Military Careers, Second Careers - Marine Corps Times

Fuel your bus for maximum performance

Workbytes wishes Jon Gordon would hurry up and get here.

See, Gordon drives the “Energy Bus.”

OK, he doesn’t technically drive a real bus. But he knows a thing or two about how to boost workplace energy, which is in drastic short supply these days. And not just here at Workbytes.

A new survey passed along by our friends at Coyne Public Relations in New York City says fatigue costs U.S. companies $77 billion a year in lost productivity. The amount is likely higher, but the folks at Coyne got tired of counting zeroes and went out for margaritas.

The survey shows that 84 percent of U.S. workers report an “afternoon slump” on the job, almost on a daily basis. It creeps up on them usually between 3 and 5:30 p.m., meaning that most government workers experience the sensation in the comfort of their own homes.

It typically starts with a yawn or a hunger pang. Then comes a wave of mental fatigue, a shortened temper, an inability to concentrate and, in severe cases, permanent malaise (a French word meaning “drool”).

Blame it on our high-stress, ultra-competitive jobs. Blame it on the pressure that corporate America puts on the bottom line. Or blame it on TV Land, specifically the “Facts of Life” all-night marathon.

Whatever the reason, American workers are an increasingly tired and cranky lot, according to the survey. The percentage of daily slumpers was highest in Chicago, at 93 percent. (Most of them bat right-handed.)

Other notable results:

• Nearly 45 percent of respondents said they feel more tired, more often, than ever before.

• About 30 percent said they yawn 10 or more times per day.

• A full 54 percent said they would take a nap at work if given permission by a supervisor.

• An overwhelming majority said black dots followed by percentages bore the you-know-what out of them.

There was a time when Workbytes, too, struggled with the daily slump. By about 4 p.m. each day, we needed not only a “pick me up” but a “carry me over to the copy machine while you’re at it.”

But we found a way to beat it. When lethargy strikes, we turn to vitamin C (scientific name, caffeine). A doctor once advised us to reduce our coffee intake to one cup per day, and we were concerned that it would render us unable to cope with the afternoon slump. Turns out it was surprisingly easy. (The only difficult part was finding a coffee cup the size of a VW Jetta.)

Gordon maintains there’s a better approach.

Workbytes met him two years ago. He’s one of those good-looking, positive-thinking guys who makes his money traveling around the country to fire up corporate honchos, sales staffs, and people like our co-worker Melissa, who one day last week fell asleep on the way to work. (Fortunately, her husband was at the wheel.)

Wachovia Bank, State Farm Insurance and United Way are some of Gordon’s clients. His message targets folks whose “gas tank is empty.” He provides them with tips and pointers that make up a “powerful road map to overcome common life and work obstacles and bring out the best in yourself and your team.”

Workbytes thought it’d be funny to call him before 8 a.m.

He was not only awake, but he was between meetings. And he sounded like the kind of guy who has the first five boxes on his “to do” list checked off before your feet hit the floor in the morning.

Needless to say, Workbytes was convinced that it might be a good idea to listen to Gordon’s pitch.

“It’s not a rah-rah thing,” he said. “It’s a way to improve your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual energy and create a workplace culture where fatigue doesn’t breed.”

He filled us in on details of his free seminar, which promises to transform even the most lethargic pencil-pusher into a high-energy “bus driver” ready to run over negativity, stress and fatigue — the axis of evil that causes more damage at the office than “Bring Your Incontinent Pet to Work Day.”

Energy intake

Jon Gordon says an energy crisis can also be triggered by a fuel shortage. “It’s a popular notion that we will get more done if we skip lunch,” he told Workbytes. “People will often try to compensate for their lack of energy by drinking coffee or caffeinated drinks. We’re making our motors work too hard.”

Gordon’s recommendations for the midday fuel-up:

• Plan lunch the night before. Experts estimate that each of us makes up to 30 food choices each day. If we make those choices when we’re famished, we are more likely to choose a drive-through.

• There’s nothing worse than eating a huge lunch and then feeling horrible the rest of the day. The key is a big enough lunch to satisfy hunger but not require a nap.

• Eat whole foods. No matter what diet you’re on, the best source of fuel is food from nature. Note: Fritos are not farm-grown.

• Include protein as part of every lunch. Turkey, chicken, fish and lean meat take longer to digest, which sustains blood sugar levels and keeps hunger at bay later in the day.

(Karen Mracek and Larry Ballard of The Des Moines Register take turns writing the Workbytes column each week. Write the columnists at The Des Moines Register, P.O. Box 957, Des Moines, IA 50304-0957.)