How to have more Energy after work even if you work for yourself - 10 practical tips

What you eat can really alter how you feel. Eating nutritious foods helps your body to function at its best.

Eat healthy foods that will give you sustained energy throughout the day. Replace such processed junks with high-energy foods such as fruits, smoothies, rice, high protein foods such as eggs, or unrefined carbs such as yams or plantains with healthy fats.

Sleep is the one of the greatest factor that determines how you feel before, during and after work. And a poor sleep habit – makes it harder to retain your energy after work.

Be sure to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep each night in order to feel well rested and have more energy during the day.⁣⁣⁣ Otherwise you were not really sleeping well or not enough.

Poor sleep can impact your energy levels during and after work.

Exercise releases endorphins, which can improve your mood and energy level.

But Sitting too long, lying too long or even sleeping too long are the biggest culprits here to drain your energy. You might think you conserve energy by not being active but the exact opposite happens.

Getting some exercise in after work can help to boost your energy levels.

Not everybody can afford naps these days especially if you work late and in an environment you don’t have control of.

But if you work for yourself or at home – taking a 30mins - 1hr nap is a smart way to regain energy after working hours.

Avoid overdoing it as longer naps >1hr may disrupt your bedtime routines and impact sleep quality.

This might not be for everyone but cortisol “stress hormone” peaks after waking up. When you engage in strenuous activity immediately after waking – you only increase your body cortisol levels.

So watch you stress levels before engaging in strenuous exercise first thing in the morning so you don’t come back home exhausted after work

An alternative may be scheduling a time for an after-work workout routine.

Find a way to take a break during work hours to relax. This way you don’t burnout easily and retain your energy levels after work.

Meditation could be a life saver here. There’s nothing wrong with staying idle to think or plan things out than always being busy to the point of exhaustion.

It's one of the most effective way to reduce stress in your life.

Caffeine may give you a temporary energy boost, but it can also lead to dehydration and an eventual crash.

Energy comes from many things. Not just from drinking caffeine…When I felt the most burnout after work was when I was regularly consuming soda and energy drinks during work.

The key is natural energy from healthy foods, supplements and focused work.

Do you work to a point where you start breathing from your mouth & chest instead of your nose and deep into your stomach?

When you feel stressed, breathe in slowly for 5 seconds through your nose, then exhale slowly for 7 seconds through your mouth.

This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which has a calming effect and allows your body to better use oxygen.

It’s important to stay hydrated throughout the day!

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help to keep you hydrated and energized.

Drink water after waking up and after every meal is the simplest way to stay hydrated .

You could eat healthy, avoid alcohol, take breaks etc and still feel zero motivated after work because every moment you spent at work was more of draining activity rather than meaningful work.

Upgrade your energy and passion. Its not all about making more sales or getting your next client but it’s about loving what you do and truly serving others.

Find something that adds meaning and purpose to your life and you naturally shine and blossom during and after work.

Evening routines are a hack to stay productive even after work.

Productive in this sense may not mean making money or making high-priority decisions but you could be

-reading a book

-cooking a healthy meal or

- engaging in a meaningful conversation that’ll keep you energy levels up after work.

Sometimes it can even include something as simple as walking - taking a walk after work can help you to clear your head and increase your energy levels.