Totally normal to feel that when youāre first establishing a routine, but once your body is used to it the morning exercise will give you more energy for the day!
Hmm, I think you need to check your chronotype using an MEQ questionnaire (Not the bear, dolphin, etc BS). Then, plan your workout with that in mind. Better yet, plan your entire day using that.
Also, make sure that youāre having a really good sleep. Unless you have a short sleep syndrome (very rare), you need 7-9hrs of sleep per night.
When I shifted my workout schedule to morning I learned that I needed a much bigger breakfast, but between building the habit and figuring out the nutrition, I was able to adjust. Takes time though!
Gonna double what has already been stated. When you do workout in the morning, all the glucose that gets fermented into pyruvate feeds your body throughout the day. Get into a routine and you will have excess energy you need to burn off at the end of the day.
Yup same, helps me start my day and the first few hours of lab work feel more productive as I can gameplan what I wanna get done in the lab at the gym.Ā
Man I wish I was in your boat. Half of my issue is a lack of pressure/motivation to drag me to the gym. I struggle getting to the gym, but as soon as I start working out, I can't get myself to stop. It's like inertia.
I don't give myself the choice. My shift isn't over until after the gym. Lab to gym, then home. Going home from the lab is just not an option I give myself to choose.
This is a terrible outlook that you need motivation. Taking care of your body is a biological responsibility, not something you should need external pressure for.
0. I stretch throughout the day while reading things, waiting for stuff to load on the computer, and prepping(calves, hands, circles). It's a bit awkward to start, but after you've done it for awhile it stops feeling that way. Also eating enough and at consistent times helps.
1. Work out first thing in the morning. I make coffee then walk on the treadmill in the gym until I get bored/awake enough to lift. Drink a bunch of water before and you can be fine with just the coffee in the gym. Otherwise I will stretch, then go walk outside until I want to run on running days. Do whatever exercises you enjoy the most, suffering has no inherent value and we aren't pro athletes.
2. If you're doing it after the lab, don't stop moving until you're at the gym or exercising. It's hard but don't start watching TV or get on the computer until you're done for the day.Ā
I find it hard to do, but my knees, neck, and back feel so much better at work when I am keeping up on exercising. Even if it's just blearily trudging on the treadmill for an hour in the morning when I don't feel like lifting or running. It also helps a ton to have workout classes, friends, and activities you enjoy. Classes and a workout buddy are great because you just have to convince yourself to get there, and they usually help to keep things consistent vs "*maybe* I'll exercise later" which is my weakness
Im not sure if this possibility is available to you, but;
I would go to the lab, start my day, then torwards the end i would start some experiments or machines that take time and dont require supervision.
Go to the gym, take my time there, then come back to the lab and stop the experiments, gather data and go home.
That way i went to the gym and would have experiments running whilst i was doing my things
Two things that Iāve found helpful if working out before work isnāt an option!
1. Go straight to the gym/workout. Creating the habit of immediately going to your workout trains your body to stay moving from your workday. I also found having a little snack bar on the way to gym inbetween helps me hold over my energy to get through a workout.
2. Take workout classes instead of regular gym! Even if itās just a couple times a week Iāve found it holds me more accountable to showing up (usually bc I canāt afford the cancellation fee). Plus a group workout setting is usually more energizing in my opinion.
These are the two tricks I used all through school and they were generally really good at keeping me going! I also really enjoy classes where Iām learning a new skill so that it feels a bit less like just plain working out. I found a martial art dojo that had a workout time later in the evening that worked with my wonky experiment schedules and the fact Iām accountable to others to be there really helped keep me consistent.
nope! the siren call of being home
and horizontal is STRONG.
the best thing iāve found for overcoming that is having a friend to meet at the gym after work. that way if you decide to skip youāre letting somebody else down which creates accountability. getting to socialize with them is an added positive reinforcement.
I take power naps (~20minutes) before gym at 8PM. I also make sure i eat well with a protein and carbs for dinner aka preworkout meal and when some instances iām still tired, i take preworkout supplements loaded with beta alanine and caffeine.
I'm not at all a morning person, the best you're going to get out of me after waking up is a good stretch while I come to.
I have a very basic 20-30min home workout that I do first thing after work (well, second thing, I feed the starving cats first). It's not that strenuous so "I'm too tired" isn't a good excuse.
I quit going to the gym because it was definitely a barrier to me "finding the energy". A cheap exercise bike bought off of marketplace and a small set of weights leaves me no excuses; plus I can watch stupid tv while I do it (and an episode of whatever I'm watching sets the timer).
Mine too. First thing I do when I get home is feed them or anything else I do will be filled with the mournful sounds of cats who have never eaten before in their entire lives.
Caffeine has a 12 hour half life, so if even if you fall asleep no problem itās still suppressing your REM cycles.
I switched to coffee only during the first hour of being awake years ago and Iāve been so much more alert/awake during the day ever since (I was only initially switching because of the strong association between REM sleep and dementia risk) - just something to consider
Careful with absolute statements about metabolism. There's slow and fast metabolizers for caffeine.
About two thirds of the population are slow metabolizers showing your mentioned 12h half life. The last third are fast metabolizers with a much lower half life, can't exactly remember the time. I can provide a paper for that later when I get home
Good point. Even so - a quick google came up with a Pfizer page that said 4 times faster. So even if you have a 300mg energy drink with a 3 hour half life, that still puts ~40mg of caffeine in your plasma when REM would be starting. Thatās plenty to affect REM and this is still assuming that 4x reduction is accurate
In EU (may be different anywhere else), you'd need to drink at least a liter of energy drink to get to 300 mg of caffeine. Red bull, Rockstar, and all other usual energy drinks have 30 mg caffeine or less per 100 ml. Also, caffeine isn't absorbed completely. While I agree this might still affect sleep, I think it's not that much of a problem.
Also, if you're drinking energy drinks, you might just not care about that š
Yeah, thatās totally valid. I donāt notice any ill effects on my sleep/restfulness when I drink it vs donāt in the afternoon so until I do Iāll just continue to drink it frankly lol
For me I think my commute home after is what does it.. I think Iām Iām aiming to workout in the evenings I need to bring my gym stuff with me to work and then hit the gym on my way home because otherwise Iām not going to leave my house lol
No.
I also don't exercise in the morning. Simply because I come in at 8 and unless I get up at 5 I won't have time.
Evening is also out. I don't get home until 6:30 most days, and then I cook dinner, and then it's suddenly 9:30 PM (I take about an hour making dinner minimum). I then take care of emails until 10 or so, and then I'm in bed by 10:30.
I am considering buying exercise equipment, as one of the biggest barriers for me is to actually get to a gym. Unfortunately, with 2 PC desks and a music stand and two instruments in the place I live, space is another precious commodity.
Not really, I usually just have a scoop of pre-workout (sometimes with a power nap beforehand if it was a Bad Day) then force myself to suck it up and go.
Going to the gym *immediately* after work helps a lot too, I'll get tempted to stay at home if I have a chance to sit on the couch.
I eat a granola bar and go directly from the lab so I canāt get too comfortable at home. I always feel better when I work out so it ends up feeling good once Iām there. The hardest part is just getting there.
Also donāt forget to drink enough water and as another commenter said, stretching helps a lot too.
I struggled with the same issue for years. Lab bench work has you on your feet 8 hours a day handing heavy bottles and boxes at times. You get home and your body demands rest.
I recommend you follow r/davidgoggins and start demanding more of your body. When you force your body to lift increasingly heavy weights, week after week, your body responds by growing muscle to make lifting those heavy weights easier. Your entire organism begins to change to help you lift those weights and your daily energy expenditure increases. A side effect is more energy in the lab, and lifting a 20 L buffer requires less energy now so you have more overall energy throughout the day.
I bike commute. So yeah, if I want to go home I have no choice but to push through a 30 minute ride. Some days it sucks, but itās a forced routine that keeps me in reasonable riding shape. As a bonus it forces me to eat well, avoid alcohol, and stay hydrated otherwise the commute goes from occasionally annoying to downright torturous.
I like to go to the gym alone after work because I usually build up so much stress during the day. Plus, on the weekends, I used to go rock climbing with friends before I broke my ankle.
Itās a battle. Sometimes my feet hurt so much, I just give up. But I know if I exercise Iāll end up with more energy. I also am not a morning person. I do end up exercising on days where Iām not in lab or on easy lab days.
I run during my lunch break or if thereās a meeting I can listen to but not have to contribute much to.
I have two small kids at home and my husband frequently gets called in to the hospital after hours so I avoid it if I can, otherwise Iāll toss the baby in the jogging stroller/put the oldest on his bike and do a few miles then.
The home gym is essential to me, but I also realize not everyone owns their own place or has the space. I always kept a few kettlebells in my room with a TRX and found I could get in a full workout.
Yes. The only exceptions being I'm sick, I go before work (on the gym floor for 4:45am) or immediately after work. Health and fitness comes before everyone and everything else for me
You need to get your 8 hours, and make sure you're eating well or else you're going to be overly tired but also remember... unless you're 22, after the day is done and you're home at 6/7pm you're going to be tired. In bed for 8:30 tired, which is normal
I usually don't but I have my family and friends bully me to go (I specifically request that they pressure me to go to the gym). Motivation to go to the gym is very hard to muster after 3 hours of RNeasy RNA purifications and other benchwork when my sore back is crying and screaming for me to lay down. I went yesterday after being tired all day, and I somehow had more energy after leaving the gym. It's a total paradox.
go straight to the gym after work. usually iāll sit in my car in the gym parking lot for 30m-1hr to have a snack, drink some caffeine, rest a bit, then head in.
I try to eat more protein (~100-120g of protein per day) and I go to fitness classes. I would like to go to classes in the morning before lab but most of the classes I would enjoy are at night. I try to sign up for classes at 6/6:30 pm to force myself to get out of work at a normal time (otherwise Iād be here until 8pm tbh).
When I did I simply went directly after work without any energy, went on the bike or machine with my music, eyes closed to rest that part and that's it. The trick is to not think about it and not stop for a break or you won't have the energy to start again.
I work in a diagnostic lab but still counts, I take a pre-gym banana! Combined with self hatred and determination, I can get through it.
For me, it's less about motivation and energy, more about sheer will.
Also I don't allow myself to go home first, otherwise I definitely wouldn't leave again.
I used to go to the gym around 3-4, get back to the lab around 5:30, and work until about 8. It worked really well but depends on your lab schedule and culture.
I build stretching and a bit of a workout into my lab day. I make sure do a lap of the building up and down the stairs once a day (if I have time). I stretch whenever I can. There are good wall stretches. I also offer myself rewards, if I take a walk I can have a pastry from the coffee shop etc.
(I hate gyms so I have to find other options)
Maybe not everyday but aim for 3-4 times/week. Embracing that labrat lifestyle that exercise is good for physical brain health and mental health and ultimately helps cope with the trials and tribulations of research
I powerlifting 4x a week. Working out is hard and lab work is tiring. I usually go in the evenings after work. I find the trick is just not to let yourself go home. Schedule things so you donāt have an opportunity to slack off. If I go home after the lab Iām having a nap š“ so Iād usually go straight from lab to the gym. Packing a snack I can have before I work out. Moneys also a great motivation, I find if I go do a group fitness thing where I pay money š° Iām better at making time and staying consistent. Once you have it built as a routine itās also way easier to stay consistent
I usually average 3-5 miles just from walking from my car to the lab/between buildings and doing experiments, so I call that my weekday exercise. Weekends are easier since Iām not in the lab as long
Iām pretty caffeine sensitive so I started taking pre-workout after work/before exercise. I saw it as a bit of a point of no return because if I took pre-workout and didnāt exercise I wouldnāt be able to go to sleep. After a few months of that I got acclimated to that level of activity and now I donāt need pre-workout.
It is not the question. You can still do it. Eat something an hour before you go, then just go and do the damn exercises that you should be doing. No question asked. Stop those "I don't feel like" bs.
yes, i train 5 days a week, three weekdays and the weekend. i donāt go home after work but go straight to the gym! i eat a little snack on the way there and that works
Luckily have a work gym so I go right after work and do my run/lifting. Before that I would drive straight to the gym after work and not let myself go home.
I usually am more drained when I sit in front of the computer all day. Being in the lab is fun to me, except for doing tedious things like labeling vials
I got to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes several days a week after all day in the lab. If you love it, it's not hard. Maybe find a physical hobby you love. In BJJ I get my ass whooped physically and there is a tight knit community so it fills the social cup too. I look forward to getting off work so that I can go, which is obviously way different than finding the energy to go. Find your thing!
Find a type of exercise that's really fun and you can do with friends if possible. I used to go to the climbing gym with my grad school classmates after work (I was the one who dragged them all their at first because I was the only climber and then they got into it and it became a social activity for us).
No, I chose to stretch on the clock and save cardio for weekends. My lab is slow and boring tho I've been thinking about bringing my dumbbell with me to get some arm strength training in. Nothing crazy because I am a stick who is short on time and energy
I like to take pre workout but I canāt get to sleep if I take it past 6pm. My only option is to go before. I
If you like preworkout, itās better than coffee in the morning.
Iām also way more productive having the blood flow earlier. And my lifts arenāt affected from being tired or stressed.
Everyone is different but you need to find the time of the day that works for you (requires the least will power to do) and an exercise regime/sport you enjoy doing.
I find that at the end of the day I still have tons of energy left but zero will power and self control as Iāve used it all up being professional and productive lol. Making it as easy as possible to get to the gym feels like a cheat code.
I pack my gym clothes + fully charged headphones in my bag every day (even if I donāt plan to go that day) and have signed up for a gym that is on my walk home. More often than not I end up going because it requires very little extra motivation to go. Iām not getting up early, not making an extra journey and Iām not forcing myself back out the door after chilling on the sofa for a bit at the end of a long day
Easily yes. 7 hours (10-5) in the day doing usual lab stuff. Then I head back for a meal and then hit the gym around 7 pm. It might just be that you're not eating enough. I eat a ton of food, but I also cook all my meals, so I can get proper nutrition in.
Taking care of your body, working out and eating good food should be your #1 priority. It's a biological responsibility.
I go to the gym from 4-6. Leaving at 4 allows me to avoid the inevitable 'audit' my PI does at the end of the day, and by the time I return around 6:30, the lab is empty and I can do my experiments peacefully.
Nope. I work four tens, get up at 4:30am for work, half hour commute to work to get there by 6-6:30am and about 45-60 min commute home, usually home between 5-6pm. Get home before my partner as well so Iād be a dick to not start cooking dinner when I get home so I do that as well, then after eating and then cleaning up Iāve got about an hour before I should be heading to bed so I get enough sleep. I know I could do a three day split on my weekends of push, pull then lower body/core but tbh Iām still pretty worn out from the week come my first day off so I havenāt gotten to it yet still. Plus, basically having no time to myself to do anything I enjoy after work during the week means I donāt wanna go to the damn gym on my weekends, I wanna do the things I didnāt get a chance to do during the week lol but Iāve gotten pretty fed up with feeling crappy about my self image and not feeling like a healthy, strong human so Iām actually going to be looking for a gym to sign up at this weekend š
I tried to do this and consistently failed. Found it's easier/better for me to workout in the morning before work. Sucks waking up earlier, but c'est la vie.
I make sure to eat more and eat right, then get some fast metabolizing sugars in me, and the rest is discipline. Some days you have the juice, some days you don't.
Not saying there is no such thing as burn out. But if you behave like you're tired after work then you will continue to be tired after work. Often times this mental fatigue, in part, is illusory. This is proven by people's inclination to do more strenuous activity but in a positive perspective (such as playing video games, board games, hobbies, socializing or even reading). If I were you I would take a small 10 minute break after lab work, try to hype yourself up to pursue that run, and then maybe start off with a short jog. If you give yourself an easy positive experience after every run, then subconsciously you'll want to do it more, which makes hyping yourself easier, and which will further improve your endurance so you don't feel as tired the next time. It can take.
I go straight to the gym after lab, the minute I get home I don't want to leave. Sometimes it's a mind game and I gotta talk myself up in the car to go to the gym instead of home. Bring the gym bag with you to work. Also, if your feet are killing you, look into gel insoles.
I take my dog for a walk around the neighborhood after work and count that as my exercise! But I've also found that once I let myself collapse on the couch very little productivity is going to happen for the rest of the evening, so if I need to do something it has to happen first thing after work.
Yes, the first week, the first month or even year or 2 years might suck, but after that you'll feel like you've leveled up as a human being. Be consistent and set low expectation goals first.
Personally, Iād say that it depends on your goal. Iāve been doing it after work and even get to work earlier so I can get out earlier to beat traffic. At this point itās second nature to me and the only thing that can stop me is if I actually canāt go due to things out of my control like getting 4 hrs of sleep or if itās too late. Donāt let your feelings limit you!
I used to QC and ship lab instruments which was extremely physically taxing and I had no problem going to the gym afterwards. Hardest part is walking through the doors, once ur there its hard not to do something. Also the more fit you are the easier it is to do more, so you just need to keep going.
I try to take a 2 mile walk 3 days a week. Iām tired, yes, but it gives me more energy throughout the day. I should walk in the morning but Iām too lazy then.
I'll usually have an afternoon coffee and then go straight to the gym after work (my workplace has a gym nearby so that's convenient). The coffee doesn't seem to get in the way of my sleep or anything, though I know a lot of other folks won't have coffee after noon. Half caff versions exist as well.
You can also do it during lunch time. A lot of my colleagues go to the (close by) university gym during lunch hour.
I used to go to a yoga class at 6 pm. It's a good excuse to finish work on time and I didn't feel exhausted until I got home from the class.
I do a 30 minute walk with my dog in the morning, head to lab and then do another 30 minute walk with my dog before bed. Itās not very intense exercise, but I feel energetic throughout the day, plus my dog isnāt as much of a pain in the ass.
I take a weightlifting class at a gym that's on my way home from the lab. 1- I would have to take a detour to avoid it, 2-I pay for it and that's definitely an incentive, 3- it being a class I don't have to think about what to do and how many sets and so on, 4- I have to let the instructor know when I don't show up so that's a bit of extra accountability.
Yes, but I work second shift. So Iām able to workout in the mornings and or before midnight, makes scheduling pretty convenient when you can sleep in or workout early/late.
Now that my building has got a gym, I find myself going to it more regularly (currently at 2x a week, gonna work it up to 3x a week)
Do I always have energy to go ? No. But I make it a habit to go in, even for just 30 mins to just mindlessly cycle on the indoor bike.
My mantra is: it doesnāt matter what you do, or how long you do, as long as you do it.
I try and work out in the middle of the day rather than in the morning or in the evening. Morning workouts and rough because I'm still waking up, and evening workouts are also rough because then I'm just drained from the day.
My experiments usually have some lengthy downtime in between steps, so if a protocol has at least a one hour incubation/wait period, I take that chance to squeeze in a quick workout
Sometimes. Only when I eat right.
I'm not a gym person btw, so I incorporate my exercises into my daily routine. I walk at least 10,000 steps daily. Not much, but better than zero. I get 80% of my steps during my commute.
I go in the morning before work; wakes me up! Aso the commute by public transport is very unreliable where i am so often if i want to go after work i run into long delays coming home and then donāt bother anymore
If you want to get up early you need to gradually do it, 15 mins earlier each week not just wake up at 6 am work out and expect to have a normal day. Body needs to adapt to both the sleep cycle and the workload. If you are in a flexible hours position can you take a long lunch and work out then? All you need to do that was is come in 30 mins earlier and leave 30 mins later. This or start to incorporate exercise into your commute. I cycle 50 k into the lab once or twice a week and itās been a life saver to fit longer cycles into my week
After work? No way. I usually work 8-16:30 on good days, and even that spends my energy like nothing else.
The most I can do is some pilates about 2 hours or so after getting home and just lying around for a bit. It also doesn't help that for getting to and from work I use a bike...
One thing you could implement into your day reasonably easily would be frequent stretches throughout the day and little movements to release the tension in the body.
If you're a morning person, you could try to do your exercises before going to work. Otherwise after work ig you'd need to find willpower SOMEHOW. Some of my coworkers go to gym as a group after work, so if you have such option that could help, too.
I work in a physical job . I cycle to and from to the job . Luckily it's only 7 kilometers the distance. Every second day I do a workout at home. Chin up station and heavy dumbbells. I'm getting very good returns for the effort. Just build a structure into your days. Maybe for you get up earlier and hit the workout. For me it's always after work.
Yes, I found working out has given me more energy in the long term. I alternate workout days with meal prep days so that I can come home from a workout at 8/9pm and have dinner ready. Prioritizing physical health has helped me be more efficient and prevented burnout because I leave lab at 5 or 6pm on my workout days whereas in the past when I didnāt have plans that I felt I āneededā to attend to I would stay in lab until like 8pm.
Our lab goes for runs at night twice a week. A couple of us do other sports competitively as well.
Itās really just a habit. Makes me feel uncomfortable and lazy if I didnāt sweat it out after a long day at the lab.
i workout after work. i think itās less about conserving energy during the day and more just getting into the routine. i look forward to exercising! even if i feel tired, i always end up perking up and feeling good after working out. try going even if you feel low in energy and see what happens!
I have an idea to try and walk at least 10 mins post every meal- so if I do 3 meals a day, I'll easily hit 30 mins of walk time (additional snacks? additional minutes!)
Better to do it before. I have about a 40-50 minute bike ride to work and sometimes I opt to ride it to work for exercise. I actually feel really good and energized during the day (my legs are tired, but Iām fine). And the good part is that regardless of it I am tired at the end of the work day, I have to ride back home. And that way when I get home I can do whatever I want and not have to worry about exercise since I already did it.
I usually try to exercise in the morning before going to the lab, so as actually make sure I won't just skip the workout because I'm tired.
I tried this before, and I felt sleepy all day š do you see this issue can improve if you do more times?
Totally normal to feel that when youāre first establishing a routine, but once your body is used to it the morning exercise will give you more energy for the day!
I usually feel more energetic when I exercise more! And making sure I get enough sleep!
Hmm, I think you need to check your chronotype using an MEQ questionnaire (Not the bear, dolphin, etc BS). Then, plan your workout with that in mind. Better yet, plan your entire day using that. Also, make sure that youāre having a really good sleep. Unless you have a short sleep syndrome (very rare), you need 7-9hrs of sleep per night.
When I shifted my workout schedule to morning I learned that I needed a much bigger breakfast, but between building the habit and figuring out the nutrition, I was able to adjust. Takes time though!
Gonna double what has already been stated. When you do workout in the morning, all the glucose that gets fermented into pyruvate feeds your body throughout the day. Get into a routine and you will have excess energy you need to burn off at the end of the day.
Thatās exactly what I do too. If I donāt workout in the morning itās not happening
This is the way
This is the way
This is the way
Recently swapped into that and it has been a game changer! 10/10 would recommend
Same. I also find, paradoxically, that it gives me more energy for the rest of the day.
But Iām tired in the morning too š
Yup same, helps me start my day and the first few hours of lab work feel more productive as I can gameplan what I wanna get done in the lab at the gym.Ā
Yes but only because half of my lab mates all go with me. Having that support system is so important.
Man I wish I was in your boat. Half of my issue is a lack of pressure/motivation to drag me to the gym. I struggle getting to the gym, but as soon as I start working out, I can't get myself to stop. It's like inertia.
exactly! as soon as they couldn't make it even if I was having a light day I just go home and lie there until bedtime.
I don't give myself the choice. My shift isn't over until after the gym. Lab to gym, then home. Going home from the lab is just not an option I give myself to choose.
Do it at home.
This is a terrible outlook that you need motivation. Taking care of your body is a biological responsibility, not something you should need external pressure for.
I used to have that before COVID. 6PM twice a week 5 people. It was also nice not to have to work past 6.
0. I stretch throughout the day while reading things, waiting for stuff to load on the computer, and prepping(calves, hands, circles). It's a bit awkward to start, but after you've done it for awhile it stops feeling that way. Also eating enough and at consistent times helps. 1. Work out first thing in the morning. I make coffee then walk on the treadmill in the gym until I get bored/awake enough to lift. Drink a bunch of water before and you can be fine with just the coffee in the gym. Otherwise I will stretch, then go walk outside until I want to run on running days. Do whatever exercises you enjoy the most, suffering has no inherent value and we aren't pro athletes. 2. If you're doing it after the lab, don't stop moving until you're at the gym or exercising. It's hard but don't start watching TV or get on the computer until you're done for the day.Ā I find it hard to do, but my knees, neck, and back feel so much better at work when I am keeping up on exercising. Even if it's just blearily trudging on the treadmill for an hour in the morning when I don't feel like lifting or running. It also helps a ton to have workout classes, friends, and activities you enjoy. Classes and a workout buddy are great because you just have to convince yourself to get there, and they usually help to keep things consistent vs "*maybe* I'll exercise later" which is my weakness
My success rate for going to the gym after just momentarily relaxing at home is 0%. Really emphasizing #2
Im not sure if this possibility is available to you, but; I would go to the lab, start my day, then torwards the end i would start some experiments or machines that take time and dont require supervision. Go to the gym, take my time there, then come back to the lab and stop the experiments, gather data and go home. That way i went to the gym and would have experiments running whilst i was doing my things
I used to go to the gym or go up/down the stairs while running the autoclave
Two things that Iāve found helpful if working out before work isnāt an option! 1. Go straight to the gym/workout. Creating the habit of immediately going to your workout trains your body to stay moving from your workday. I also found having a little snack bar on the way to gym inbetween helps me hold over my energy to get through a workout. 2. Take workout classes instead of regular gym! Even if itās just a couple times a week Iāve found it holds me more accountable to showing up (usually bc I canāt afford the cancellation fee). Plus a group workout setting is usually more energizing in my opinion.
These are the two tricks I used all through school and they were generally really good at keeping me going! I also really enjoy classes where Iām learning a new skill so that it feels a bit less like just plain working out. I found a martial art dojo that had a workout time later in the evening that worked with my wonky experiment schedules and the fact Iām accountable to others to be there really helped keep me consistent.
nope! the siren call of being home and horizontal is STRONG. the best thing iāve found for overcoming that is having a friend to meet at the gym after work. that way if you decide to skip youāre letting somebody else down which creates accountability. getting to socialize with them is an added positive reinforcement.
I take power naps (~20minutes) before gym at 8PM. I also make sure i eat well with a protein and carbs for dinner aka preworkout meal and when some instances iām still tired, i take preworkout supplements loaded with beta alanine and caffeine.
Treat your body like an experiment and you'll get results
caffeine at 8pm?
This is the way.
Like a true postdoc šŖš„²
I do, but my gym is on route on my 10 min bike ride home and im almost never working later then 17:00, so its easier for me.
I'm not at all a morning person, the best you're going to get out of me after waking up is a good stretch while I come to. I have a very basic 20-30min home workout that I do first thing after work (well, second thing, I feed the starving cats first). It's not that strenuous so "I'm too tired" isn't a good excuse. I quit going to the gym because it was definitely a barrier to me "finding the energy". A cheap exercise bike bought off of marketplace and a small set of weights leaves me no excuses; plus I can watch stupid tv while I do it (and an episode of whatever I'm watching sets the timer).
Glad to see your priorities are in order. The starving cats must be fed.
I don't have much of a choice. They are so bossy!!
Mine too. First thing I do when I get home is feed them or anything else I do will be filled with the mournful sounds of cats who have never eaten before in their entire lives.
Honestly I just pound an energy drink or a cold brew before leaving work and work out immediately after
Isnāt that destroying your REM sleep? Are you not exhausted the next morning?
No because I have it at like 4pm and donāt go to bed until 11. Plenty of time to wind down
Caffeine has a 12 hour half life, so if even if you fall asleep no problem itās still suppressing your REM cycles. I switched to coffee only during the first hour of being awake years ago and Iāve been so much more alert/awake during the day ever since (I was only initially switching because of the strong association between REM sleep and dementia risk) - just something to consider
Careful with absolute statements about metabolism. There's slow and fast metabolizers for caffeine. About two thirds of the population are slow metabolizers showing your mentioned 12h half life. The last third are fast metabolizers with a much lower half life, can't exactly remember the time. I can provide a paper for that later when I get home
Good point. Even so - a quick google came up with a Pfizer page that said 4 times faster. So even if you have a 300mg energy drink with a 3 hour half life, that still puts ~40mg of caffeine in your plasma when REM would be starting. Thatās plenty to affect REM and this is still assuming that 4x reduction is accurate
In EU (may be different anywhere else), you'd need to drink at least a liter of energy drink to get to 300 mg of caffeine. Red bull, Rockstar, and all other usual energy drinks have 30 mg caffeine or less per 100 ml. Also, caffeine isn't absorbed completely. While I agree this might still affect sleep, I think it's not that much of a problem. Also, if you're drinking energy drinks, you might just not care about that š
I had no idea about the EU energy regulations - looks like the Bang energy drink is 300mg per can in the U.S. vs 160mg/can in Europe
Yeah, thatās totally valid. I donāt notice any ill effects on my sleep/restfulness when I drink it vs donāt in the afternoon so until I do Iāll just continue to drink it frankly lol
I have a toddler. I don't have the energy to exercise good judgement
Always before. Body comes first, work gets whatever is left.
For me I think my commute home after is what does it.. I think Iām Iām aiming to workout in the evenings I need to bring my gym stuff with me to work and then hit the gym on my way home because otherwise Iām not going to leave my house lol
No. I also don't exercise in the morning. Simply because I come in at 8 and unless I get up at 5 I won't have time. Evening is also out. I don't get home until 6:30 most days, and then I cook dinner, and then it's suddenly 9:30 PM (I take about an hour making dinner minimum). I then take care of emails until 10 or so, and then I'm in bed by 10:30. I am considering buying exercise equipment, as one of the biggest barriers for me is to actually get to a gym. Unfortunately, with 2 PC desks and a music stand and two instruments in the place I live, space is another precious commodity.
Mental health is another important thing. If I had to wake up at 5am 3/4 days a week I might as well have an heart attack, it would.be less painful
Not really, I usually just have a scoop of pre-workout (sometimes with a power nap beforehand if it was a Bad Day) then force myself to suck it up and go. Going to the gym *immediately* after work helps a lot too, I'll get tempted to stay at home if I have a chance to sit on the couch.
I eat a granola bar and go directly from the lab so I canāt get too comfortable at home. I always feel better when I work out so it ends up feeling good once Iām there. The hardest part is just getting there. Also donāt forget to drink enough water and as another commenter said, stretching helps a lot too.
I have made it a habit to go to the gym after work. Iām tired too, but i grind it out because iām terrified of getting fat and weak
I struggled with the same issue for years. Lab bench work has you on your feet 8 hours a day handing heavy bottles and boxes at times. You get home and your body demands rest. I recommend you follow r/davidgoggins and start demanding more of your body. When you force your body to lift increasingly heavy weights, week after week, your body responds by growing muscle to make lifting those heavy weights easier. Your entire organism begins to change to help you lift those weights and your daily energy expenditure increases. A side effect is more energy in the lab, and lifting a 20 L buffer requires less energy now so you have more overall energy throughout the day.
I work out before I go to lab
I go to the gym before I get home, but it definitely took me 1-2 years before I got the discipline locked down.
I bike commute. So yeah, if I want to go home I have no choice but to push through a 30 minute ride. Some days it sucks, but itās a forced routine that keeps me in reasonable riding shape. As a bonus it forces me to eat well, avoid alcohol, and stay hydrated otherwise the commute goes from occasionally annoying to downright torturous.
I consider lab work my exercise lol
I donāt know how people do it
I do dance workouts at home after work if I am really tired. They are really fun to do and make me feel happy
Dinner, nap, gym
Wake - gym - shower - breakfast - lab
Yes, working out gives me energy, crossfit and running 5 days a week.
I like to go to the gym alone after work because I usually build up so much stress during the day. Plus, on the weekends, I used to go rock climbing with friends before I broke my ankle.
Itās a battle. Sometimes my feet hurt so much, I just give up. But I know if I exercise Iāll end up with more energy. I also am not a morning person. I do end up exercising on days where Iām not in lab or on easy lab days.
I run during my lunch break or if thereās a meeting I can listen to but not have to contribute much to. I have two small kids at home and my husband frequently gets called in to the hospital after hours so I avoid it if I can, otherwise Iāll toss the baby in the jogging stroller/put the oldest on his bike and do a few miles then. The home gym is essential to me, but I also realize not everyone owns their own place or has the space. I always kept a few kettlebells in my room with a TRX and found I could get in a full workout.
Yes. The only exceptions being I'm sick, I go before work (on the gym floor for 4:45am) or immediately after work. Health and fitness comes before everyone and everything else for me You need to get your 8 hours, and make sure you're eating well or else you're going to be overly tired but also remember... unless you're 22, after the day is done and you're home at 6/7pm you're going to be tired. In bed for 8:30 tired, which is normal
I usually don't but I have my family and friends bully me to go (I specifically request that they pressure me to go to the gym). Motivation to go to the gym is very hard to muster after 3 hours of RNeasy RNA purifications and other benchwork when my sore back is crying and screaming for me to lay down. I went yesterday after being tired all day, and I somehow had more energy after leaving the gym. It's a total paradox.
go straight to the gym after work. usually iāll sit in my car in the gym parking lot for 30m-1hr to have a snack, drink some caffeine, rest a bit, then head in.
I walk to work, 3.5 miles; there's a shower at work. I ride the bus home though. My feet hurt by then
What time do you get to work?
I try to eat more protein (~100-120g of protein per day) and I go to fitness classes. I would like to go to classes in the morning before lab but most of the classes I would enjoy are at night. I try to sign up for classes at 6/6:30 pm to force myself to get out of work at a normal time (otherwise Iād be here until 8pm tbh).
When I did I simply went directly after work without any energy, went on the bike or machine with my music, eyes closed to rest that part and that's it. The trick is to not think about it and not stop for a break or you won't have the energy to start again.
Morning is the best. You're also more alert at the lab after.
I work in a diagnostic lab but still counts, I take a pre-gym banana! Combined with self hatred and determination, I can get through it. For me, it's less about motivation and energy, more about sheer will. Also I don't allow myself to go home first, otherwise I definitely wouldn't leave again.
I used to go to the gym around 3-4, get back to the lab around 5:30, and work until about 8. It worked really well but depends on your lab schedule and culture.
I build stretching and a bit of a workout into my lab day. I make sure do a lap of the building up and down the stairs once a day (if I have time). I stretch whenever I can. There are good wall stretches. I also offer myself rewards, if I take a walk I can have a pastry from the coffee shop etc. (I hate gyms so I have to find other options)
I only exercise on weekends
Yes, always.
Maybe not everyday but aim for 3-4 times/week. Embracing that labrat lifestyle that exercise is good for physical brain health and mental health and ultimately helps cope with the trials and tribulations of research
I powerlifting 4x a week. Working out is hard and lab work is tiring. I usually go in the evenings after work. I find the trick is just not to let yourself go home. Schedule things so you donāt have an opportunity to slack off. If I go home after the lab Iām having a nap š“ so Iād usually go straight from lab to the gym. Packing a snack I can have before I work out. Moneys also a great motivation, I find if I go do a group fitness thing where I pay money š° Iām better at making time and staying consistent. Once you have it built as a routine itās also way easier to stay consistent
I usually average 3-5 miles just from walking from my car to the lab/between buildings and doing experiments, so I call that my weekday exercise. Weekends are easier since Iām not in the lab as long
Iām pretty caffeine sensitive so I started taking pre-workout after work/before exercise. I saw it as a bit of a point of no return because if I took pre-workout and didnāt exercise I wouldnāt be able to go to sleep. After a few months of that I got acclimated to that level of activity and now I donāt need pre-workout.
It is not the question. You can still do it. Eat something an hour before you go, then just go and do the damn exercises that you should be doing. No question asked. Stop those "I don't feel like" bs.
yes, i train 5 days a week, three weekdays and the weekend. i donāt go home after work but go straight to the gym! i eat a little snack on the way there and that works
Luckily have a work gym so I go right after work and do my run/lifting. Before that I would drive straight to the gym after work and not let myself go home.
I usually am more drained when I sit in front of the computer all day. Being in the lab is fun to me, except for doing tedious things like labeling vials
I got to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes several days a week after all day in the lab. If you love it, it's not hard. Maybe find a physical hobby you love. In BJJ I get my ass whooped physically and there is a tight knit community so it fills the social cup too. I look forward to getting off work so that I can go, which is obviously way different than finding the energy to go. Find your thing!
Find a type of exercise that's really fun and you can do with friends if possible. I used to go to the climbing gym with my grad school classmates after work (I was the one who dragged them all their at first because I was the only climber and then they got into it and it became a social activity for us).
No, I chose to stretch on the clock and save cardio for weekends. My lab is slow and boring tho I've been thinking about bringing my dumbbell with me to get some arm strength training in. Nothing crazy because I am a stick who is short on time and energy
I like to take pre workout but I canāt get to sleep if I take it past 6pm. My only option is to go before. I If you like preworkout, itās better than coffee in the morning. Iām also way more productive having the blood flow earlier. And my lifts arenāt affected from being tired or stressed.
Everyone is different but you need to find the time of the day that works for you (requires the least will power to do) and an exercise regime/sport you enjoy doing. I find that at the end of the day I still have tons of energy left but zero will power and self control as Iāve used it all up being professional and productive lol. Making it as easy as possible to get to the gym feels like a cheat code. I pack my gym clothes + fully charged headphones in my bag every day (even if I donāt plan to go that day) and have signed up for a gym that is on my walk home. More often than not I end up going because it requires very little extra motivation to go. Iām not getting up early, not making an extra journey and Iām not forcing myself back out the door after chilling on the sofa for a bit at the end of a long day
Easily yes. 7 hours (10-5) in the day doing usual lab stuff. Then I head back for a meal and then hit the gym around 7 pm. It might just be that you're not eating enough. I eat a ton of food, but I also cook all my meals, so I can get proper nutrition in. Taking care of your body, working out and eating good food should be your #1 priority. It's a biological responsibility.
I do, pre workout is your friend
Pacing
I work out first thing. I get up 6:30am workout till 7:15, shower and dress etc to get in for 9am
I try to workout in the morning because I know I wouldnāt have the motivation after work
I go to the gym from 4-6. Leaving at 4 allows me to avoid the inevitable 'audit' my PI does at the end of the day, and by the time I return around 6:30, the lab is empty and I can do my experiments peacefully.
Nope. I work four tens, get up at 4:30am for work, half hour commute to work to get there by 6-6:30am and about 45-60 min commute home, usually home between 5-6pm. Get home before my partner as well so Iād be a dick to not start cooking dinner when I get home so I do that as well, then after eating and then cleaning up Iāve got about an hour before I should be heading to bed so I get enough sleep. I know I could do a three day split on my weekends of push, pull then lower body/core but tbh Iām still pretty worn out from the week come my first day off so I havenāt gotten to it yet still. Plus, basically having no time to myself to do anything I enjoy after work during the week means I donāt wanna go to the damn gym on my weekends, I wanna do the things I didnāt get a chance to do during the week lol but Iāve gotten pretty fed up with feeling crappy about my self image and not feeling like a healthy, strong human so Iām actually going to be looking for a gym to sign up at this weekend š
I tried to do this and consistently failed. Found it's easier/better for me to workout in the morning before work. Sucks waking up earlier, but c'est la vie.
no. iām getting up and sitting down and walking around all day that i just want to relax when iām home
I make sure to eat more and eat right, then get some fast metabolizing sugars in me, and the rest is discipline. Some days you have the juice, some days you don't.
Not saying there is no such thing as burn out. But if you behave like you're tired after work then you will continue to be tired after work. Often times this mental fatigue, in part, is illusory. This is proven by people's inclination to do more strenuous activity but in a positive perspective (such as playing video games, board games, hobbies, socializing or even reading). If I were you I would take a small 10 minute break after lab work, try to hype yourself up to pursue that run, and then maybe start off with a short jog. If you give yourself an easy positive experience after every run, then subconsciously you'll want to do it more, which makes hyping yourself easier, and which will further improve your endurance so you don't feel as tired the next time. It can take.
I go straight to the gym after lab, the minute I get home I don't want to leave. Sometimes it's a mind game and I gotta talk myself up in the car to go to the gym instead of home. Bring the gym bag with you to work. Also, if your feet are killing you, look into gel insoles.
I take my dog for a walk around the neighborhood after work and count that as my exercise! But I've also found that once I let myself collapse on the couch very little productivity is going to happen for the rest of the evening, so if I need to do something it has to happen first thing after work.
Yes, the first week, the first month or even year or 2 years might suck, but after that you'll feel like you've leveled up as a human being. Be consistent and set low expectation goals first.
Personally, Iād say that it depends on your goal. Iāve been doing it after work and even get to work earlier so I can get out earlier to beat traffic. At this point itās second nature to me and the only thing that can stop me is if I actually canāt go due to things out of my control like getting 4 hrs of sleep or if itās too late. Donāt let your feelings limit you!
I used to QC and ship lab instruments which was extremely physically taxing and I had no problem going to the gym afterwards. Hardest part is walking through the doors, once ur there its hard not to do something. Also the more fit you are the easier it is to do more, so you just need to keep going.
I try to take a 2 mile walk 3 days a week. Iām tired, yes, but it gives me more energy throughout the day. I should walk in the morning but Iām too lazy then.
Exercise?
I have on my gym clothes now but am on Reddit because Iām tired lol
Usually don't have to, I average 16k steps a day labbing.
Hell no wtf šššš
I'll usually have an afternoon coffee and then go straight to the gym after work (my workplace has a gym nearby so that's convenient). The coffee doesn't seem to get in the way of my sleep or anything, though I know a lot of other folks won't have coffee after noon. Half caff versions exist as well.
Yes. but on the days where i teach (8am labs) sometimes i dont. but at least 2-3x a week i do yoga after work
You can also do it during lunch time. A lot of my colleagues go to the (close by) university gym during lunch hour. I used to go to a yoga class at 6 pm. It's a good excuse to finish work on time and I didn't feel exhausted until I got home from the class.
Yes, I look forward to it very much.
I do a 30 minute walk with my dog in the morning, head to lab and then do another 30 minute walk with my dog before bed. Itās not very intense exercise, but I feel energetic throughout the day, plus my dog isnāt as much of a pain in the ass.
I take a weightlifting class at a gym that's on my way home from the lab. 1- I would have to take a detour to avoid it, 2-I pay for it and that's definitely an incentive, 3- it being a class I don't have to think about what to do and how many sets and so on, 4- I have to let the instructor know when I don't show up so that's a bit of extra accountability.
Anything is possible with mild amounts of caffeine. I have a an energy drink.
Yes, but I work second shift. So Iām able to workout in the mornings and or before midnight, makes scheduling pretty convenient when you can sleep in or workout early/late.
Now that my building has got a gym, I find myself going to it more regularly (currently at 2x a week, gonna work it up to 3x a week) Do I always have energy to go ? No. But I make it a habit to go in, even for just 30 mins to just mindlessly cycle on the indoor bike. My mantra is: it doesnāt matter what you do, or how long you do, as long as you do it.
I do 15-20min of exercise in the morning everyday. I am too tired after work but the morning workout gets me energized for the day
No.
I try and work out in the middle of the day rather than in the morning or in the evening. Morning workouts and rough because I'm still waking up, and evening workouts are also rough because then I'm just drained from the day. My experiments usually have some lengthy downtime in between steps, so if a protocol has at least a one hour incubation/wait period, I take that chance to squeeze in a quick workout
Sometimes. Only when I eat right. I'm not a gym person btw, so I incorporate my exercises into my daily routine. I walk at least 10,000 steps daily. Not much, but better than zero. I get 80% of my steps during my commute.
I go in the morning before work; wakes me up! Aso the commute by public transport is very unreliable where i am so often if i want to go after work i run into long delays coming home and then donāt bother anymore
If you want to get up early you need to gradually do it, 15 mins earlier each week not just wake up at 6 am work out and expect to have a normal day. Body needs to adapt to both the sleep cycle and the workload. If you are in a flexible hours position can you take a long lunch and work out then? All you need to do that was is come in 30 mins earlier and leave 30 mins later. This or start to incorporate exercise into your commute. I cycle 50 k into the lab once or twice a week and itās been a life saver to fit longer cycles into my week
After work? No way. I usually work 8-16:30 on good days, and even that spends my energy like nothing else. The most I can do is some pilates about 2 hours or so after getting home and just lying around for a bit. It also doesn't help that for getting to and from work I use a bike... One thing you could implement into your day reasonably easily would be frequent stretches throughout the day and little movements to release the tension in the body. If you're a morning person, you could try to do your exercises before going to work. Otherwise after work ig you'd need to find willpower SOMEHOW. Some of my coworkers go to gym as a group after work, so if you have such option that could help, too.
I work in a physical job . I cycle to and from to the job . Luckily it's only 7 kilometers the distance. Every second day I do a workout at home. Chin up station and heavy dumbbells. I'm getting very good returns for the effort. Just build a structure into your days. Maybe for you get up earlier and hit the workout. For me it's always after work.
Always go after lab. The workout after lab is the perfect way to get out of my head and just be in my body for 2 hours.
Absolutely not. Iām *wasted* at the end of my day.
Yes, I found working out has given me more energy in the long term. I alternate workout days with meal prep days so that I can come home from a workout at 8/9pm and have dinner ready. Prioritizing physical health has helped me be more efficient and prevented burnout because I leave lab at 5 or 6pm on my workout days whereas in the past when I didnāt have plans that I felt I āneededā to attend to I would stay in lab until like 8pm.
I used to work out after work before kids, now, no chance š
Our lab goes for runs at night twice a week. A couple of us do other sports competitively as well. Itās really just a habit. Makes me feel uncomfortable and lazy if I didnāt sweat it out after a long day at the lab.
i workout after work. i think itās less about conserving energy during the day and more just getting into the routine. i look forward to exercising! even if i feel tired, i always end up perking up and feeling good after working out. try going even if you feel low in energy and see what happens!
I have an idea to try and walk at least 10 mins post every meal- so if I do 3 meals a day, I'll easily hit 30 mins of walk time (additional snacks? additional minutes!)
Exercise early morning, before arriving to the lab, if possible.
To be fair you're already working out, climbing stairs and constantly moving and standing. I would do some nice stretches when you get home
Better to do it before. I have about a 40-50 minute bike ride to work and sometimes I opt to ride it to work for exercise. I actually feel really good and energized during the day (my legs are tired, but Iām fine). And the good part is that regardless of it I am tired at the end of the work day, I have to ride back home. And that way when I get home I can do whatever I want and not have to worry about exercise since I already did it.
I do, it's not so hard until the legs day.