avoided a bad habit, sends motivational quotes, and rewards you for your accomplishments.
Download: Quitzilla for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
7. Take Regular, Short Breaks
Working nonstop on a project only leads to burnout, stress, and a lack of focus. You might finish the task, but it’s questionable whether you did your best work. Instead, take quick and regular breaks to improve your well-being and productivity.
If you’ve been sitting for a long time, take a short walk around the office. Or try going for a short coffee break with a colleague. Taking these micro-breaks will help you recharge and work better.
Focus To-Do helps you do this while working on a computer. Based on the Pomodoro technique, this web and smartphone app gives you 25 minutes of focused work. When your 25 minutes are up, the app gives you a quick 5-minute break. The process repeats until you complete your project.
Download: Focus To-Do for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
8. Take A Power Nap
If you really can’t help but doze off, there’s nothing wrong with taking a 10–20 minute power nap. If you’re at home, this is easier to do. But if you’re at the office, don’t let your boss or colleagues catch you napping!
To avoid turning your nap into an 8-hour snooze fest, set an alarm on your phone. Use earphones to avoid distracting anyone else. Set it at the right volume and use a more subtle alarm tone so that you can gently wake up.
Build Better Habits to Stay Awake
If you’re struggling to stay awake right now, you might need to build better habits. Standing desks and apps can help you stay alert and focused while you work. But you should also commit to improving your sleep and activity habits.
That said, it’s normal to feel sleepy at work sometimes. If you catch yourself feeling sluggish and snoozing all the time, track your sleeping habits or see a doctor. You can also check out some useful tips to sleep better using technology.
