It can happen to the best of us. If you are a working mom with a baby or a toddler, the little one may have kept you for many reasons – he is not feeling well or he is just fussy. Or you started worrying about one thing like your bills and then it grew into worrying about other things in your life. It may also be that you are slaving on a project that just needed to be finished.
Whatever the reason is, you wake up the next day with only 5 to 6 hours of sleep. How do you get through the day? A female CEO who answered this question through Quora and published in Time, has some tried and tested tips for us. Another article on Entrepreneur.com also lays down its set of tips for us.
What You Should Eat and Drink
Alexandra Damsker said that when it comes to food intake during the day, one must limit carbohydrates because food which are heavy on carbohydrate cause sleepiness, and it is because of the presence of the amino acid tryptophan.
The Entrepreneur article also mentions this tip, but adds that aside from avoiding carbohydrates, your meals should be in small portions and rich in protein. Some of the examples given were whole grains, yogurt, chicken, fish and fruits and vegetables.
Water (lots of it) is also helpful in situations like this. Drinking water helps us stay awake and alert. And because it will surely make go to the washroom often, this is also a good reason to get up.
Improve Your Circulation
Both articles mention being more active in order to increase energy. This can include simply walking around the office, maybe from your desk to the pantry or the water cooler, or going out for a walk during your break. If you have time, it is also best to exercise regularly, as this helps give you better sleep.
How To Get Work Done
Damsker said that another thing she avoids at work, if she can, is meetings. If you are sleep-deprived and you attend a meeting, you are sure to doze off especially if it is a meeting that is monopolized by just one person.
When it comes to your work routine, Entrepreneur.com recommends that you change it for the time being. Instead of going through your work day the usual way, perhaps you can move tasks around if you can. Or squeeze in a few minutes for things that you enjoy such as listening to music, watching a short video on YouTube and the like.
It is also important to take stock what you need to accomplish so that you can choose which tasks to prioritize. That way, you can get through the day and work on other important tasks in the coming days when are not sleep deprived.
Worst Case Scenario Tips
If you find yourself dozing off on your desk, a power nap might do you good. All you need is 15 to 25 minutes in a quiet environment, especially in the early afternoon. If you are lucky enough to do this in your place of work, go ahead.
Entrepreneur.com listed taking a cold shower to wake you up. If you are at the office, you can also wash your face with cold water or place an ice cube on your wrist or temple.