Even for those of us who absolutely love to work, sometimes your mind and body won’t quite agree with you, and if you just keep going, you will eventually reach a low point when you shut down mentally or even physically.

In addition to this, the longer you keep it up, the harder it will be for you to focus, because your brain can get tired too.

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John C. Maxwell

Focus your mind

Take breaks – proper ones! Go on holiday, veg on the couch or string up a hammock outside. Taking care of your brain is important. Burn-out happens when you just keep going; take a minute and just breathe, sending much- needed oxygen to your brain. The ability to calm yourself can come in very handy when you’re under pressure.

Focus your body

Your body and mind are connected. When you have a healthy body, your brain’s performance will be that much more optimal. That’s why it’s so crucial to keep a tab on what you put into your body, as well as how you take care of it physically.

Get active!

Your body wants to move – it was built to do so. But our lifestyles are simply not accommodating that fact, since by far the majority of us have jobs where we sit down in the same position all day. The only time we get to move is at home, but which time many of us are simply too tired to exercise. But this is incredibly necessary to keep functioning at your best. The standard recommended exercise is 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week; that’s about 30 minutes from Monday to Friday. But even 10 minutes is better than nothing. And gymming isn’t the only solution; you can go for a quick jog around the block or even just get out the jumping rope. Or you can incorporate it into your day – take a walk around lunchtime instead of sitting at your desk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, wash your car yourself instead of taking it to the carwash. Exercise is also good to fight depression and keep us happy, as it causes the release of endorphins – a happy hormone.

Eat right

Your diet has a massive impact on your energy levels and how clearly you are able to think. Plainly put: if you eat crap, you’ll feel crap. This doesn’t mean eat less, it just means eat right.

It’s long been debated about what is the leading cause of increasing disease and expanding waistlines, some blame sugar and some blame fat or meat. The fact is, your mind needs energy to work just as much as your body. That doesn’t mean eating an energy bar when you feel tired in the afternoon, it means sticking to the low GI spectrum of the menu. Low GI foods release energy slowly, over a period of time – this means you have sustained energy, and you won’t get the “after-lunch slump”. By contrast, high GI foods release a big dose of energy quickly, and your body loses that energy just as quickly, leaving you feeling hungrier and tired sooner. If you’re interested in making a real change, it’s worth doing some research on the topic to work out a meal plan that’ll get your body in optimum condition. It might take some trial and error to find what works for you, but believe me – it’ll change your life if you can get it right.