My watch is only showing the red lightning bolt when I have it on the charger. The battery is being used up really quickly and not lasting all day.

Hello Darleysam4,

Thanks for choosing the Apple Support Communities. We see you're having issues charging and keeping a charge on your Apple Watch. According to the article you found, we would want to try the following steps.

If your Apple Watch won't charge or it won't turn on - Apple Support

"If your watch requires charging, a red lightning bolt  appears on the screen. (You might need to press the side button to make the watch face appear.) When your watch is charging, the red lightning bolt  changes to a green or yellow lightning bolt . If your screen is blank or the charging cable icon and a red lightning bolt  appear on the screen, charge your watch for up to 30 minutes. 

Get help if your Apple Watch won't charge

If your Apple Watch won't charge, or a message on your watch says that charging with this accessory isn't supported, try these tips: 

• Make sure that you're using the Apple Magnetic Charging Cable or USB-C Magnetic Fast Charging Cable that came with your Apple Watch.
• Make sure that you plug the Apple Magnetic Charging Cable or USB-C Magnetic Fast Charging Cable all the way into the USB Power Adapter, then make sure that you plug the adapter all the way into a power outlet.
• If you use a third-party charging stand, use the charging cable that shipped in the box with your Apple Watch.
• Completely remove any plastic wrap from both sides of the charger. 

• Make sure that the back of your Apple Watch and the magnetic charger are clean.
• Reposition the back of your Apple Watch on the charger. When the charger's magnets align correctly with your Apple Watch, a green or yellow lightning bolt  should appear on the watch face.*
• Try a different Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable or USB-C Magnetic Fast Charging Cable, and a different USB Power Adapter. If your Apple Watch is out of power, you might need to wait a few minutes for the lightning bolt  to appear after you start charging your device. 
• If your Apple Watch still won't charge, force it to restart. Press and hold both the side button and Digital Crown for at least 10 seconds, or until the Apple logo appears."

Once you can charge your Apple Watch, we suggest following these steps to maximize battery performance.

Batteries - Maximizing Performance - Apple

"Tips for Apple Watch

Update to the latest software.

Always make sure your Apple Watch is using the latest version of watchOS.

• To see if you need an update, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and go to My Watch > General > Software Update.
• If an update is available, connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi, attach the charger to your Apple Watch (make sure it has at least 50% charge), and update wirelessly.

Learn more about updating watchOS

Adjust your settings.

There are a few ways you can preserve battery life on your Apple Watch:

• During running and walking workouts, turn on Power Saving Mode to disable the heart rate sensor. To do this, open the Apple Watch app on iPhone, go to My Watch > Workout, and turn on Power Saving Mode. Note that when the heart rate sensor is off, calorie burn calculations may not be as accurate.
• For longer workouts, you can choose to use a Bluetooth chest strap instead of the built-in heart rate sensor. To pair the Bluetooth chest strap with your watch, make sure the strap is in pairing mode, then open Settings on Apple Watch, select Bluetooth, and choose from the list of Health Devices.
• If you’re very active with your hands and your watch display turns on more than you think it should, you can prevent the display from turning on every time you raise your wrist. Open Settings on Apple Watch, select General, select Wake Screen, and turn Wake Screen on Wrist Raise off. When you want to turn on the display, just tap it or press the Digital Crown.
• Disabling Bluetooth on your iPhone increases the battery drain on your Apple Watch. For more power-efficient communication between the devices, keep Bluetooth enabled on iPhone.

Enable Low Power Mode.

Introduced with watchOS 9, Low Power Mode is an easy way to extend the battery life of your Apple Watch when needed, for example if you’re on a long flight or find yourself without your charger for the night. You can enable it by swiping up to Control Center and tapping on the battery percentage, or by going to Settings > Battery. 

Low Power Mode prolongs battery life by turning off always-on display, limiting the cellular and Wi-Fi connections of your Apple Watch, and disabling background sensor readings including heart rate measurements, high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, and blood oxygen measurements.

When not connected to your iPhone, your Apple Watch will attempt to retrieve notifications approximately once an hour. When your Apple Watch battery reaches 80% charge Low Power Mode automatically switches off.

View Battery Usage information

To view your battery usage and charging history, open the Settings app on your Apple Watch and go to Battery.

Plug in and power on your computer to charge your Apple Watch.

If you want to charge from your computer, make sure it is plugged in and powered on when you’re using it to charge your Apple Watch via USB. If your Apple Watch is connected to a computer that’s turned off or is in sleep or standby mode, the Apple Watch battery may drain.

If your Apple Watch battery needs service, use Apple or an authorized service provider."

We hope this helps.

Cheers!