How can you be innovative when you’re tired all the time?

Author
Louise Ladbrooke
Leadership Expert | innovate2succeed
23rd March 2018

When was the last time you felt full of energy, bursting with ideas and enthusiasm to dream up your next project and take it through to launch? 

The whole world is telling us to innovate and grow our businesses, which at face value is very encouraging and motivating. But maybe the reality feels like an impossible goal when you’re feeling exhausted the whole time. You can’t quite put your finger on what’s going on, a good night’s sleep used to be the answer but simply doesn’t do the trick these days. 

Then what is it with your brain? Completely wired, destined to never shut up and seemingly encumbered with dragging your body around with it all day. 

Conversely, all your body wants is some peace and quiet and to stop, rest and recharge. So, how do we disconnect from a tired and wired brain when a good night’s sleep isn’t the answer?

Do you love hard work?

Is there a shift inside you when work is going well, do you love the effort and toil, the activity, the buzz, the rush? Do you know what fuels this? How long can you sustain this productivity? Are long productive days followed by a day of feeling wiped out? 

Realise that although you love it, it’s still an output and by the laws of physics there has to be an input. Just as we love the activity, know there has to be an equal and opposite input of food, water, sleep, leisure and rest in order to maintain your productivity; none of us can run on empty.

Do: Make sure you get an adequate amount of sleep every night and always remember to eat regularly.  

Do you run your day or does your day run you?

Do you have a morning routine to set up your day or do you stumble out of bed and into your day allowing it to have its way with you? Give yourself the best chance by pacing yourself. 

Start how you mean to go on, plan an achievable workload and build in breaks. If you’re always running late, help yourself by adding 15-minute buffers when appointments are back to back.

Do: Schedule your day in advance and make sure you leave time for yourself. You’ll be more productive if you take time to reflect. 

What are you doing when you get your best ideas?

During my workshops, whenever I ask, ‘What are you doing when you get your best ideas?’ I’ve never, ever met anyone who answers ‘working at my desk’. 

We get so busy caught up in the day to day details of being in business and the never-ending, ‘to do list’ that we forget that we need to walk away from time to time. We all diarise work but when was the last time you diarised leisure time?

Do: Schedule in time to think about the business and your products. This can be as simple as taking a morning out of the office once a month and putting yourself in a more creative environment. 

How busy are you? 

Are you one of the busy ones? We’ve all met people who wear their busy-ness like shiny medals whilst bragging about how they never get to see their children or don’t get free weekends because they’re so busy. 

Why are we impressed by the busy people, does it imply that because they’re busy they must be a high achiever? There are countless studies which prove that just isn’t so.

Why is it important for you to be busy? Who are you trying to impress? When was the last time you were idle?

Do: Make sure you take your holiday time and refrain from doing work in the evening where possible. Striking a healthy work-life balance is crucial to being efficient. 

Who do you spend your time with?

Look around you and see who you spend most of your time with? What’s the dynamic of your relationship, are they positive people to be around or do you walk away from an interaction with them feeling completely drained? 

Become aware of how you feel being around people and seriously consider if those who drain you need to remain in your life. If you can’t end the relationship, implement some strategies for improving it.

Do: Look at who is positive and negative in your life. If you’re surrounded by negative people, that will spill over on to you and how you view every situation. 

Just how much energy do you spend trying to control the uncontrollable? 

Are you micro-managing, over giving, overthinking and getting overwhelmed by your need to control outcomes? 

It’s time to take a moment and identify what is within your control, do what you can, then accept that we just have to let go of the rest…and breathe…

Do: Trust your staff and allow them to driver their element of the business. Trying to control every element of the business will have negative consequences. 

How often do you switch off your devices?

We’re beginning to learn just how addictive they are, we may have thought that scrolling through the latest timeline is relaxing but we now know that it really isn’t. 

A digital detox doesn’t have to be drastic, put your phone down for just 15 minutes a day.

Do: Try and leave your phone in the office during lunch and head out for a walk. The fresh air will help to clear your head. 

How much caffeine and sugar does it take to keep you going through your day?

If my coaching clients need a continuous coffee supply to get them through the day we see the coffee as the symptom and the day as the problem. Have a think about what’s really filling your day and why you need those caffeine boosts to survive it.

Do: Take a step back and access your day from start to finish. Only fit in what is possible and look to manage your day. 

So the next time you’re fighting tiredness consider the above and give yourself a chance to build some energy and reconnect with the creative, innovative, energetic you. Good luck with your innovations!

More from Louise on how leadership and softer skills can improve your business:-

  • Strategic support to help your business grow

    Our innovation specialists will help you identify barriers to innovation and growth, and help you enhance your innovation capabilities to achieve business growth.

Do you want to join the conversation?

Sign up here
  • Innovate UK Logo

  • innovate 2 suuceed in black writing with the number 2 in orange

  • Markets don't stand still and neither should your business

    Throughout the Spring, innovate2succeed will be hosting a number of fully-funded workshops to help you explore new ways to innovate and grow your business. These events cover everything from GDPR, IP, digital marketing, innovation management, leadership and more.