Life happens. You stay up late working; you stay up late with friends; you stay up late because you can't fall asleep; you stay up late binge-watching that new Netflix show, or reading a page-turner, or doing who knows what. The point is, we all have nights in which we get far less than the recommended hours of rest. But guess what? Morning comes and the world doesn't care how tired you are. You still have to go to work, and be a human, and get your stuff done.
Here are a few ways to make sure you get through the day.
1. Get dressed.
You might feel like slumming it in sweats, but that just makes it even harder to fake your awake-ness. Take a shower and get dressed. Wear something that you feel good — and maybe not too comfy — in. The more normal you look, the more awake you'll feel.
2. Brush your teeth.
It may seem like a no-brainer but it's not. If you're super tired you probably won't feel like doing anything and that includes brushing your teeth. Don't give in, though! Brush them. It will make you feel human.
3. Stay hydrated.
You will want to chug coffee by the gallon but that will likely have adverse effects — like dehydration, which makes you feel more tired. Instead, stay hydrated. Drink water, splash water on your face. All of that will help in your quest to feel more awake.
4. Do your important work first.
Here's the truth, at some point in your sleep-deprived day (likely earlier than normal) you are going to burn out. So get to your important work first. The last thing you need is to rifle through a bunch of pointless e-mails to pass out before the real serious work even gets started.