How to Feel Less Tired at Work — 8 Mindful Rules
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Hey Zen Friends,
If you work in an office, you probably know this feeling: by the end of the day, your body isn’t exactly sore — but your mind is. It’s as if your energy just slowly faded away.
This article is for anyone who wants to feel less tired after a workday.
I’m sharing the principles that personally help me feel calmer, lighter, and more balanced — even after hours in front of the screen.
🖥 Why Office Work Is So Draining
Office work might not look exhausting from the outside — you’re just sitting, right?
But the tiredness that builds up isn’t from movement; it’s from mental strain.
Hours of looking at the monitor, constant eye tension, repetitive tasks, endless streams of information, background noise, and stress — all of it adds up.
This kind of fatigue isn’t physical. It’s nervous exhaustion — that heavy head, irritability, lack of focus, and a general sense of “I’m done for today.”
And while it’s impossible to remove it completely (nine hours a day, five days a week, plus the commute — that wears anyone down), we can learn to minimize it.
Here’s how.
🌿 Rule 1: Rest More, Work Less
Whenever you have a moment to rest - take it.
Not by checking your messages or scrolling through the news, but by stepping away from the monitor.
Get up, walk outside, breathe.
Let your eyes and your brain relax for a few minutes.
Working at a computer drains you no matter what you’re doing, even if you’re reading something fun. Your mind still processes data nonstop.
So give yourself small breaks.
Try stepping outside at least once every two hours for 5–10 minutes.
Use your lunch break too: if you finish eating early, don’t rush back.
Walk a bit, stretch, hang from a bar if you can: anything to loosen up.
Physical movement helps release mental tension.
And remember: you don’t have to do everything in one day.
If you can work a little less without losing your pay, do it.
You’ll gain something much more valuable — your health and peace of mind.
Work is important. But it’s not the most important thing in life.
🌿 Rule 2: No Multitasking
Multitasking - is an ability to do a lot of things at a time...bad
I’ve noticed this: if I focus on one thing at a time, I end the day with energy left.
But if I spend it switching between ten different tasks - replying to emails, checking chats, writing a few lines of code, jumping to another window - I feel completely drained by evening.
Your brain gets tired from context switching.
And the more things you try to handle simultaneously, the worse each one turns out.
When I scatter my attention, I accomplish less on all fronts.
So, try this:
Turn off your messengers, silence your notifications, and handle one thing at a time.
You don’t have to fulfill every colleague’s request the moment it arrives - unless it’s really urgent.
Finish what you’re doing first.
And yes - take regular breaks. Your mind needs recovery just like your body does.
🌿 Rule 3: Follow a Routine
A consistent routine helps you use your energy wisely.
Start your day with the hardest, most demanding work - when your energy is high.
(As I once wrote, “how to make yourself work” is often about simply starting early.)
If you keep pushing tasks to “later,” you’ll face them when you’re tired - and the same job will take twice the effort.
If something’s due tomorrow, don’t wait until night.
Evenings are meant for rest.
So, handle it earlier, use your morning well, and allow yourself peace afterward.
The earlier you finish what matters, the more space you’ll have for everything else.
🌿 Rule 4: Try Remote Work
Why not ask your boss about working remotely?
If your job doesn’t require physical presence, it could actually save the company money — no desk, no office rent, no cleaning costs.
It’s a win-win.
Remote work saves your energy, time, and money spent on commuting.
At home, you’ll tire less, even doing the same work.
Why? Because at home, you can take small mindful pauses - rest, stretch, pet your cat, drink water, or take a quick shower.
If you finish at 4 PM and have no more tasks, you’re done.
You don’t need to pretend to work until 6.
In the office, that’s harder. It’s a public space - people walking around, phone calls, random noises.
All those small distractions drain your energy.
Add the commute and the uncomfortable clothes - and you have the perfect setup for fatigue.
Most office workers spend their days surrounded by movement and chatter.
It’s no wonder they feel constantly tense.
Some say they can’t work from home - they lack discipline, they need supervision.
But there’s nothing good about needing someone with a metaphorical stick behind you.
That’s not discipline — it’s dependency.
We have to learn self-organization.
Create your own structure, follow it, and build trust in yourself.
When you can work without external control, you gain real freedom.
And if your boss says no, that’s okay.
You’ll find another company, or maybe another profession, that allows it.
If you truly want it, set the goal and move toward it.
Imagine your life without traffic jams, crowded trains, or endless small talk.
Imagine working calmly, in your own rhythm.
🌿 Rule 5: Minimize Stress at Work
The less stress you experience, the less tired you feel - a simple truth.
Stop taking part in office drama, gossip, or politics.
Take work more lightly.
You’re there to earn money - not to sacrifice your peace.
You do your job and get your salary. That’s the full deal.
Don’t stress over things beyond your control - your boss’s mood, someone else’s mistakes, your own small failures.
The worst that can happen? You might lose the job.
And even then, the law ensures you compensation.
Managers often want employees emotionally tied to their company - they want loyalty that feels almost sacred.
But if you let that mindset sink in, it leads to constant worry:
“What if the client isn’t happy? What if I made a mistake? What if my boss gets mad?”
That’s not loyalty - that’s anxiety.
Treat your work as what it is - a tool for earning, not your entire identity.
The lighter you hold your job, the lighter your day becomes.
🌿 Principle 6: Improve the Quality of Your Rest
We often forget: fatigue isn’t only about what happens at work - it’s about what happens after.
To feel less tired at work, you need better rest at home.
Spend your evenings in calm.
Read, lie down, take short walks, ride a bike, go for a light run - whatever helps you unwind.
Avoid crowded spaces after work. You’ve already spent your day surrounded by people and noise.
Give your mind a break from information, from screens, from stimulation.
Don’t spend the whole evening online - that only adds more fatigue.
On weekends, dedicate at least one day to real rest - no errands, no relatives, no mall runs.
If you have a quiet outdoor space - use it.
Silence restores what caffeine can’t.
Remember: loud parties and alcohol don’t recharge you - they drain your energy for the week ahead.
You’ll feel the difference fast.
For example, yesterday, I spent the evening at home, listening to soft music before bed.
Today - Friday - I feel full of strength, even though the week is almost over.
But earlier this week, when I spent evenings running around buying gear for my trip, I woke up exhausted.
I could feel it in everything - writing, thinking, even speaking took more effort.
🌿 Principle 7: Don’t Stay Late at Work
It sounds obvious, but it matters.
You have the right to an eight-hour workday (plus lunch).
No one can force you to work overtime - especially unpaid.
Unpaid overtime is just exploitation, disguised as “dedication.”
Working full time already takes most of your week - you don’t need to give away more.
Protect your health.
When the day ends - leave.
If something didn’t get done despite honest effort, that’s not your failure.
That’s the company’s planning issue, not yours.
🌿 Principle 8: Drink Less Coffee and Tea
It sounds strange, but caffeine actually increases fatigue.
It gives you a short burst of energy, then leaves you emptier than before.
The more coffee you drink, the more your body crashes afterward.
When you limit caffeine, your energy stabilizes - you move through the day more evenly.
That “boost” from coffee isn’t new energy; it’s borrowed from your reserves.
If you feel you need coffee to function, that’s a form of dependency.
Once you let it go, your body finds its balance again.
🌿 Principle 9: Strengthen Your Body
The stronger and healthier your body, the more energy you’ll have.
Exercise, eat clean, sleep enough, meditate, and drop harmful habits.
Physical strength feeds emotional resilience.
It’s the last principle - but one of the most important.
Please, don’t save time at the cost of yourself.
Your well-being is your real foundation.
🌱 Final Words
Like I said in the beginning, office work is tiring, no matter what.
Weekends and vacations can’t fully restore what a constant routine takes away.
And when you add smoking, drinking, sitting all day, and not resting even during breaks, most people simply never experience real rest.
Yes, you’ll still get tired. That’s life.
But exhaustion doesn’t have to be your normal.
Remember: sitting behind a monitor until retirement isn’t the only option.
You can design your life differently - to rest more, do less meaningless work, and spend more time at home with your loved ones.
Because in the end, as I like to say: everything is in your hands. 🌿
ZenFast