Keep Your Energy up All Day - 8 tips to help beat exhaustion for good

As we head into the darker mornings and colder weather, it can really dampen how we feel. A couple of years ago I would sleep well, down my morning coffee before cracking on with my day but I would still crash mid-afternoon…

If you are anything like me and have lots to do and not enough hours in the day I need to be feeling energized and ready to rock and roll. I made some simple changes to my lifestyle and now feel fueled for my days ahead! Try my top tips to battle exhaustion for good…

• Eat breakfast: I am sure you have heard it a million times before, but that’s because it is so important. Eating breakfast kick-starts your day, provides you with energy and stops you from crashing midway through. It also stops you from overeating at lunch, which can contribute to the mid-afternoon crash.

• Say no to empty calories: Swap out the starchy, empty calories in that muffin or doughnut for a protein-rich treat such as apples and peanut butter or Greek yogurt with fruit.

• Have small snacks throughout the day: Eating smaller, healthy snacks throughout the day stabilizes your energy levels, hunger and eliminates that sugar or caffeine crash you usually feel in the middle of the day. Nuts, fruit, and low-fat cheeses are good choices to keep you going.

• Stay hydrated: Don't just reach for caffeine when you're feeling tired as fatigue can be a sign of dehydration, so keep water by your desk to keep you going. I recommend keeping a 2 litre bottle on your desk and make sure it is finished before you go head home from work.

• Get away from the computer: If possible, instead of emailing your colleague, get up and talk to them. Staring at the computer screen all day can tire your eyes and add to your overall feeling of tiredness. Even if you have no reason to get up, just take a walk around the office and stretch or head out for some fresh air.

• Fit exercise into your morning: Instead of lying in bed half-awake hitting the snooze button, get up and go for a run or a power walk. The energy you'll get from a good workout will sustain you throughout the day far better than that extra cup of coffee!

• Mix it up: If those eyelids are getting heavy and nothing seems to be helping, switch tasks and mix it up! Sometimes what you think is fatigue is really just boredom.

• Get some rest: Of course, a good night's sleep doesn't hurt either. Do your best to get seven to eight hours a night. Even when you feel you still have work to do, it's better to get some sleep so you're more productive the next day. Falling behind on sleep one night can set you back the rest of the week.