Work Fatigue: The Reality Of Feeling Tired At Work

Do you feel tired at work? You’re not alone. A recent study found that more than half of American workers feel exhausted by the time they leave work each day. Work fatigue can be caused by several factors, including long hours, stress, and an unhealthy lifestyle. If you’re feeling run down and exhausted, it’s important to take steps to improve your energy levels. In this blog post, we will discuss the causes of work fatigue and ways to combat it!

Defining Work Fatigue

Defining Work Fatigue

Work fatigue is defined as a state of physical or mental exhaustion that can be caused by a variety of factors, including long work hours, stress, and an unhealthy lifestyle. Fatigue can lead to several problems, including decreased productivity, absenteeism, as well as accidents. It’s important to identify the signs of work fatigue and take steps to combat it.

Work fatigue is a common problem that can have a significant impact on your health and well-being. If you’re feeling tired at work, it’s important to take steps to improve your energy levels. It’s also important to identify the causes of your fatigue and make changes to your lifestyle if necessary.

It is important to know that work fatigue is not the same as being sleepy. Being sleepy is a physical response to a lack of sleep. Work fatigue is a more general feeling of tiredness that can be caused by various factors, including stress, anxiety, depression, and an unhealthy lifestyle. When we’re fatigued like this, it can make it difficult to concentrate and stay organized. And when it lasts for days or weeks, despite adequate sleep, it can leave you feeling anxious, depressed, and on the road to burnout.

It has multiple causes which can manifest as various physiological as well as psychological side effects. Work fatigue is a serious problem that can have a significant impact on your life. If you’re feeling tired at work, it’s important to take steps to improve your energy levels and identify the causes of your fatigue.

Signs Of Work Fatigue

There are a few key signs that you may be suffering from work fatigue:

  • Feeling exhausted at the end of the workday
  • Having trouble concentrating or staying focused on tasks
  • Being quick to respond to anger
  • Feeling more accident-prone than usual
  • Having trouble sleeping or you wake up feeling tired
  • Feeling tired all the time, even after a full night’s sleep
  • Feeling highly irritable or depressed
  • Difficulty maintaining a healthy lifestyle

It is important to remember that fatigue means different things for different people. The given signs may manifest in varying intensities and ways of presentation for different people. For example, some may feel like sleeping too much, while some may not be able to sleep at all. It is important to acknowledge and accept these differences.

Causes of Work Fatigue

Causes of Work Fatigue

There are many potential causes of work fatigue. Some of the most common include:

  • Long work hours

Working long hours can be exhausting and leave you feeling drained. Unattainable deadlines and goals, lack of overtime compensation, inadequate time-offs, and after-work-hours effort can contribute to work fatigue.

  • Travel

If you travel for work, you may find yourself feeling jet-lagged and exhausted. Long hours of traffic, crowds, delays, queues, as well as monetary investment in long hours of travel, can tire out an individual.

  • Working in extremely hot or cold environments

Working in extreme temperatures can be taxing on your body and mind. Moderation is a key need for sustaining work moods for long periods. Working in unfavorable conditions makes it difficult to keep focus.

  • Strenuous activity

If your job requires you to lift heavy objects or be on your feet all day, it can be difficult to maintain energy levels. On the contrary, sedentary and consistently inactive desk jobs can also make it difficult to maintain energy levels.

  • Stress

Stress can take a toll on your energy levels and leave you feeling fatigued. This stress can be due to work factors, unclear boundaries between personal and professional lives, or other underlying reasons.

  • Unhealthy lifestyle

An unhealthy lifestyle can contribute to fatigue. This includes habits like inadequate sleep, dehydration, eating excessive junk food, and intaking too much alcohol/tobacco, among other things.

Side Effects Of Work Fatigue

Side Effects Of Work Fatigue

Work fatigue can have several negative side effects, both physically and mentally. Some of the most common include:

  • Increased stress levels
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Sleep problems
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Memory problems
  • Hypertension
  • Vulnerability to substance addiction
  • Migraines
  • Muscle aches and pains

In addition to these physical/mental effects, work fatigue also has a significant impact on an individual’s work life. These include:

  • Reduces quality of work
  • Missing out on deadlines
  • Financial issues
  • Makes it difficult to work in teams
  • Loss of interest in work tasks
  • Builds a habit of procrastination

A combination of these factors can lead to overall negative feelings towards work. This can make individuals in-build feelings of resentment as well as hostility towards their jobs. They may start seeing it as a burden, which can make them leave or quit, which further contributes to professional instability.

Dealing With Work Fatigue

Like any other mental health struggle, work fatigue can also be dealt with in various ways. It can either be through professional intervention or self-help strategies.

Therapy

Dealing With Work Fatigue

If you’re struggling with work fatigue, therapy may be a helpful option. A therapist can help you identify the causes of your fatigue and further develop a plan to improve your energy levels.

Fatigue therapy is a type of treatment that can help you identify the causes of your fatigue and develop a plan to improve your energy levels. Fatigue therapy can also help you learn how to manage stress and deal with difficult emotions.

Some common types of therapy used to deal with work fatigue are :

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  • Interpersonal therapy
  • Problem-solving therapy
  • Stress management

Your therapist will work with you to identify your weak points, your situation’s context, available resources, as well as personal willingness to work on your treatment plan.

Self Help Tips

If you’re suffering from work fatigue, there are a few things you can also do certain activities by yourself to improve your energy levels. These include:

Get enough sleep

Make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night. Most adults need between seven and eight hours of sleep per night. Sleeping also gives your brain and body to recharge and relax.

Exercise regularly

Exercising can help improve your energy levels and mood. A healthy lifestyle is important for combatting fatigue. It also releases hormones that contribute to a healthy regulation of hormones, as well as increasing physical stamina.

Eat a healthy diet

Eating a balanced diet will help you maintain energy levels throughout the day. Make sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Try to limit your intake of caffeinated beverages. This can give you the adequate energy to focus and function well.

Take breaks

If you’re feeling tired at work, take a break! Get up and walk around or take a few minutes to relax and de-stress. Breaks can help improve your energy levels and focus and further make you feel light and relaxed.

Conclusion

In conclusion, work fatigue is a real problem that can have serious consequences. If you’re struggling with work fatigue, there are a few things you can do to improve your energy levels. Therapy may also be a helpful option. Luckily, there are a lot of ways and strategies to deal with this issue. MantraCare Wellness offers mental health assistance for corporates and offices to ensure the safety and well-being of employees. Reach out to us today for queries and consultations.

A Word From MantraCare Wellness

Employee wellness programs are the key to improving employee motivation, productivity, and retention. At MantraCare Wellness, we have a team of health experts, counselors, and coaches who serve corporate employees with 10+ wellbeing programs including EAPEmployee Diabetes ReversalCorporate MSKPCOSEmployee FitnessCorporate YogaEmployee meditation, and Employee Smoking Cessation.