Four Easy Tips on Combatting Fatigue
If all you want to do right now is lie down on the floor and give up on your to-do list—you are not alone. It can be easy to give in to the fog of fatigue, especially during a pandemic.
But fortunately, there are steps you can take to beat the blahs. It’s not about productivity or pushing through when you need to rest. It’s about making the most of your energy resources and feeling good about it!
Here are some everyday tips for fighting fatigue:
Make it routine
If routines work for cats, dogs, and babies, they can work for you too! Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (wow, easier said than done, amiright?).
One of the fun things about adulthood is being both the child and the grown-up in the relationship—which can lead to some fun inner dialogue:
Me: You’re tired. Time to go to bed.
Also Me: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO. YOU CAN’T MAKE MEEEEEEE.
Me: Seriously? You’re literally nodding off right now.
Also Me: One more episode of New Girl and I promise I’ll go to sleep. Pretty please?
Make it first
Routines make it easier to stick with healthy habits and having a good morning routine can make all the difference.
Start your day with something that screams, “I am awake and ready to face the world!” Maybe don’t actually scream though—someone might throw a pillow at you. How you wake up can affect your entire day, for better or worse, so start with something that boosts your energy, like eating a good breakfast, taking a shower, doing yoga, or building an obstacle course for your gerbil.
Make it fun
Taking a cue from habit formation, you are way more likely to do something that you want to do and enjoy versus something you don’t. Here are some fun ideas for starting your day:
- Find a patch of sunshine and drink your coffee outside.
- Make up a bluegrass song about how you are going to annihilate that expense report.
- Practice the latest TikTok dance craze in front of your mirror.
Make it social
Try calling a friend or checking in with your morning accountability buddy, if you have one. It could be as simple as firing off text that says, “IT’S ALIVE,” or FaceTiming your BFF during your morning walk. Things have more weight if they involve other people, so take advantage of peer pressure to help jumpstart your day.
Bonus: Track your energy levels
Try keeping a log of what gives you energy and what doesn’t. You might find the results surprising. I tried keeping a log of all my activities, writing down both how energizing I thought they would be (on a scale of 1-10) and how energizing they actually ended up being.
What I discovered: Even though I’m an introvert, I get a lot of energy from quality social interactions—as long as I don’t overstay my welcome. For me, a little bit of socializing goes a long way.
I also discovered that an activity doesn’t have to be particularly special, exciting or unique. It sounds cheesy, but something as simple as making a cup of coffee every morning makes a big difference in my day.
What gives you energy? What brings you joy?
Bonus Bonus: Give yourself a break
Listen: It’s okay to close some of the tabs in your mind. It’s okay to take a nap (as long as it doesn’t turn into one of those four-hour naps that leave you confused about what decade it is).
It can be hard to let go of the expectation that we can do all of the things all of the time. Give yourself a break. Maybe you need to binge Netflix, cuddle with your pet, and eat chocolate chips straight out of the bag (hashtag self-care).
If you’re struggling to find the energy to get through the day, don’t be afraid to talk to a medical professional or ask for help.
It’s okay to take one tiny step at a time. Figure out what works for you and go do that.
Written by: Maylin Tu