Let’s climb aboard on the premise that you’ve had a good night’s sleep, a healthy breakfast, and you really enjoy your job. Even in the best-case scenario, inevitably your mental energy at work will wane at some point. Truly, after four, six, or eight hours, we all need some kind of boost.

Recharging the Mental Battery

Grabbing a coffee can be helpful, but there are several other ways to positively lift and rejuvenate focus, productivity, and spirits. A couple of the following suggestions you may have heard, read, or practiced before. Reminders can still be helpful, right?

Trying New Energy Boosting Techniques

Some of the following tips may come to you as a surprise. Think in terms of not just adding positive benefits, but also reducing or deleting negative aspects from your typical workday. Below are 7 essential mental-energy boosting tips that will provide you with an even more satisfying and successful day on the job.
1) Eat Productively. Is eating breakfast necessary? This has become a slightly controversial topic. Some nutritionists don’t believe you need to eat right after waking. All will agree, however, that you need to nourish your body properly in order for your brain (and body) to work at it’s best.
One tip is to prepare a protein smoothie at home before work. Bring it with you for your commute or for when you arrive. By then, you will probably feel some hunger pangs. Fresh produce with protein will boost your mental energy and keep you from snacking on “bad” foods like doughnuts, vending machine sweets, and sugary drinks. The latter will ultimately zap you of focus (and add inches to your waistline!) Click here for some great smoothie recipes.
At lunch, eat moderately and nutritiously. This will help you have a productive afternoon. You can also snack on nuts or grab a coffee later in the day for another pick-me-up. Just veer away from the pumps of mocha or flavored sweeteners in your caffeinated beverage.
2) Work Nicely and Happily with Others. This is one of those tips that will allow you to feel your natural, positive self. By getting along with others in your environment, it will keep them from draining your energy. In the best of circumstances, a great team will fuel your mental tank.
Smiling goes a long way; it’s also contagious. If others want to be miserable, that’s their problem. You can only control how you feel. Doing a good job and being a model of happiness around others could improve an overall environment!
In fact, one study published in Forbes reported, “The happiest employees are 180% more energized than their less content colleagues, 155% happier with their jobs, 150% happier with life, and 50% more motivated.”
3) Shake a Leg. Or an arm. Or your booty!  Sitting too long can adversely affect your physical and mental health. Research has proven that moving your body will boost your energy level and brain power.
Some tips for utilizing movement at work to improve mental focus can be to: hold walking meetings; use your water bottle as a weight for arm lifts (and don’t forget to hydrate!); take stairs to another floor for the restroom.
4) Rest Your Brain. Give your brain a break every so often. A study out of the University of Illinois showed that participants who were given short breaks during a 50-minute task performed better than those who worked straight through.
Some tips for relaxing your brain are: deep breathing, meditation, and closing your eyes and guiding yourself to a peaceful place. Some call this a “virtual vacation” and imagine themselves by the sea, in a forest, or by the mountains.
5) Give Yourself the Gift of Green. Surely, green as in money would boost your mental state, but in this case, we’re talking about the green outdoors. When you have break time, instead of chatting or checking social media, try and find an outdoor space for fresh air, sun, and/or something pleasant on which to focus.
According to Urban Greening Research at the University of Washington, adult office workers report more enthusiasm for their job when there’s opportunity for access to green space or nature during the workday.
6) Follow Through with One Task. Multitasking is not necessarily productive. In fact, it can create feelings of anxiety and stress, which actually zap your energy. Try following through and completing one task at a time and watch your mental stamina grow.
Some suggestions for becoming more successful at task completion are: prioritizing assignments (by keeping them on your to-do list in order); putting electronics aside (don’t check messages or emails for a given period of time); take breaks when a task seems too lengthy.
7) Keep it Clean. Keeping a messy desk and computer desktop can rob you of your mental energy. Believe it or not, a million post-it notes, food wrappers, half-full coffee mugs, and whatever else may be hiding (or in plain sight) are a distraction. Distractions can cause depletion in your energy level.
Taking a few minutes to tidy up can provide you with hours of sanity. A clear headspace makes for a happier worker and chances of greater productivity and success.
For more tips on ways to optimize mental and physical health for you and your family, subscribe to www.GetThrive.com !
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/women/features/21-ways-to-boost-energy#1
https://authoritynutrition.com/is-skipping-breakfast-bad/
https://getthrive.com/7-smoothie-recipes-get-gear/
https://www.forbes.com/2010/08/13/happiest-occupations-workplace-productivity-how-to-get-a-promotion-morale-forbes-woman-careers-happiness.html
https://www.fastcompany.com/3050123/8-ways-to-improve-your-focus
https://wellness.ucr.edu/docs/movemore/movemore_50tips.pdf
https://getthrive.com/green-workspaces-benefit-productivity/
https://depts.washington.edu/hhwb/Thm_Mental.html