According to studies conducted by the National Safety Council, fatigue leads to 13% of all workplace accidents. Furthermore, 43% of Americans acknowledge they sometimes feel too exhausted to work properly.

We all know the significant impacts fatigue has on your business. Fatigue steals our productivity and motivation. It leads to poorer judgment and decision-making. It makes us accident-prone, compromises our immune system and exposes us to illness. It diminishes our creativity and ability to focus.

In short, fatigue is costing your business money.

In this guide, we will discuss the causes of workplace fatigue and provide some workplace fatigue management tips to make it easy for you to overcome it.

What Exactly is Fatigue Management?

The term "fatigue management" refers to the process of combating exhaustion using various strategies and procedures. The individual or organisation uses fatigue management to lessen the harmful consequences of fatigue.

To be sleepy, sluggish or lethargic during work is a symptom of worker fatigue. In addition to affecting the well-being of the workforce as a whole, fatigue poses a serious risk to workers' health and safety.

Signs of Workplace Fatigue

Inhibited cognitive function is a key result of workplace fatigue. This might present as trouble focusing or concentrating on a specific task, or absorbing information more slowly. Because of this, they may not be able to do complicated activities with the level of precision and accuracy required.

People experience fatigue in different ways and at different times. Being mentally exhausted may be as stressful as, or even more draining than, being physically exhausted. Long working hours, insufficient sleep, and insomnia may all lead to fatigue. 

There are other common signs and symptoms of a fatigued worker such as.

• Continuous yawning
• Feeling drowsy
• Having trouble keeping up with discussion
• Answers to queries or directives may show signs of uncertainty
• They're in a bad mood, or highly irritable
• Lack of motivation and increased lethargy
• Rise in a worker's error rate

6 Workplace Fatigue Management Tips

1. Regularly Take Breaks to Recover

Taking Regular breaks is an effective strategy for maintaining energy and focus on the job. However, in addition to this, it is essential to make sure that your breaks have a purpose and are fruitful.

If you can, try to take a little break every hour. You'll begin to feel fatigued if you delay too long. Get out of your workstation and stretch your legs. You'll be able to return to work with a renewed sense of purpose and energy after taking a mental break.

While you're on break, do something enjoyable. That way, you may come back to work refreshed and ready to give it your all.

2. Consume Nutritious Foods and Stay Hydrated

Consume healthy food that provides you with continuous energy during the day. Select meals that are high in both fiber and protein, as well as those that give some kind of sustained energy, such as fresh food, nuts, whole-grain bread, yogurt, etc.  

This will aid in maintaining steady blood sugar and avoiding energy lows. Additionally, you must keep your body properly hydrated, so be sure to drink plenty of water. This also aids in maintaining a body temperature.

3. Managing Anxiety

Reducing anxiety before it becomes overwhelming is essential for maintaining productivity at work. Feelings of exhaustion and helplessness are common reactions to stress because of the hormone cortisol, which is secreted by the body. 

You should do something every day that helps you unwind and calm down, such as yoga, reading, or going for a stroll outside. Schedule follow-up sessions with your therapist every few months to check in on your emotional well-being. Nevertheless, be sure to set aside time every day for yourself to relax and refresh. 

Dealing with fatigue is a challenging task. SafetyIQ provides an additional layer of safety for your company and your employees. SafetyIQ provides great employee safety solutions like journey management, risk assessment, lone worker safety, and more. 

For managers, we can help workers mitigate fatigue with appropriate scheduling and fatigue assessments. SafetyIQ helps you manage schedules and can provide a fatigue assessment that ensures they are fit for work. 

Easternwell came to implement SafetyIQ after a number of fatigue related incidents, and have had none since. Read the case study

If you are interested in finding out more about how SafetyIQ can help, request a free demo by clicking here.

4. Understanding Your Fatigue's Causes

Understanding what causes your fatigue is the first step toward reducing your anxiety. For a few days, try writing a notebook in which you record your thoughts and feelings on a wide range of topics, from the amount of sleep you obtained to the amount of stress in your life. You will be able to come up with a strategy to combat fatigue if you can pinpoint the causes.

5. Make a Routine For Your Sleeping Hours

Getting a good night's rest is step one; a person needs around 7 or 9 hours of sleep every night. Maintaining a consistent bedtime and wake time can aid in resetting your body's internal clock to a healthy pattern. 

Your bedroom should be a calm, cool, and peaceful place. Find a comfortable and quiet place to sleep. Do not use your bed as an office or as a desk. The hormone melatonin plays a critical role in regulating sleep cycles, but exposure to blue light from screens may disrupt its synthesis. Prior to going to sleep, try some deep breathing or relaxation exercises to calm the mind and body.

6. Reduced Noise

Office spaces that are very noisy may be annoying and exhausting. There are several things that businesses can do to lessen the amount of noise in the workplace, including soundproofing, separating off noisy portions of the building, providing workers with earplugs if they require them, and reducing the noise of all office machinery.

Conclusion: Workplace Fatigue Management

Fatigue is a feeling we all experience at some point in our lives. It negatively affects our bodies and mind. Therefore, it is crucial to learn about the factors that lead to fatigue so that we can take measures to prevent it.

Some of the solutions to workplace fatigue are as simple as taking a break every hour, consuming nutritious foods, and staying hydrated. However, if the problem is more complex, make sure to provide yourself with a clear strategy to help you combat your fatigue. 

Find out about our advanced Fatigue Management Solution