Take Regular Breaks Throughout The Workday
Conventional wisdom says that the harder you work, and the fewer breaks you take, the more productive youll be. While it may feel like youre getting more done by powering through, the opposite is true.
The reality is that your work slows, your focus drifts, and you grow less productive as the day wears on. You also stand a greater chance of increasing your stress levels versus those who take periodic breaks during the day.
Get up from your desk. Take a walk or do some other form of exercise. Sit outside. Visit with fellow coworkers for a few minutes about something other than work.
Even if its just for five to ten minutes, briefly removing yourself from the stresses of your day can be very calming. It also gives your mind a break and lets you quickly recharge for the next block of tasks.
Reconsider Your Working Conditions
If your job consistently demands more time and mental energy than you can realistically put in, it may not be a sustainable long-term career option.
Of course, you may not necessarily have the option of giving notice and taking time to search for another job. Also, coming home from work and spending the small amount of free time you do have on job hunting might only exhaust you more.
However, it can help to consider the options you do have open to you. For example, you might:
- set firmer boundaries around working hours so you can rest and relax each day
- ask your supervisor about potential workplace changes that could ease some of the burden
- set aside a few hours each week to search for a new job
- take 20 minutes each day to network and explore job opportunities
How To Avoid The Doorway Effect
You would not enjoy forgetting what you were doing. It is a sheer loss of productivity to go back and redo what you had set out to do.
Every time you cross a doorway does not mean you forget what you planned to do. And it is not just an actual doorway but a metaphorical one too. There are other contributing factors, diversions, that reset our immediate memory.
For example, I do not always forget what I want to do when I get up from my desk. Instead, if someone stops me midway to speak about something unrelated, or I answer the phone or doorbell I tend to forget what I wanted to do.
I have built simple mechanisms to avoid forgetting as I cross the event horizon. Heres what you can try too.
- Get up for tea/ coffee or anything else after you reach a logical ending point of what you were doing. If I am writing a post, I strive to complete a sub-section and then shift my focus.
- The doorway effect is not exactly forgetting or a serious memory issue. It affects you when you are trying to juggle multiple things. It is a focus problem. Next time you get up, go and do only what you want to do. If it is making a cup of tea then do that, do not start folding your laundry midway. You have to be intentional instead of allowing your monkey mind to wander and then go about blaming doorways.
- Dr. Radvanskys suggestion that works too is retracing your steps. If you are unable to recall then just go back to the place where you had started.
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Keep Lines Of Communication Open And Constant
One of the greatest challenges of working remotely is finding the balance between individual productivity and collaborative engagement. As leaders, we need to model the healthy habits we want our employees to practice, and communication certainly tops the list, whether your team is sitting in the same room or scattered across the globe.Make it a priority to check in with your team once a week on a personal level, and if itâs manageable, schedule individual check-ins weekly as well. The importance of these regular check-ins shouldnât be underestimated, as 89% of human resources leaders agree that ongoing peer feedback and check-ins are key for successful outcomes. Develop ways to make sure every employee feels heard, valued, and connected.
Eliminate The Source Of The Tension
Even while it might not always be possible to do so, this usually represents one of the most effective techniques to reduce mental block or stress in your life. Do your duties at work make you feel overburdened and mentally and emotionally exhausted? Try delegating some of your duties to others or ask your manager or coworkers for assistance with certain chores. Having trouble keeping up with domestic chores or caring for others? Asking friends and family for assistance may be worthwhile when you are trying to comprehend how can mental fatigue be overcome and if you are unable to afford to pay for professional cleaning services or other forms of assistance.
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Outward Signs Of Mental Fatigue
Beyond your mental or physical state, mental fatigue will also impact your behavior. If left unchecked, it can create rifts in your relationships, both personal and professional.
Mental fatigue places a strain on your social interactions, either causing you to lash out at others or withdraw from those closest to you.
You can also experience a sudden lack of motivation. The worse the mental exhaustion, the more likely you are to call in sick, look for reasons to avoid or miss work, or reject social or work-related commitments.
In the worst cases, your productivity may drop dramatically, and you may not recognize the person youve become.
What Is Mental Exhaustion
You probably feel tired and drained after intense physical activity, right? Well, long periods of intense mental activity can wear you out, too.
To put it simply, mental exhaustion can happen when your brain receives too much stimulation or has to maintain an intense level of activity without rest.
You might notice mental exhaustion, sometimes called mental fatigue, if you:
- often work or study for long hours with few or no breaks
- spend a lot of time each day dealing with overwhelming responsibilities
- live with mental health symptoms
- devote a lot of mental energy each day to thinking through problems, worries, or other sources of stress
Its not uncommon to feel physically fatigued from time to time, and the same holds true for mental fatigue. Still, lingering mental fatigue can affect your ability to think, solve problems, or process and regulate emotions. Eventually, it can even lead to challenges in your daily life and in relationships.
Below, well explore mental exhaustion more in-depth, plus offer tips to help manage and prevent it.
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What Are The Causes Of Mental Fatigue
Weve already mentioned that mental fatigue most often occurs as a result of prolonged cognitive activity and long-term stress. However, its hard to precisely define the causability of mental exhaustion. Causes of it differentiate between individuals. Nevertheless, some are more prevalent than others. Weve included a list of the most common mental fatigue causes.
You Feel A Headache Coming
It is commonly believed that mental exhaustion is something that only affects the mind. However, that is not entirely correct. Signs of mental fatigue are not just limited to emotional and mental changes and disturbances. Physical and behavioral symptoms usually accompany emotional changes as well, hence, random body and muscle aches are the most common indication of mental fatigue. If you feel an onset of a headache coming, in addition to other signs of burnout, there is a good chance you may be suffering from mental exhaustion.
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How To Get Started With Meditation
Remember, meditation doesnt have to be complicated. You dont have to sit on a cushion and chant .
You can start meditating right now, in fact. Simply sit or lie down on the couch or the floor, close your eyes, and take some deep breaths. Focus on the way the air feels as it enters and leaves your body.
There are lots of guided meditations available online or through meditation apps, too. You can also attend a retreat for extra instruction.
Use The Touch It Once Rule
The touch it once rule is the idea that as soon as you touch something, whether its opening an email or beginning a project task, you act on it right away. Instead of flagging the email to respond to it later, you simply get it done. For the project task, whether its actually completing the actionable item or determining the steps that will be required to complete it, you dont wait to start on it. Acting on tasks right away improves productivity and gives you less to worry about later on in the day or week.
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How You Can Cope With Mental And Emotional Exhaustion
Mindful changes in your lifestyle can help you adjust to new situations, prepare for stress and prevent exhaustion, Dr. Dannaram said. He recommends exercise, yoga and getting enough sleep.
Some other strategies can also help:
If youre not getting the relief you need, seek help. And connect with a behavioral health professional if you:
- Feel sad, helpless or hopeless for more than a week or two
- Arent able to keep up with your responsibilities
- Cant sleep well
Expend Energy On High
Increase your mental fortitude and emotional development by pursuing high-value activities like reading books , picking up a new skill, or engaging in enriching hobbies and chores. Discover ways to spend your time and make friends that will enhance your quality of life and stop negative overthinking. There are appropriate times and places to binge-watch Netflix. However, your mental health is less likely to deteriorate if you understand how to achieve self-growth and are constantly engaged in fulfilling activities or spending time with people you value.
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Symptoms Of Mental Fatigue
In times of intense stress, when the brain is working harder than usual, you could notice that the symptoms of mental fatigue seem to creep up more quickly. The most prevalent signs and symptoms include mental block, lack of motivation, irritability, stress eating or appetite loss, and sleeplessness. Long-term or short-term effects of mental weariness are possible. It can also cause a variety of major health issues, such as anxiety and burnout if left untreated. So you can also opt for professional anxiety counseling to battle the problem at the earliest and be healthy and happy. Persistent mental fatigue, according to research, may also affect your physical stamina. Here are a few common signs that tell you you are mentally and emotionally exhausted.
What Can Mental Exhaustion Feel Or Look Like
The symptoms of fatigue are different for everyone. However, as stressors slowly build up over long periods of time, we might not recognize the impact right away. In fact, the people around us may notice changes in our behavior before we do.
Weve listed a few examples of the impact mounting stressors may have below. If you recognize these symptoms in yourself, you may be suffering from burnout.
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Plan Your Tasks Around Your Energy
When you feel you have quite a lot of energy, consider working on important tasks that may not have a specific deadline . You can also focus on deep work tasks, meaning the ones that require a significant amount of focus and cognitive energy. You should also consider giving your attention to any planning that is required, as well as to important decision-making tasks when you have higher levels of energy.
When your energy levels are low, consider tackling personal administrative tasks, responding to emails, reading articles, working on smaller tasks that dont require a lot of cognitive energy, or finding ways to be creative with your work or organizational tasks.
Keep A Gratitude Journal
When youre already feeling drained and low, negative or distressing thoughts can seem even more overwhelming.
To challenge unwanted emotions and thoughts and refocus on the things you enjoy in life, try keeping a journal where you note a few things youre thankful for every day. Alternately, think of or say one thing youre grateful for every day.
A set of three studies published in 2017 found evidence to suggest people who practice gratitude and gratitude exercises tend to enjoy:
- greater overall well-being
- better physical health
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Take Care Of Yourself
Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, is not actually a cause of stress. Cortisol helps your body to respond to stress by increasing glucose availability, which gives you an instant boost of energy. Stress is very demanding on the body because of this. This can be avoided by drinking plenty of water and eating healthy foods.
How To Overcome Mental Fatigue According To An Expert
Do you constantly feel overwhelmed? Emotionally and mentally drained most of the time? If so, chances are you might be suffering from mental fatigue.
Mental fatigue is a condition triggered by prolonged cognitive activity. Basically, it sends your brain into overdrive, leaving you exhausted, hampering your productivity and overall cognitive function.
The most common symptoms include mental block, lack of motivation, irritability, stress eating or loss of appetite and insomnia. Mental exhaustion can affect you for both short-term or long-term.
If left unchecked, it can lead to all sorts of serious health problems, including anxiety and burnout. Research suggests that constant mental exhaustion can also impact your physical endurance.
What exactly causes mental fatigue?
Other potential causes include medication, stress and ailments such as depression, fibromyalgia and autoimmune disease. Emotionally challenging experiences like divorce or death of a loved one can also contribute to brain fatigue.
So, how can you beat mental exhaustion?
Adopting the following strategies can help ease mental fatigue:
Other than that, eat healthy, cut back on caffeine, exercise regularly and get enough zzz’s .
Lastly, here are some surefire strategies to prevent brain fatigue and improve mental clarity:
And remember, “the more you work on systems for reducing stress and excess decision-making, the more mental energy you’ll have,” adds Dr Boyes.
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What Is Mental Fatigue
When your brain feels exhausted and unable to function properly, it leaves you mentally and emotionally drained. This is commonly known as brain fog or mental fatigue.
According to recent research, an overstimulated brain impairs your cognitive abilities. This affects your productivity, , or memory. For example, brain fog makes it hard to concentrate. Even simple household tasks like washing dishes or doing the laundry seem cumbersome.
Mental fatigue is a state of tiredness that sets in when your brains energy levels are depleted. Mental fatigue is usually the result of prolonged stress. Long-term stress can be brought on by a variety of factors, including a challenging life event, a demanding job, or procrastination.
Additionally, a period of chronic stress can be taxing on your mental well-being, leaving you feeling overwhelmed, irritable, and detached.
Long-term mental exhaustion also affects your professional life. When your symptoms arent managed, it leads to workplace burnout. Symptoms of workplace burnout include a lack of belief in your abilities, decreased job satisfaction, and a lack of motivation.
The Covid-19 pandemic has turned mental fatigue into a widespread global issue. The World Health Organization describes this pandemic fatigue as demotivation, alienation, complacency, and hopelessness. As this feeling has become the norm for many people, its increasingly important to learn how to cope with mental fatigue and its symptoms.
Play Your Favorite Music
Listening to music soothes and perks up your brain, temporarily providing a reprieve from feelings of mental fatigue. A study published in the Neuroscience journal suggests that listening to your favorite music has a positive effect similar to exercising.
Turn on some good music to set the ambiance for work. Choose tracks that make you feel good, get into a flow state, and forget about surrounding worries. While many prefer lo-fi music when studying or working, you may go for something different. Play music that lifts your mood, helps generate positive thoughts, and isnât distracting.
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Consider Your Job Satisfaction
If youâre continuously stressed in your job and nearing burnout, itâs probably time to reflect on whether it is a good fit for your long-term mental wellbeing. Unfortunately, white-knuckling through a high-stress, unrewarding job is tolling no matter how many healthy habits you have in place.
A simple pros and cons list can provide good insight. Some questions to ask yourself might include: How long have I been feeling mentally exhausted by my job? How would my perfect day be different? Have I brought my concerns to my employer, and explored options with them?
Take Back Control Of Your Calendar
Whatâs the best way to get something done? Give it to a busy person. Except, in all likelihood, that busy person is you, and you donât have the time! But without defending your time on the calendar, thereâs nothing to stop people from stealing it from you for their priorities.
So how do you set boundaries in your calendar? Start time blocking your own priorities. Create time blocks for the tasks you want to get through this week, your regular habits like lunch, weekly planning, or exercise, even breaks after meetings so you and if you have a big meeting on the calendar, donât be afraid to block a short break for yourself afterwards so youâre not leaving yourself open for a back-to-back meeting.
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