Identifying what gives you energy and what doesn’t can actually be life changing. What is taking up a lot of your time that you find really draining?
Things I find that give me ‘energy’ are reading, going to bed early, cooking and connecting with people.
After my daughter was born, I realised that I really had no idea what it meant to be exhausted and I have now gained the skill of being able to fall asleep anywhere!
I’ve talked before about how shifting my focus to my top 5 things has had a tremendous effect on my energy levels but I had to cover all my bases if I wanted to work, do my courses/learning/reading, take care of my daughter and handle my other responsibilities – I needed to lose all the negative distractions.
There is no separation between the mind and the body. What the body feels, the mind feels. What the mind feels, the body feels.
So because of this, I’m not just going to share ideas which will help you get physical rest and energy, but also how to help you replenish and manage your mental energy. I won’t suggest anything weird, no mad workouts or diets because you don’t need them. You don’t need to add anything complicated to your daily to do list.
Awareness – you need to become self-aware, sometimes we go about our day without noticing what’s really draining us, it could be commuting, socialising (maybe certain people), working, social media, shopping, eating, cleaning, exercising, anxiety..
H2O – its a fact that water increases your energy, it’s a huge percentage of our body’s composition, including our brains! Our bodies can’t work in the usual way and being dehydrated can make you feel fatigued, irritable, sleepy or dizzy.
Rest or an act of self care – this is really important because it allows your mind to unwind. Many of the thoughts and emotions we experience day and night generate stress within us, this has very real physical and mental effects on us. I don’t want to mention meditation straight away because many people find this too difficult but just finding a way to be still will quieten your mind, you may feel relief by doing this, therefore creating more energy.
Zeds – yes, you guessed it, sleep is pretty key in deciding your daily energy levels. Going to be early is much more effective than a lie in so this in not just a weekend aim. Blue lights off and maybe adopt a nightly relaxation ritual, doesn’t have to be anything complicated. Try listening to music, reading or writing.
Embrace mornings – waking up can be difficult some days but hitting the snooze button won’t do you any favours I’m afraid. As the mornings are getting lighter perhaps leave your blind/curtains open slightly so you wake up naturally. Yes you may feel tired earlier that evening but that’s good news and that’s how you get into a good routine!
Get your heart pumping – physical exercise or an activity is pretty important but you don’t have to go all out to do this, just make different choices throughout the day, add a walk here and a flight of stairs there and this will all add up. If you want to do more than that then it just fantastic, it literally takes 7 minutes!
Dear diary – ok so not so much of a diary but make a daily plan, try not to bounce around. Give yourself an hour on one thing and then half a hour for something else, you will accomplish much more. Technology can make this easier to organise and sometimes is can make it really easy to lose focus. Keep the list short, anywhere between 3-8 things of major tasks you want to accomplish that day.
Big and little – emotions come in all shapes and sizes but they are the most powerful energy draining forces around. Whether it’s fear, anger, sadness, hatred, or something else, these strong emotions can embed themselves in us and take control. If you’ve had a stressful day that has put your nerves on edge you find you may take it out on someone close to you. Little daily annoyances can whittle away at our energy, there are a limitless number of events which can bug you all day and add up pretty quickly. The best way to reduce any of these emotions is compassion and understanding – every single one of us is selfish, some deliberately go out of their way to upset and annoy people and others have no idea. This isn’t limited to strangers, this includes everyone in your life – including you! By cultivating compassion and understanding for everyone you encounter, you release yourself from so many emotions.
The things you do either give you energy or drain you. Choose wisely!