Harriette Cole: I keep falling asleep at the office. How can I stay alert?

DEAR HARRIETTE I have been struggling with chronic fatigue for way too long Related Articles Harriette Cole My husband keeps talking about leaving LA but I can t go back to suburbia Harriette Cole We just revealed out my sister s irresponsibility could cost us our house Harriette Cole I dread going out of my apartment but I don t want to live anywhere else Harriette Cole I m in my s and that s too old to date a man who acts like this Harriette Cole A car crash wrecked my daughters relationship After the pandemic I spent about four years working strictly from home It had its pros and cons one of those cons being that I now struggle to maintain normal potential outside of my home I work in person in New York City and have been getting back into the swing of population transportation speed walking and staying awake I guess I am no longer used to the hustle and bustle of commuting and being on high alert in heavily populated settings I used to work for hours straight while at home but for particular reason I find myself nodding off now that I m in the office I don t want to come off as a bad hire or incompetent so I need to figure this out ASAP I ve tried incorporating vitamins into my regimen going to sleep earlier and avoiding screens before bed but I m still struggling Any advice for managing my fatigue Low Capacity DEAR LOW FORCE Start by getting a physical examination to make sure that your body is healthy Talk to your healthcare provider about how you are feeling and ask for recommendations to encouragement your new routine Next map out things you can do during the workday to up your strength Typically people get a bit lethargic after lunch and toward late afternoon Can you take a -minute break right before you normally get sluggish and take a vigorous walk outside your building If not go into the restroom and do a inadequate jumping jacks to get your blood flowing Every hour stand up for a inadequate minutes stretch and move your body When you begin to feel sleepy get up and walk around in the office Schedule a sparse minutes for brief socializing where you talk to co-workers This can help you get to know them and keep you alert DEAR HARRIETTE I m having a tough time figuring out my relationship status My partner and I agreed to have an open relationship but in reality neither of us has ever acted on it Of late I met someone I like and it s the first time I ve needed to explore a connection outside of my relationship The predicament is that I feel guilty almost like I m doing something wrong even though we agreed this was allowed Is it normal to feel this conflicted How do I honor my existing relationship while also being honest about my feelings and curiosity Torn but Curious DEAR TORN BUT CURIOUS Think through the what-ifs If you genuinely like your partner and want to be in a monogamous relationship with them now is the time to make that known Related Articles Miss Manners Can I tell them I plan to get rid of their gift or is thank you sufficient Dear Abby He s a great guy but nobody wants to go to his house Asking Eric This workplace episode is hanging over me a year later Dear Abby I requested a fresh start with my daughter but things haven t turned out that way Asking Eric I dread going to the wedding because of the no-contact drama Have a conversation with them where you acknowledge that you have an attraction to someone else but you realize you are concerned about acting on it because you are committed where you are Be open and honest with your partner Part of your apprehension may be that if you open the door to this other person there s a chance you may grow to like them Then what Part of being in a monogamous relationship is that you keep that door closed and choose to focus only on each other intimately Express your concern that you aren t sure you want to liability the consequences that may come after that breach of boundaries Talk to your partner and discover how they feel about it This can be an eye-opening conversation that will lead you to understand what choice is best for you Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams You can send questions to askharriette harriettecole com or c o Andrews McMeel Syndication Walnut St Kansas City MO