(Newswire.net — April 28, 2022) — Nothing is more frustrating than staring at a computer screen and not being able to focus at work. Whether it’s a creativity block or low energy, sometimes it seems like nothing you try can get you back into a productive space.
For some, taking a break feels like a failure. They claim they’re not doing their jobs properly if they’re off doing something else that isn’t directly related to the task at hand. However, trying to stare at a screen expecting something productive to come of it usually does the opposite.
What many fail to understand is that learning to break through creative blocks and low energy is a valuable skill few organizations talk about. So put down the coffee pot, and take a look at these creative caffeine-free ways to get pep up at work.
Light Exercise
Often, even though employees may feel tired, they actually need to expel energy. That’s why working out tends to make people feel more awake afterward. Exercising produces endorphins, increased blood flow, and boosts focus. With lots of practice, it also promotes healthier sleep patterns.
Exercising is sort of like eating a banana to get hydrated. By exercising, all the other methods we take to wake up and be productive are enhanced by its energizing qualities.
Obviously, performing intense workouts isn’t ideal in an office space. Some people exercise after work or during their lunch break, but it’s also possible to do some simple exercises that don’t require equipment such as squats, pushups, and pullups.
Stretching
If exercise is a no-go, some simple stretches can also do the trick. The important thing is to keep the body in motion, even if that motion is slow.
Sitting in the same position is a lot like getting ready for bed. Stillness makes the body sleepy, so it’s best to move and stretch several times throughout the day to wake it up. Stretching is most beneficial for office workers, online poker players, and full-time students, who all spend long periods of time concentrating in a sedentary position. Besides the fact that doing some simple stretches tends to reset mind fog, it’s also incredibly beneficial in the long run.
Lauren Gasser, a professional yoga instructor who lives in London, explains the detrimental effects sedentary lifestyles have on our bodies; including compacting our spines, reducing mobility in the hips and legs, and putting excess pressure on our necks and shoulders. To avoid these side effects, she recommended five useful stretching exercises that make everyone, poker professionals and office workers alike, feel great in just five minutes.
Journaling
While physical movement helps, sometimes creative blocks are mental and emotional in nature. Often, employees struggle to be fully present because they’re overwhelmed with tasks, anxious about personal things, or simply uninspired. Trying to ignore these feelings tends to backfire, so it’s best to confront them head-on.
Journaling is an excellent way to bring ourselves back into the present. In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron describes how her writing tool, “morning pages” helps people break out of creative and emotional blocks.
Morning pages are three pages of stream of consciousness writing completed first thing after waking up. It doesn’t need to be pretty, deep, or meaningful, it just needs to serve the writer to reach the present.
Journaling is one of several methods to practice mindfulness. People also meditate, practice yoga, and do breathing exercises to feel the power and benefits of mindfulness. Besides feeling more awake and creative, mindfulness also relieves stress, improves mood, increases memory retention, and strengthens relationships.
Enjoy a Bit of Personal Time
There’s no way to be 100% productive by only working. Injecting small blocks of play and relaxation into work makes tasks easier to tackle, uplifts the spirits, and also breaks up the day to create a dynamic workflow.
An important aspect of play is the fact that people dedicate time to themselves, which has rejuvenating qualities and makes work less daunting. That’s because personal time is reserved for the self, free of serving others or worrying about who to answer to. It’s crucial for everybody’s mental health and takes on many forms.
Personal time might mean having a change in scenery, like taking a walk outdoors or chatting with a coworker away from the desk. It could also mean partaking in a fun activity like coloring, reading, or planning a delicious recipe to cook after work.