We can all get tired, especially after a long day at work. We clock off for the day, endure the daily commute home, and then slump into our sofas when we step through the front door. Some of us take a nap (if we have the luxury to do so), while others continue to battle through their tiredness while taking care of their families and any other domestic duties at home.

But here's the thing, while tiredness is a perfectly natural way to feel, it should also be avoided where possible. You see, the tireder you get during the day, the less productive you will be during your last couple of hours at work. And on returning home, you should have some modicum of energy to ensure you can enjoy your downtime, rather than sleeping or tiredly battling your through it. If you don't take steps to improve matters, you might also face burnout in the long-term, a mentally exhausted state that will not only have consequences for your personal health but for the health of your business too when you're too unwell to continue working.

So, to ensure you remain productive throughout the day, and to ensure you don't suffer from extreme levels of tiredness in the long-term, we have some tips here that will help you.

#1: Get the right amount of sleep

Here's a no-brainer, but if you want to start the day off right, you need to get your beauty sleep of a nighttime. You will then have the energy you need to deal with whatever challenges face you during the day, and as we discussed in this article, perform better at work. However, notice we said 'right amount' and not 'plenty' of sleep. Experts suggest 7-9 hours a night for optimum feelings of refreshment. So, while you shouldn't get less than 7 hours too often, you shouldn't sleep in for longer either, because as you probably know, you might then feel sluggish through oversleep. This won't help you during the day, and it might impinge on your energy levels later.

#2: Eat healthily

Begin the day with a healthy breakfast; something packed with all of the energy-boosting nutrients that your body needs to start the day well. Do the same for lunch, and if you have any snacks throughout the day, ensure they border on the healthy side of things as well. Hint: you might want to cancel your office doughnut order! Practice the same when you return home for your evening meal, as you will then have more energy to enjoy your downtime at home before work the next day.

#3: Cut back on the caffeine

Many of us start with a cup of coffee in the morning; it's an effective way to give us that energy boost we need to shake off any remnants of tiredness we might be feeling. However, the caffeine in coffee is artificial energy, so while it gives us a kickstart, our energy levels will start to flag when the caffeine rush wears off. The same applies to any further cups of coffee or energy drinks you consume throughout the day. Therefore, cut back on the caffeine or rule it out entirely. Drink more water instead; a natural way to energize your body, or try one of these healthy energy drinks that aren't loaded with caffeine. You will then be more productive during the day, and consequently, you should feel less fatigued when you return home.

#4: Reduce your workload during the day

We appreciate this isn't easy, especially when you have a lot of plates to spin during the day, but you need to operate wisdom. The more you personally take on, the tireder you will feel, and this will have consequences for your productivity and your health, in both the short and the long-term. Therefore, find ways to reduce your workload. Focus on the tasks that need to be completed as a priority, and push aside less important duties to another day if you know you don't have the energy to deal with everything. You might also want to delegate more to your employees if they don't have a heavy workload, or you might want to outsource certain areas of your business, including time-intensive tasks such as your accounting or social media marketing. This will take the pressure off you, and give you more time to focus on the next point.

#5: Take more breaks during the day

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We aren't talking about long breaks, as even a five or a ten-minute break can be refreshing. Get away from your desk, go for a short walk, chat to your colleagues or practice deskercise. This will give you time to unwind and unplug from the busyness of your day, refreshing your mind for a few moments, and if you exercise, energize your body too. So, take short breaks at regular intervals, and give yourself a longer break at lunchtime to shut off from your daily duties. This might seem counterintuitive if you do have a lot to during the day, but if you weren't able to delegate or outsource as we suggested in the last point, you might still work more productively and efficiently because of your invigorated state. Consequently, there will be less need to work overtime too, as hopefully, you will have completed everything that needs doing on time.

#6: Finish early if you need to

This is a controversial choice because finishing early might mean you don't get to complete every task on your to-do list. However, if those tasks can be left until tomorrow, then there is less need to worry about them. You see, if you are feeling overly tired, and this tiredness is bordering on exhaustion, then you need to prioritize your health over your business. Taking the above steps into account, you might be able to alleviate tiredness anyway so finishing early might be a moot point. But still, if your business affords you the possibility, and you know you are in need to rest, then on occasion, cut your day short, so you feel less fatigued tomorrow.

We hope these suggestions have been useful to you, but let us know what you think. And if you have managed to beat end-of-workday fatigue yourself, please share your strategies with us.