Introduction
If you work 40 hours or more each week, then you already know how difficult it can be to have any kind of energy after you’ve finished your shift.
Whether your professional role involves physical labor or just constant critical thinking and stressful situations, work can be incredibly draining.
If you’ve been wondering how not to be tired after work, you’re certainly not alone.
Check out this list of ways to conserve energy and still have the motivation you need to live your best life outside of the workplace.
Get Plenty of Sleep
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that nailing down a consistent sleep schedule that keeps you well rested is absolutely key to having energy after you finish work.
However, actually finding a way to get the sleep you need night after night after night can be elusive.
If you’ve struggled with falling asleep for longer than a week or so, then you may want to check out this article on home remedied that will help you fall asleep more quickly.
But even if you fall asleep fairly quickly on your own, you may still feel tired after waking up.
And if that’s the case, then we recommend taking some extra steps to make sure that your sleep is of high quality.
Improve Your Sleep Schedule
The human body has its own internal sleep cycle with its own peaks and valleys. How you feel when you wake up has a lot to do with which sleep cycle you were in when your alarm went off.
As an easy fix, you can download a sleep cycle alarm. These apps use your phone’s microphone and internal accelerometer to determine what stage of the human sleep cycle you happen to be in at any given moment.
Then, after setting a time range during which you want to wake up, the app will do its best to set off an alarm when you’re in shallow sleep as opposed to deep sleep.
Set a Consistent Bedtime
Bedtime isn’t just for kids anymore. It may seem like a regression to childhood, but setting a bedtime that you try to stick to each night can have major benefits.
After you start to establish your own personal bedtime, your body will start to adjust to this sleep schedule, and you’ll find that it’s easier to wake up in the morning.
And if you stick to your bedtime for months at a time, your sleep will be of higher quality, and you’re more likely to have energy left over after you finally get home from work.
After you’ve chosen a bedtime, set a daily reminder on your phone for about half an hour before that time.
This will give you a chance to change into sleep clothes, brush your teeth, and take care of anything else that’s part of your sleep time routine.
Minimize Sleep Interruptions
Depending on where you live, there can be all kinds of noises and distractions that can wake you up, even from a very deep sleep.
Not all of these factors are within your control, but there are steps you can take that can help to minimize your sleep time interruptions.
For one, you may want to purchase a white noise machine or play relaxing, consistent sounds on your phone or computer while you sleep.
Smart speakers even offer a set of pre-loaded relaxing sounds that they can play for hours at a time to help mask other environmental noise.
You should also stop drinking any liquids about two hours before you plan to go to sleep. This way, you’re less likely to have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Don’t Take Naps on Weekdays
In certain cases, naps can be a great way to recharge when you haven’t gotten sufficient sleep. But taking naps on weekdays, especially after you’ve come home from work, can throw off your sleep schedule.
Taking a nap in the early evening is likely to make you wide awake by the time your normal bedtime rolls around.
And if you take naps inconsistently, your body will have a harder time helping you wake up at the same time every morning.
As a result, you’ll have even less energy after work.
Relax on Your Commute
Whether you commute in your own car or take public transportation, all that time you spend on your way to work or on your way home can be used to relax and adjust.
When you’re heading home from work, try out some basic breathing exercises while listening to calm, relaxing music.
This is a great way to forget the many stresses of the workplace and set yourself up for more in-depth relaxation when you get home.
Set Goals for After Work
Even if you do have energy after work, it can easy to slip into an unproductive habit once you’re back home.
It may be watching TV or just sitting on the couch. Either way, you’re wasting your free time.
While on your lunch break at work, write down a couple ideas for things you’d like to do with your free time.
Maybe you’d like to do some painting or organize your closet. Or maybe you’d like to visit a friend across town.
Regardless of how you’d like to spend your time after work, making plans to do what you’d like can help you stay motivated to actually do those things once you’ve gotten home.
Closing Words
Don’t let your career consume your life. There’s a good reason most jobs require employees to travel to an office each day. It signals to the brain that this is a place where work is done, and not personal errands and tasks.
Your home should have the same effect, but for relaxation and personal interests.
Getting adequate sleep and making plans for your free time is a great way to make sure that you have a healthy lifestyle outside of your work, a lifestyle that reminds you of what’s really important.
