Energy Givers and Energy Takers: Avoiding the WFH Slump

Ever notice how some days you’re crushing your to-do list by 10 AM, while other days you’re staring blankly at your laptop screen, looking for motivation?

If you’re nodding along right now, welcome to the club – we’ve got coffee and comfy pants.

Working from home comes with amazing perks (hello, 30-second commute). But it also brings some challenges. Understanding energy givers and energy takers is crucial when your living room doubles as your office.

Unlike a typical workplace, when you WFH there’s no division between work stress and home sanctuary.

This makes managing your energy super important.

Let me tell you, with years of remote work now tucked under my belt, I’ve learned something: paying attention to what gives and takes my energy is key to a productive day.

Ready to banish that WFH slump? Me too.

Understanding Energy Givers and Energy Takers in Your WFH Life

Think of your energy like your phone battery.

Energy givers are those activities, people, and situations that charge you up. Energy takers drain your battery faster than scrolling TikTok on 2% power!

The tricky part about working from home is that the lines get blurry fast.

That comfy couch? Great for relaxing. But sit there during work hours – and OOPS! Suddenly you’re enjoying an accidental nap.

Your kitchen? A handy place when hungry – but also a distraction hole where you might find yourself… reorganizing the spice rack instead of finishing that report.

Just yesterday, I noticed that our orange kitty, Peaches, has figured out the exact moment I get into a “flow state” to demand treats. Classic energy taker move! Although her purring does make for excellent background noise once she’s satisfied. 🙂

What’s Draining Your Tank? Common WFH Energy Takers

Let’s talk about those sneaky energy thieves that hang out in our home office:

Digital overwhelm – That relentless ping-ping-ping of notifications is the energy equivalent of a slow air leak. Every interruption sucks a little more more mental energy. Texts, emails, Slack, MS Team… It’s hard to be “on” in twelve different places at once.

Lack of boundaries – When your office lives with you, work can creep into every available minute. Before you know it, you’re checking emails at 10 PM while brushing your teeth. (Been there, done that, don’t recommend it.)

The midday slump – That 2-3 PM energy crash hits different when your bed is just a few steps away. Without office mates to keep you accountable, it’s tempting to “rest your eyes” for a minute – and wake up an hour later.

Decision fatigue – Without the structure of an office, you’re suddenly making 87 more decisions daily. Most of us rely on co-worker feedback more than we realize: how to handle this customer; what to include in that report; when to schedule that shipment.

Working from home shifts that support. It’s all you, baby!

Isolation – Even introverts need some human connection – plus, the activity in a typical office setting keeps things interesting. Working from home can feel TOO quiet without those small office interactions! Time can drag and energy can crash.

If you’re looking to reduce digital overwhelm, I’ve found cube timers to be a game-changer. It helps me work in focused bursts and reminds me to take breaks – no willpower required!

Filling Your Cup: Powerful Energy Givers for Remote Workers

Now for the good stuff – the energy boosters that’ll keep you humming along productively:

Morning sunlight – I swear by starting my day with natural light. It regulates your circadian rhythm and gives you an instant mental boost. My desk faces east for exactly this reason. No sunny windows? A light therapy lamp can work wonders, especially during our long Midwest winters.

Movement breaks – Even just 5 minutes of stretching every hour can reset your energy. Get up from your desk, move around and wake up your mind and body. The book Stretching by Bob Anderson is “THE book” for every stretching situation, your entire life. Seriously. Check out pages 128-141 for stretches specific to office and technology workers.

(Shameless brag: This book is an imprint of my 9-5 publishing job. Yes, I am lucky!)

Dedicated workspace – Having a space that signals “work mode” to your brain relieves decision-making energy. When you’re in that space, your mind knows it’s time to focus.

Mine is simple – and tricky: Our house does have a small, dedicated office. BUT I share it with my writing/blogging life.

How do I keep them separate? My desktop and tools are different for each.

• When blogging, I clear any work related items from my desk and use my personal laptop. I retrieve blogging books, paperwork, etc from a separate shelve of my office and then return them when I’m finished. I store my personal laptop there, too. Everything tucked away in one place.
• For my workday, I clear all personal items from my desk and grab my work laptop. Again, I keep a dedicated shelf of folders, paperwork and other tools specific to my 9-5 job. Then at the end of my work day, I unplug my work phone, logout of work and put everything back on its shelf.

Connection rituals – It’s WAY too easy to get socially disconnected when working alone from home. Schedule regular video, in-person or phone chats with office mates or friends.

These social moments really fill up your emotional energy tank – plus help maintain those important relationships.

Brain Food — The kitchen can be friend or foe to your workday! For smooth energy levels, skip the sweets, chips and other simple carbs that’ll make you crash. Foods with protein, fiber and healthy fats will keep you going without that energy rollercoaster.

Enjoy some yogurt, cheese and nuts instead.

Nature doses – This is so basic, but I have to include it. Truly – just a quick step outside to feel the breeze or listen to birds can reset your mental energy. I’m lucky to have woods right outside my door, but even urban folks can benefit from a houseplant or two.

Aromatherapy — I’ve found that lighting a scented candle can be a great pick-me-up when feeling blah. It’s a fast, cheap mental perk. An essential oil diffuser works great, too. Plant Therapy has some really nice oils, and they’re affordable. Citrus is a good energizing choice, or you can choose one of their blends.

Enjoy learning about an ideal home office environment? You might like my article on “7 Essential Elements for a Productive Home Office Setup” where I talk more about creating spaces that energize rather than drain you.

Creating Your Personal Energy Management System

Do you want to know the secret to being productive? It’s NOT about being a slave to your schedule and just “pushing through” no matter what.

No — the secret to being productive is learning to work with your own, natural energy patterns.

The secret to being productive is learning to work with your own, natural energy patterns.

Start by tracking when you naturally feel most focused and energetic. For me, it’s first thing in the morning (after coffee, obviously) and then again around 4 PM.

I schedule my deep thinking work during these peaks and save simple things (like filing and report formatting) for my lower-energy periods.

Then build in recovery periods! My mid-afternoon slump drove me crazy till I used it as a natural rest period. Now I just take a quick walk outside or finish tasks that don’t need lots of mental energy.

And create transition “rituals” that separate work from home life. Without a commute, these boundaries need to be intentional. I close my laptop and step outside at the end of the work day – it’s my version of “coming home.”

Working With (Not Against) Your Natural Energy Rhythms

Think of your workday as a series of waves, rather than a marathon. No one maintains peak energy for 8+ straight hours!

When you notice your focus waning, don’t fight it – pivot. Switch to a different type of task that matches your current energy level.

Low energy doesn’t have to mean low productivity if you’re doing the right kind of work.

Keep a “low energy task list” for when your brain feels foggy but you still want to be productive.

And be flexible! Some days, despite your best plans, your energy just won’t cooperate. That’s not failure – it’s being human.

On those days, focus on the essential tasks and be kind to yourself about the rest.

Finding Your Energy Balance

Understanding your personal energy givers and energy takers is all about creating a sustainable work-from-home lifestyle that doesn’t leave you burned out by Wednesday.

Start small by identifying just one energy drain you can eliminate and one energy booster you can add this week. Notice the difference these small changes make! Then build from there.

Because the beauty of working from home is that you have more control over your environment and schedule than ever before.

Use that power to create workdays that work with your energy, not against it.

What are your biggest energy givers and takers? I’d love to hear what works for you in the comments below!