If you rely on coffee or cola to make it through the day, it’s time to change up your routine. Sure, you’ll get an instant buzz, but by the time your hands stop shaking, you’ll discover that you’re even more exhausted than before. So put down that mug, step away from the vending machine and give these six simple strategies a try. They’re proven to get more energy -- and keep you that way!

1. Eat early. When it comes to stocking up on stamina, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. “During sleep, your body uses up its energy stores,” explains Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian and an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “Eating first thing in the morning is important for refueling.” For a longer-lasting boost, pair lean protein with filling whole grains, like whole-wheat toast topped with peanut butter and a banana, or a bowl of oatmeal with fruits and nuts.

2. Sub in spinach. Instead of the usual iceberg or romaine, use spinach in your family’s salads and sandwiches. This dark leafy green is high in magnesium, a mineral your body uses to convert food into energy. According to a study from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, people with low levels of magnesium tire out more quickly because their bodies have to work harder to perform the same tasks. Women should aim to get at least 310 to 320 milligrams of the nutrient daily, or approximately six servings of various high-magnesium foods like dark leafy greens, nuts, beans, cereal and yogurt.

3. Drink up! Sipping on water regularly prevents you from becoming dehydrated -- a top culprit for fatigue. Women need about 12 cups of fluid per day, according to the Institute of Medicine’s Dietary Reference Intakes. “And being dehydrated by just 1 percent -- the point where you just start to get thirsty -- can make you feel like you’re dragging,” says Sandon. You don’t need to get all of that liquid from plain H20, she says: Milk, tea, soup and juicy fruits, like oranges and watermelon, can also help you meet your quota.

4. Don’t cut out carbs. Passing on breads and pastas may help you drop a few pounds, but it won’t do much for your productivity. “Carbohydrates are the easiest way for your body to get energy,” says Sandon. “So when you don’t eat them, you feel sluggish.” She suggests shooting for 130 grams (or about six servings) a day and always choosing fiber-rich whole grains. Gluten-intolerant? Opt for beans, fresh fruit and sweet potatoes.

5. Pump some iron. Even a slight deficiency of this mineral can make you feel run-down, reports a Cornell University study. “Women need about 18 milligrams of iron a day -- twice as much as men,” explains Sandon. “Red meat is one of the best sources, so have beef or steak a few times a week.” Or load up on vegetarian sources, such as fortified cereals, whole-grain bread and beans. Sandon recommends pairing these foods with another one rich in vitamin C, like orange juice or tomatoes, to help your body absorb the mineral better.

6. Work up a sweat! Heading to the gym may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re sluggish, but for putting more pep in your step, it can’t be beat. In fact, University of Georgia researchers found that working out regularly kept people more energized than staying sedentary. “Exercising at any time during the day will get you going, but if you’re looking to beat that late-afternoon slump, doing some cardio at lunchtime is perfect,” says Danielle Hopkins, a group fitness manager for Equinox Fitness. “And while you don’t want to do anything so strenuous that it will actually tire your muscles out, challenging your body will fire you up and release those feel-good endorphins that will leave you glowing.”

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It’s the parent trap: so much to do, so little time. It takes a supermom to get everything done, from caring for the kids and conquering clutter to keeping the kitchen clean and putting dinner on the table.

“It’s so easy to get overwhelmed,” says Julie Edelman, author of The Ultimate Accidental Housewife: Your Guide to a Clean-Enough House. “Your family’s health and well-being is important, but so is yours.”

Edelman and other cleaning and de-cluttering experts offer their simple, inexpensive strategies to help you multitask and take shortcuts on tedious chores. This way, you can spend less time with the vacuum cleaner and more quality time with your family.

Keep a Clean and Healthy Kitchen

1. Prevent a pileup. Clean after every meal, suggests Deb Lillard, author of Absolutely Organized: A Mom’s Guide to a No-Stress Schedule and Clutter-Free Home. Wipe tables and counters, put dishes into the dishwasher and sweep the floor. Keep disposable plates, flatware and cups for nights when you’re too worn out for dish duty.

2. Catch up while you wipe down. When you’re chatting on the phone with a friend, grab some disinfectant wipes and clean three key spots that people notice: the stovetop, the sink and the fridge door. Not only will this help your kitchen look neater, but can also help with cold prevention.

3. De-gunk your stovetop. Have your kids make a paste of 1 part baking soda to 3 parts water, then use a sponge to scrub off hardened bits of food around the burners, says Edelman.

4. Raid the fridge nightly. Every night before bed, look in your refrigerator. If something is going to spoil soon, move it to the front to remind yourself to eat it or toss it.

5. Zap microwave germs. Bring a cup of water to a boil in the microwave. The steam will loosen dried particles so they’re easy to wipe away.

Lighten the Laundry Load

1. Label laundry baskets. Give each family member a basket with his or her name on it. Dirty clothes have a place to go (besides the floor), and it’s easy for clean clothes to go back to their owner.

2. Play ball. When it’s time to sort, ask your kids to separate whites, darks and delicates into three different hampers by making “baskets,” says Edelman.

3. Make folding fun. Choose one TV show you love and only allow yourself to watch while folding clothes. Stack folded clothes directly into each family member’s basket.

4. Consolidate bedding. After you wash sheets, store sets inside unfolded pillowcases to make changing sheets a cinch (and minimize clutter in your linen closet).

5. Invest in help. Ask the kids to deliver baskets of clean clothes to the proper rooms. “For an incentive, I keep a piggy bank on top of the washing machine for any loose change I find in pockets,” says Edelman. The person who is most helpful will score a cash prize at the end of a laundry day.

Corral Kids’ Rooms

1. Get in the zone. Divide the room into zones: reading in one corner, arts and crafts in another, for example. This way, your little ones always know where to go for these activities and where to find and put away toys.

2. Buy bins. “Kids’ rooms are my biggest challenge,” admits Lillard. Label see-through storage containers (for toys, books, stuffed animals, dolls) and ask the kids to decorate them. Straightening up is faster when children can see where everything goes.

3. Control artwork overload. Give each child a desk with drawers for collecting paperwork and drawings. At the end of the school year, go through the drawers together and decide what to save in scrapbooks or memory boxes.

4. Chart progress. Make a pre-bedtime chore checklist to help children remember to put completed homework in their backpacks, pick up toys on the ground and put dirty clothes in the hamper.

5. Recycle old toys. Every few months, box up a third of your kids’ toys and store them in the closet. You’ll have less to organize, and old toys become interesting again when they reappear.

Even if you can incorporate only a few of these tricks, it will give you the opportunity to spend less time on what you don’t like and more time on what you do.

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