Three Ways to Boost Your Energy When You’re Running on Fumes.

Let me just start by saying: I’m not usually one to complain…(skip to the bottom, if you just want the list ;)).

…but a 03:00 alarm can be brutal.

Actually, full honesty, it’s still better than the 03:00 goodnight hugs I get after late shifts.

If you’ve ever worked shifts, you know the drill. One week you’re a sunrise-chasing early bird, and the next you’re basically a nocturnal bat trying to operate heavy machinery. At my airline, we work five early shifts, four days off, then five late shifts. I did try to negotiate only early shifts to protect whatever is left of my circadian rhythm (and also because they fit single-mum life beautifully). The answer was a firm “no” with zero room for flexibility. 

So here I am, trying to find ways to keep my energy above “final reserve”.

On early shifts, it’s actually easy, I just go to bed when my daughter does. The lights go out at 19:00. By 19:05 we’ve both crashed so hard we’d pass any controlled rest check.

Late shifts, though? Those are another story. Sometimes I stumble home at 03:00am, crawl into bed, and four hours later my alarm is like, “Good morning sunshine, time to get Alice ready for school!”

And I’m like, “Copy that… engaging autopilot.”

So! Here are my non-professional, humble, slightly chaotic pilot-mum energy hacks for those of us who cannot get enough sleep no matter how hard we try.

(And yes, tip number zero will always be the obvious: get enough sleep, eat like an adult, drink water, exercise, yadda yadda. But lately I’ve nailed maybe one of those per week, so here’s the realistic stuff.)

1. Q10 – my little turbo-charger

Discovered it last year and honestly, it’s like giving your body a tiny APU boost. I take one in the morning and one if I feel the energy gauge dropping into amber.

Consult a professional if you’re new to supplements.

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2. Max two cups of coffee

This is my personal limit. Two cups, no more, and never after noon (okay fine… 15:00 on late shifts). Anything more than that and my heart rate starts taxiing at 180 knots and make night sleep quality poor. 

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3. Stress management (aka “identifying what actually needs to be on fire”)

Easier said than done, but try to take a step back and see which stressors are actually worth the fuel burn. For me, it was housework. I used to try keeping everything spotless, like some kind of domestic flight deck ’before start’ check. Impossible when you live alone and work shifts.

Now? The ironing pile is basically a landmark in my home. I get to it when I get to it.

Surprisingly freeing. Surprisingly relationships can be a massive stressor (don’t see this as a breakup sign, work hard and communicate, in a perfect world two should equal more than one). For me that was not always the truth and I would fall into people pleaser habits and give all my energy to the other – not anymore!    

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These are the things that help me stay somewhat functional at 35,000 feet and at 07:00 school-run altitude.

Please share your own tips, let’s help each other out before we all start running on pure fumes.