March is National Caffeine Awareness Month

To celebrate National Caffeine Awareness Month, increase your productivity while combating your need for caffeine with these tactics:

1. Get enough sleep... Most adults need 7 to 8 hours a night for the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as five hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep nightly.

2. Perform some simple stretches to get your body active, including your mind, your heart, your blood flow and your metabolism. For examples of such useful stretches, visit http://bit.ly/iL72d.

3. Sit up straight and take a few deep breaths from way down in your gut. Oxygen fuels your brain, and deep breaths get even more oxygen to your brain, activating it for work all the better.

4. Soak up some fresh air and sunlight with a quick walk outdoors or around your building... The vitamin D from sunlight is great for boosting moods; plus, as you move your body, you get a little more energized.

5. Move to a different location, whether it's moving from your office to a conference room, leaving your home for a coffeehouse or just shifting from one side of the room to the other.

6. Hydrate with lots of water... Since 60% or more of your body weight comes from fluids, staying hydrated is necessary for optimum performance. And, if you need some extra flavor, just toss in a Crystal Light packet.

7. Instead of letting it slow you down, fill "down time" with smaller projects that can be done quickly. Just like the saying of "a rolling stone gathers no moss", it's easier to be active when already active... So, if you don't have time to complete a project, at least get started and leave it out for when you can pick your work back up again.

8. Eat foods that increase your energy rather than those that cause a slump an hour after eating. Eating things like whole-wheat bread, strawberries, broccoli, pork and bananas will help keep energy levels more constant and consistent.

9. Listen to some energizing music. Music is a powerful tool, particularly for affecting emotion, so handle with care but utilize it fully. As a huge fan of music, I find it to be a very effective tool, like "Celebration" by Kool & The Gang or "All I Want To Do" by Sugarland. For other examples of energizing music, visit http://bit.ly/83Hh4k.

Are any of these strategies you are using right now to re-energize? And, if you have ideas for other ways to increase your productivity without the use of caffeine, please share those in the Comments section below.