Beating Mental Fatigue

You go to work feeling well-rested, yet by the middle of the morning, you're already exhausted. Even though your day has only just begun, you're exhausted.

Alternatively, you may feel intellectually and emotionally fatigued after a pretty quiet day of work – no meetings, no difficult decisions, no significant fires to put out.

Or, on a Saturday, when things are at their least stressful, you get the same emotions - mental exhaustion, a lack of brainpower to handle even the simplest concepts.

If any of the above sound familiar to you, or if you've experienced exhaustion, diminished motivation, lack of sleep or food, or persistent irritability, you're probably suffering from mental fatigue.

Mental weariness can quickly escalate into far more serious conditions if you don't take adequate care of your mental health.

·         Anxiety

·         Burnout

·         Depression

·         Weight fluctuations

·         Susceptibility to sickness is increased.

Beating Mental Fatigue

Plan your day to correspond to your energy levels as they rise and fall.

Getting in touch with how your energy levels increase and decrease is one of the first stages toward eliminating mental weariness. You cope with ebbs and flows of energy throughout the day, even when you're well rested.

It is something that everyone does. You have times of high energy and periods of low energy.

Figure out when your peaks and valleys occur and organize your day's tasks around them to take advantage of your body's natural rhythms. Keep a track of your energy levels each hour for a few weeks to learn your ultradian cycles. This will give you a decent idea of when you have the most energy and when you need to take a rest. You can also use the Rise sleep app to assist you figure out your ultradian rhythms.

Plan your day so that you can focus on your most critical chores when you have the greatest energy. Respond to emails, examine reports or saved articles, or execute low-priority jobs that don't require much of your brainpower when your energy levels drop.

Spend your time and energy on pursuits that are worthwhile.

Don't allow your brainpower go to waste if you want to get the most out of it. When your brain isn't challenged or engaged on a daily basis, it loses its edge, just like a car left out in the elements to rust and rot. It's easier for mental tiredness to set in when you're not fully engaged.

Engage in high-value activities such as reading books (rather than Facebook), learning a new skill, or engaging in hobbies and chores that enrich you. Find activities and people with whom you can socialize to improve your quality of life.

There's a time and a place for turning off your brain and binge-watching Netflix. Your mental health is less likely to suffer when your mind is constantly engaged in things that you find enjoyable or with people you care about.

Consume nutrients that will help your brain function better.

This is self-evident, yet it deserves to be emphasized. Nutrition is a crucial component of keeping healthy and performing at your best.

Simply put, eating healthy foods makes you feel better. You will feel bad if you eat bad stuff.

Eliminate refined sweets and overly processed foods from your diet if you want to keep your intellect at top performance. Caffeine should be consumed in moderation. Focus on proteins when eating and choose your snacks appropriately. Nuts (such as almonds), fruits, and whole grains should be substituted for candy bars and chips.

Drink plenty of water as well. Dehydration affects your ability to think, reason, and comprehend information, in addition to causing headaches. Maintaining your energy levels and avoiding weariness are further benefits of being hydrated.

Cut down on decision fatigue.

If you've ever felt exhausted after making a slew of decisions, you've experienced decision fatigue.

Decision fatigue can physically tire you in addition to diminishing your ability to think effectively. It can feel as though you're carrying a thousand pounds on your shoulders and head.

Set aside specified blocks of time to address certain projects to avoid decision fatigue, which is sometimes caused by taking on too many things at once.

For instance, if you're like most people, you read and answer to email all day. Instead, schedule time in the morning and afternoon to deal with all of them at once.

Take on your most critical or time-sensitive projects first thing in the morning, when your attentiveness and energy levels are at their peak. Your mental powers will improve, your mind will become more focused, and your attention span will be extended.

You'll be more focused on the decision-making process without being overwhelmed mentally if you optimize your time and focus on one issue at a time.

Distracts must be eliminated.

Eliminating distractions is likely the simplest method for overcoming mental weariness. And the most challenging to master.

After all, with so many online diversions vying for your attention, wasting time has become a modern-day pastime. Surfing the web, scrolling through Facebook, viewing YouTube videos, perusing Pinterest, curating Spotify playlists, and playing a variety of addictive smartphone games are all common pastimes. It goes on and on.

Our minds, too, are overloaded by all of this sensory stimulation. The more time-wasting distractions we engage with, the more tension they might cause.

Prioritize exercise and sleep.

Exercise and sleep are extremely beneficial to your mental health.

Exercise does not necessitate the time commitment that many people believe it does. Moderate exercise, such as 20 to 30 minutes of brisk walking every day, can improve your mental health.

Exercise improves your immune system and enhances endurance in addition to helping you get in better physical shape. It's also a terrific stress reliever that boosts your mood and reduces anxiety.

It's vital that whatever fitness plan you choose is simple to follow and maintain.

Sleep is also very important. Few things will enhance your health more quickly than sleeping for long periods of time. And the truth is that how you sleep (also known as sleep hygiene) is just as essential as how much you sleep.

Your surroundings should be conducive to a restful night's sleep. The environment should be dark, calm, and cool and comfortable. At least two to three hours before bedtime, avoid using electronics, especially cellphones and tablets. (It's fine to read a physical book before bed.)

Create a sleep schedule that is consistent and easy to follow, just like you would with exercise. Keep it peaceful and make sure it happens at the same time every night to get the best night's sleep.

Throughout the day, take regular breaks.

According to conventional wisdom, the more productive you are, the harder you work and the less breaks you take. While “powering through” may make you feel like you're getting more done, the opposite is true.

As the day progresses, your work slows, your attention shifts, and you become less productive. You also have a higher risk of increasing your stress levels than individuals who take regular breaks throughout the day.

Take a step away from your workstation. Take a walk or engage in some other type of physical activity. Take a seat outside. For a few minutes, talk about something other than work with your coworkers.

Even if it's only for five to ten minutes, taking a break from the demands of the day may be extremely relaxing. It also allows you to take a mental break and swiftly refuel for the following round of duties.

Take advantage of the power nap.

Finally, if your mind seems like it's ready to melt from overwork, turn it off, unplug it, and take a nap. Seriously.

Naps, particularly power naps, are the equivalent of plugging in your smartphone for a quick charge in the middle of the day.

It's possible that you're not tired. You might still have a full tank of gas. However, a short snooze of 10 to 30 minutes can restore your energy and performance to pre-dawn levels.

Take Control of Your Mind

Mental tiredness and fatigue is a significant condition. It has an affect on both your emotional and physical health, as well as your professional productivity and personal connections at home.

Worse, it has the potential to affect who you are as a person, cause despair, and severely impede your ability to function normally.

You'll be healthier, more focused, and free of crippling stress if you take stock of your mental health and adopt one or more of the aforementioned ways for dealing with mental exhaustion.