Web Worker Daily

It’s a familiar scenario for web workers — you’re desperately trying to get through your work before the end of the day but by mid-afternoon you’re feeling lethargic, low on energy and craving a snack to help you get through the afternoon. Sugary snacks and junk food will give you a quick short-term boost but will lead to a crash just as quickly. I like to keep some healthy snacks within easy reach of my desk so I don’t get tempted to satisfy my cravings with sugar.

Here are five of the healthy snacks that I like to eat to help me get through the mid-afternoon slump. Read the rest of this entry »

From Reware’s solar-powered Juice Bags to Noon Solar’s range of solar handbags, some of our regular readers may have detected that I have a bit of a “thing” for solar power. I’m sure this is an enthusiasm shared by many web workers: When your working life is governed by the proximity of electricity and availability of connectivity, free solar power would be very welcome!

Sadly, most solar charging products — like the aforementioned Noon Solar and Juice Bags — unnecessarily bundle solar chargers with some other product, like a bag! Fortunately, standalone solar charging products are beginning to find their way to the marketplace. Some of the most intriguing are found in Suntrica’s range of SolarBadge and SolarStrap chargers. Read the rest of this entry »

What do changing your socks, wearing bright colors, flirting and sniffing citrus have in common? Answer: they’re all simple steps you can take to boost your daily energy.

Productivity and organization blog Zen Habits has posted a great list of 55 ways to boost your energy levels, tips that should help you to stay productive and happy throughout your workday

As well as the tips listed above, some of the other methods that I’ll be trying myself include:

• Get rid of that stuffy nose. Allergies will make you feel tired and cranky, but can be relieved with over-the-counter medicines.
• Work with your body’s clock (we’ve covered this previously).
• Have an afternoon power snack.
• Eat lots of berries, as they contain antioxidants that boost energy.
• Eat a satisfying breakfast but a light lunch, as a heavy lunch will leave you feeling drained for the whole afternoon.
• Add more cardio to your gym time, as more aerobic exercise gets your heart pumping.
• Get on your toes, as it stimulates your circulatory system.

Share your energy-boosting tips in the comments.

Image by stock.xchng user susiet.

Back in early 2006, during a period of unremitting international travel, I joked that my life was no longer a series of circadian rhythms, but my life’s pulses were now an expression of remaining battery life.

For many web workers, dependence on the battery-driven vagaries of cameras, phones, laptops and iPods can crimp your mobility.

So, hot on the heels of our recent item on the Myth Of All Day Computing, comes Energizer’s announcement of four new easy-to-use chargers to complement their rechargeable battery line… a family charger, compact charger, ‘easy’ charger and intriguingly a ‘15-minute’ charger.

Sadly, with the lack of standards in battery form factors, these products are only useful for those driven on AA and AAA batteries. I live for the day when I can pop 452 rechargeable AA batteries into my MacBook!