Fatigue is when you feel exhausted all the time. It’s a state of mental or physical exhaustion that reduces your ability to remain alert. Workplace fatigue is particularly dangerous.

Workers who are fatigued are at greater risk of burnout and can end up injuring themselves and their co-workers. It is also bad for productivity, morale and can lead to psychological risks.

Tips to fight fatigue at work

Take regular breaks

If you’re doing a long monotonous job with repetitive activity, try to take regular breaks. This will help with managing fatigue and increase productivity because it enables you to maintain your focus.

Get moving

Sitting or standing in the same position for an extended period of time can put your muscles to sleep. Not only is it an uncomfortable position for your body, but it can lead to physical exhaustion.

Going for a short work or just getting up to stretch will release tension in the muscles and get the blood circulating through your body.

Reduce caffeine intake

For many of us, a cup of coffee or a cold energy drink provide a helpful boost to alertness.

A side effect that is not so commonly discussed is that once the effects of the caffeine wear off, we experience a crash in energy that leads to an afternoon slump. This usually happens after lunch or in the middle of a meeting.

Reducing your daily caffeine intake by swapping to decaffeinated drinks will help you avoid that afternoon crash.

Talk to co-workers

At work, everyone has a job to do. But talking with your co-workers can be a great way to manage fatigue. It keeps your mind active, stimulates discussion and can be motivating.

In addition to these work habits, one of the most important ways to deal with job burnout is to communicate with your employer about your condition and discuss solutions to overcome it.

As an employee, it is important to understand if you are temporarily tired or suffering from long-standing job fatigue.