I had a professor in university that took offence if a student yawned in his class and would call him or her out with an, “AM I BORING YOU?” yell. I always thought him a bit much – school is stressful and exhausting buddy! Fatigue. The word alone…fatigue… just sounds ugly.

Fast forward many years and I still catch myself yawning a fair deal – not sure what my excuse is now. I’ve never been a great sleeper. My newest habit involves waking up between 1 & 4am for a few hours.  It really does wonders for my work day 😉 So as of late, I’ve decided to beat myself into submission with early morning visits to the gym and an early bedtime. It seems to be working.

Hectic schedules, stress and lack of sleep can all contribute to fatigue, which is a common and dangerous workplace hazard. Symptoms of fatigue include moodiness, drowsiness, loss of energy, and lack of motivation and concentration. The topper… I just read that sleep deprivation is as bad as alcohol and can lead to seizures – well that’s just great.

These are not ideal qualities to display at your job. Not only does fatigue make you less productive and personable, it can also cause a serious safety risk if you work with hazardous equipment or materials.

To help manage workplace fatigue, consider doing the following:

• Eat a snack that includes complex carbohydrates and protein (like an energy bar or celery and peanut butter or hummus and veggies).
• Avoid sugar, which will make you crash later.
• Go for a short walk to re-energize yourself.
• Drink a glass of water.
• Manage your stress, and get more sleep. Many people swear by meditation.
• Exercise regularly.
• Limit your caffeine intake to one or two drinks per day.

Fatigue can also be linked to an underlying medical problem, psychological condition or sleep disorder. Talk to your doctor if you experience chronic or debilitating fatigue.

Most full-time employees eat at least one meal at work. Not only are a significant number of meals eaten in the workplace, but work is also where employees are most susceptible to distracted or stress-related eating.

Good nutrition is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, and eating healthier can increase your productivity, lower the number of sick days you take and reduce your risk of being in an on-the-job accident.

To start eating healthier at work today, consider doing the following:

• Avoid junk food. Clean your desk or work area of junk food. This includes snacks like candy, chips or crackers.
• Make time to eat full meals. While work can get busy, it’s critical that you make time to eat a healthy meal. Not only does eating a nutritious breakfast or lunch increase your energy, but it can also help you remain fuller for longer, thus reducing snacking.
• Bring leftovers into work. When cooking your dinner each night, consider setting aside portions for your lunch the next day. Not only does this make meal planning easier, but it can also save you money.
• Bring in bottles of water. Make an effort to drink water throughout the day. This can help energize you, supress your appetite and aid in weight loss.
• Snack smart. Snacks aren’t entirely off the table when you’re trying to eat healthy. Foods like fruit, jerky, nuts and applesauce are all good alternatives to unhealthy chips and candy bars.

While eating home-cooked meals is one of the easiest ways to eat healthier, certain jobs require employees to be on the road often. This, unfortunately, can lead to eating out more.

In this case, being careful about the kinds of food you order and the portion sizes can make all the difference in managing weight gain. Many restaurants have nutritional information on their websites, so making the right healthy decisions has never been easier.

Sweet dreams my friends 🙂

Check out our Resource Page for helpful checklists and tips.