Dealing with mental fatigue throughout the week
October 4, 2022 9:59 AM Subscribe
I usually start off the week with a lot of energy and ready to go. But by Wednesday, I feel mentally fatigued, lacking motivation, prone to procrastination, unable to focus creatively. The worst part is that I really need the energy to push through to Friday deadlines. I am not under any extraordinary stress or extreme working conditions, but just normal work. Do you have any tips or advice to deal with this?
I realize this is fairly normal to the majority of the working population, but I am just looking for helpful ideas. Please assume that there are no underlying health issues, I exercise moderately and eat and sleep pretty well. I don't drink alcohol or highly caffeinated drinks.
I asked this question previously many years ago, but thought it might be helpful to ask again for new ideas
I realize this is fairly normal to the majority of the working population, but I am just looking for helpful ideas. Please assume that there are no underlying health issues, I exercise moderately and eat and sleep pretty well. I don't drink alcohol or highly caffeinated drinks.
I asked this question previously many years ago, but thought it might be helpful to ask again for new ideas
Best answer: Daily meditation for at least twenty minutes has always helped me stay focused and not distracted and tired out by things that are overhead. You have to do it every day though.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:40 AM on October 4, 2022
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:40 AM on October 4, 2022
Best answer: A few thoughts here - this is something I definitely struggle with.
I focus on reducing my inputs. I get overwhelmed with the amount of information I process - and only some of it is from work. Ideally, I start off the morning without a screen and with a short meditation. As I start to get overwhelmed during the day, I take short breaks with limited inputs - a meditation, breathing exercise, laying down with my eyes closed, a quiet short walk.
Exercise definitely helps - heart pumping exercise that doesn't allow me to think/spiral/ruminate, but rather focus on music, my body, breathing, etc.
Scheduling my time to have the higher effort work happen early/mid-week, although that doesn't always happen.
Breaking tasks down into smaller pieces, particularly when tired. Being tired means I need more structure (lists, notebooks, etc.) to keep me focused on what I need/want to be doing.
I use the pomodoro technique to pace my work - and use breaks for truly restful, restorative things, like a quick meditation or a walk.
Some weeks I just try to get through to Friday evening and rest, but then regroup over the weekend to have better endurance the following week.
posted by jilloftrades at 11:07 AM on October 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
I focus on reducing my inputs. I get overwhelmed with the amount of information I process - and only some of it is from work. Ideally, I start off the morning without a screen and with a short meditation. As I start to get overwhelmed during the day, I take short breaks with limited inputs - a meditation, breathing exercise, laying down with my eyes closed, a quiet short walk.
Exercise definitely helps - heart pumping exercise that doesn't allow me to think/spiral/ruminate, but rather focus on music, my body, breathing, etc.
Scheduling my time to have the higher effort work happen early/mid-week, although that doesn't always happen.
Breaking tasks down into smaller pieces, particularly when tired. Being tired means I need more structure (lists, notebooks, etc.) to keep me focused on what I need/want to be doing.
I use the pomodoro technique to pace my work - and use breaks for truly restful, restorative things, like a quick meditation or a walk.
Some weeks I just try to get through to Friday evening and rest, but then regroup over the weekend to have better endurance the following week.
posted by jilloftrades at 11:07 AM on October 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
Best answer: A few thoughts:
Maybe this is a sign you need to pace yourself more on Monday and Tuesday? https://turnerpsychologycalgary.com/burnout/what-it-means-to-pace-my-activities/
You could try a method from the ADHD world: body doubling. I use Focus Mate in the morning and find that it gives me enough momentum to keep going.
posted by purple_bird at 11:09 AM on October 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Maybe this is a sign you need to pace yourself more on Monday and Tuesday? https://turnerpsychologycalgary.com/burnout/what-it-means-to-pace-my-activities/
You could try a method from the ADHD world: body doubling. I use Focus Mate in the morning and find that it gives me enough momentum to keep going.
posted by purple_bird at 11:09 AM on October 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: You cannot meaningfully increase the base level of mental energy you have available, you can only remove things that are draining it and get adequate rest, nutrition, etc.
In order to have more to put towards work, you probably have to do less of something else - including things you are thinking about. So if you are spending time thinking about work excessively, being anxious, and other thought patterns that consume cognitive resources, maybe you can tackle those?
Maybe you can make a habit of doing several hours of the most restful thing you can think of every Wednesday? Something totally different from what you do for work.
posted by lookoutbelow at 1:29 PM on October 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
In order to have more to put towards work, you probably have to do less of something else - including things you are thinking about. So if you are spending time thinking about work excessively, being anxious, and other thought patterns that consume cognitive resources, maybe you can tackle those?
Maybe you can make a habit of doing several hours of the most restful thing you can think of every Wednesday? Something totally different from what you do for work.
posted by lookoutbelow at 1:29 PM on October 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Minimize decision fatigue:
Choose and prepare all outfits on Sunday.
Wear self-created uniforms (get the same blouses, pants, sweater in a few colours).
Always wear the same hair, makeup, jewellery, etc.
Eat the same easy healthy meals every day.
Have some quick decision automators - “I will turn down mid week social activities”. “I will decline all freelance work that pays under $500.”
Write down your priorities in order so it’s easy to decide what to work on first.
Minimize body fatigue:
Go to bed an hour earlier on Tuesday nights
Don’t do activities on Sundays - rest up
Eat more iron (get levels tested), Vitamin B, D
Drink more water
Re-assess your consumption of caffeine, alcohol, drugs, sugar, junk food
Make sure exercise and therapy commitments are scheduled at times that support your energy needs
Take an easier commute - taxi?
Mimimize energy drains
Be mindful of when meetings sap or boost your energy and schedule them strategically
Block off focussed work time to protect against tiring meetings
Eat alone a couple times a week - talking can be tiring!
Outsource some housekeeping stuff- hire a cleaner / laundry service / get food delivered
posted by nouvelle-personne at 2:13 PM on October 4, 2022 [5 favorites]
Choose and prepare all outfits on Sunday.
Wear self-created uniforms (get the same blouses, pants, sweater in a few colours).
Always wear the same hair, makeup, jewellery, etc.
Eat the same easy healthy meals every day.
Have some quick decision automators - “I will turn down mid week social activities”. “I will decline all freelance work that pays under $500.”
Write down your priorities in order so it’s easy to decide what to work on first.
Minimize body fatigue:
Go to bed an hour earlier on Tuesday nights
Don’t do activities on Sundays - rest up
Eat more iron (get levels tested), Vitamin B, D
Drink more water
Re-assess your consumption of caffeine, alcohol, drugs, sugar, junk food
Make sure exercise and therapy commitments are scheduled at times that support your energy needs
Take an easier commute - taxi?
Mimimize energy drains
Be mindful of when meetings sap or boost your energy and schedule them strategically
Block off focussed work time to protect against tiring meetings
Eat alone a couple times a week - talking can be tiring!
Outsource some housekeeping stuff- hire a cleaner / laundry service / get food delivered
posted by nouvelle-personne at 2:13 PM on October 4, 2022 [5 favorites]
Best answer: See if you can identify one or two of your regular/repeated work tasks (or particular methods or approches) that you are good at, like to do, and get some sense of reward from ; then try to use the energy & momentum of accomplishing that thing, as leverage towards moving along and accomplishing other things.
Example: i get easily worn out by multi-tasking and have a tendency to deal first with the last thing that came into my inbox. I know, i know, it’s a recipe for failure at so many levels, but old habits die hard etc. But if i can carve out time to stop and look at ONE THING ONLY that’s a thing i’m good at and which takes a level of effort that either feels small OR is in line with a strength of mine, and spend a chunk of time focused on and then finishing only that One Thing, i then find afterwards i have a better ability to do other tasks that are not my favorite, are a grind, or which don’t play as much to my strengths. Then *that* next accomplishment can create additional momentum and energy which carries me even farther.
I love this AskMe. Thanks for posting!
posted by armoir from antproof case at 2:54 PM on October 4, 2022
Example: i get easily worn out by multi-tasking and have a tendency to deal first with the last thing that came into my inbox. I know, i know, it’s a recipe for failure at so many levels, but old habits die hard etc. But if i can carve out time to stop and look at ONE THING ONLY that’s a thing i’m good at and which takes a level of effort that either feels small OR is in line with a strength of mine, and spend a chunk of time focused on and then finishing only that One Thing, i then find afterwards i have a better ability to do other tasks that are not my favorite, are a grind, or which don’t play as much to my strengths. Then *that* next accomplishment can create additional momentum and energy which carries me even farther.
I love this AskMe. Thanks for posting!
posted by armoir from antproof case at 2:54 PM on October 4, 2022
Best answer: Nap during lunchtime, if you have a place to do so. I slept in my car at lunch for years, and now that I work from home I love being able to nap in my own bed.
Can you rearrange your tasks at all, so you're doing at least some of the most mentally taxing work prior to Wednesday?
Coffee, and a high-energy playlist.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 6:29 PM on October 4, 2022
Can you rearrange your tasks at all, so you're doing at least some of the most mentally taxing work prior to Wednesday?
Coffee, and a high-energy playlist.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 6:29 PM on October 4, 2022
Best answer: Have you had your iron levels and B12 levels tested recently?
Because these are simple, easy blood tests, and could really help if your levels are low.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:45 PM on October 4, 2022
Because these are simple, easy blood tests, and could really help if your levels are low.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:45 PM on October 4, 2022
Best answer: Sounds like you go too hard on a Monday & Tuesday and don't have the stamina to keep it up til Friday. So I think what's needed is either review of your attitude, or your daily priorities/tasks.
1) Attitude review: try to only give 60% of your usual effort to earlier in the week - either don't do as much or change what you do - does that help later in the week if you don't overstretch yourself? Each week is like a marathon! If you go off too hard in a marathon you hit the wall earlier and worse.
2) If you (still) only have energy early in the week, could you prep early for your Friday deadlines? I'd be tempted to do those things first up, unless of course you have earlier in the week deadlines that precludes that. But in general, matching your energy with your tasks could work better for you. I tend to do all my difficult thinky work early in the week or earlier in the days, as I tail off towards the end of the day and the end of the week. I save boring or repetitive tasks for later in the week. I use a daily planner that's an Excel spreadsheet that allows me to keep track and easily schedule and re-schedule both big and small tasks.
And one final thing - don't stress about work as far as you can manage - it's draining your tank but not achieving anything. If you're worrying about a task - note it and clear it from your mind. If you're stressing about workload, talk to your line manager (what should I deprioritise?), or tell yourself that you have got this, you'll address it when you're at work, but now is time for rest etc.
posted by london explorer girl at 6:25 AM on October 5, 2022
1) Attitude review: try to only give 60% of your usual effort to earlier in the week - either don't do as much or change what you do - does that help later in the week if you don't overstretch yourself? Each week is like a marathon! If you go off too hard in a marathon you hit the wall earlier and worse.
2) If you (still) only have energy early in the week, could you prep early for your Friday deadlines? I'd be tempted to do those things first up, unless of course you have earlier in the week deadlines that precludes that. But in general, matching your energy with your tasks could work better for you. I tend to do all my difficult thinky work early in the week or earlier in the days, as I tail off towards the end of the day and the end of the week. I save boring or repetitive tasks for later in the week. I use a daily planner that's an Excel spreadsheet that allows me to keep track and easily schedule and re-schedule both big and small tasks.
And one final thing - don't stress about work as far as you can manage - it's draining your tank but not achieving anything. If you're worrying about a task - note it and clear it from your mind. If you're stressing about workload, talk to your line manager (what should I deprioritise?), or tell yourself that you have got this, you'll address it when you're at work, but now is time for rest etc.
posted by london explorer girl at 6:25 AM on October 5, 2022
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posted by bleep at 10:40 AM on October 4, 2022 [2 favorites]