Fasting has many awesome benefits and in recent years, fasting has become a modern lifestyle. As Muslims, we need to remember that the primary reason we fast is because it was legislated by Allah, we submit to it, and perform it as an act of worship to get closer to Allah. Coming back to the benefits of fasting – sometimes even knowing all the benefits of a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to stay motivated all the time to adhere to it. Working during Ramadan is rewarding but not without its challenges. It is during this time that we tend to complain or feel unenergised.
It’s cool though, let’s stay motivated by following these five tips for you this coming Ramadan:
Related : Ramadan Fasting
1) Have good and sufficient sahur meal
Read: sufficient. It’s best to remember that while you are refuelling your energy during sahur and the breaking of fast, you must not overeat. Instead, eat a moderate portion for sahur as overeating will lead to you feeling drowsy and unenergised.
Choose balanced menus – carbohydrate, protein, and fibre in your intake. Foods that contain fibre (such as oats!) help keep you full longer. Also, don’t forget your veggies and fruits! Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, as they are rich in water and fiber, you can eat tomatoes, cucumbers, or watermelon.
2) Stay hydrated
YES! Drink wisely too during your sahur and break fast!
For coffee lovers, this is the time you have to slow down on your caffeine intake as it is recommended to drink at least eight glasses of water every day and avoid eating spicy food; also, don’t add too much salt into your food as it increases the body’s need for water. One of the things you can’t forget is drinking fresh juices.
Our beloved Prophet loved dates. Why? Dates have high potassium, which helps the body keep its fluid levels in check and prevent dehydration. When you eat dates regularly, it will give you energy throughout the day.
3) Take a break
In Ramadan, you can use your break to regain focus and freshen up. If you feel sleepy or can’t focus, try taking a break. You can use your break and go for a walk; the fresh air will make you less sleepy and you will get back fresh and ready to keep working. You can also use your break and do nothing just to calm yourself down, especially if you suffer from a headache due to the lack of caffeine.
4) Observe worship rituals
An important part of Ramadan is the close observance of the worship rituals such as Qiyam al-Layl. What’s Qiyam al-Layl? Qiyaam al-layl means “standing in the night” and pertains to when you spend some part of the night (even if only an hour) in prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, in remembrance of Allah (dhikr), or any acts of worship after isha until fajr.
Why only at night? It is because it requires us to put in that extra effort to earn His blessings and rewards by fighting against our sleep and waking up just for the sole purpose of connecting with Allah (SWT). Waking up for Qiyam also helps us gain discipline, and strengthen self-control and willpower.
Bear in mind that Ramadan is also the perfect time to make more dua and enhance our spiritual health as it helps us improve the state of our mental health too, in the long run. By observing worship rituals, we are not just connecting to our Creator but we can take this opportunity to actually understand the Quran that we read. A few pages of reading and understanding the Quran a day, can do wonders to you and your spiritual and mental health. Insha Allah.
Related: Ramadan: The Month Of Mercy
5) Limit the time spent on social media
If there’s one guilty pleasure today’s generation has, it would be… being so attached to social media. This addiction can be one huge mood killer in case you are not cautious, hence it is wise to use it in small doses daily.
If you have to spend your time on social media due to your nature of work, like yours truly, ensure that it does not cause a negative state of mind. Limit time spent checking the news to break times. Get notified only from a few trusted sources, if possible.
Related : Second Ramadan In Pandemic: How have things changed?
Bottom line from us!
So there you have it, the five tips for you to stay motivated at work as you observe fasting. You don’t have to stick with just one of them. In fact, if you employ a combination of any of them, you can increase your chances of success. Figure out which ones work best for you and practice them.