Image by: Tambako the Jaguar
By: Ken Lucas

It’s a vicious cycle: first you arise after enduring the harsh, monotonous blare of an alarm clock, and then you grab a pop-tart because you stamped the snooze button one too many times and don’t have time for breakfast. And now you find yourself half assing your way through the office in stark contrast to the avid brown-noser who’s competing for your executive position. Yea, unfortunately that guy would be far more likely to get a raise than you—the lazy guy who has trouble keeping his energy afloat on a daily basis.

It can be a real pain trudging throughout your days while feeling as though you just finished running in a marathon. Lack of energy is not only physically demanding, but also mentally, as the thought of executing your daily tasks may trigger you to feel even more exasperated than you already are.

You may be living off red bulls, candy and soda pop to compensate for any inconsistencies you may be feeling throughout the day, but is it really worth the sudden crash that you are fated to encounter upon consuming so much sugar? I think not! Here are a few more natural ways in which you can spark some vim in your routine.

#1) Eat a Big Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Okay, I’m sure you heard that saying at least one trillion times, but are you abiding by it, or is it just going in one ear and out the other? Well, if it’s the latter, then you may have your answer as to why it’s a struggle for you to make it through the day. The fact is—people who find the time to eat a hearty breakfast every morning report much less fatigue and stress than people who skip it and jump directly into their agenda.

It may be time consuming to find the time to prepare a meal amid your shower, shave and dress routine, but even instant oatmeal can do the job, as it is much more likely to stick with you than a Danish or sugar pastry. And if you’re a hopeless cook, even a nice oat grain cereal in a bowl of reduced fat milk will do the trick.

So before you start complaining, remember that you don’t necessarily have to cook eggs, bacon, sausages, and toast every single day of your lives—just a little something to get the metabolism kick-started after its overnight fast.

#2) Drink More Water

You may be an avid coffee drinker, and are wondering why you still feel as though you are soaked with fatigue. Well, while coffee certainly is an efficient compound for keeping your energy levels high, if the foundation isn’t built, then it will most likely have little to no positive effect. And what is this foundation I speak of? Aqua, H2o, water… Lots and lots of it.

You don’t have to drown your internal organs with it, but always be sure you’re keeping a nice circulation of fresh water for your body to use at its leisure. One thing we tend to forget as we roam about our lives self-importantly, is the fact that we ourselves are made up of over 70% of water. I may not know all the specifications about how that works, but one thing I do know is keeping yourself hydrated—which means monitoring the color of your urine; you want to aim for something light or even clear.

If it’s coming out yellow-orange, then something’s wrong—goes a long way with improving efficiency.

#3) Exercise

Getting the blood pumping with a nice, vigorous workout is one of the most fun and natural ways to improve daily energy levels and boost your immune system. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to hit the gym seven days a week, as even stay-at-home workouts such as jumping jacks, push-ups, or stretching can fill the void when you’re pressed for time.

When you exercise, oxygen rich blood circulates throughout your body, filling your heart, muscles and brain with \ excess amounts of the stuff it takes for you to survive that 9-5 shift. And not only will it have the physiological effect of boosting your immune levels, but, if you exercise consistently, then you will witness a spike in confidence, which will leave you feeling more jovial and less miserable in your workplace.

#4) Be Positive

As mentioned above, confidence and being positive plays a key factor in keeping your body interested in exerting. Reason being? Well, that’s because people who are confident and positive tend to invest themselves more in the present moment than say a person who is a walking black hole of problems and concerns.

Living more in the moment will, obviously, equate to you showing more interest in what’s going on around you, increasing your mental and physical awareness and leaving you with the innate feeling that you need to “do things” at their maximum capacity.

And, of course, doing things will eventually lead to that promotion you’ve been waiting on, or perhaps even the attention of that cute blonde in the cubicle adjacent to yours.

None of us are perfect. Sometimes life happens and we lose the motivation to do the things required to keep are amazing livelihood afloat. What are some ways you manage to overcome the daydreams and office naps? Please share with us below!