Some few months ago, I worked with a client on releasing her first podcast. I had her interview someone who was on the payroll of an agency but at the same time was also a photographer.
I felt his story was interesting and I had to make my client interview him for her podcast.
While we were getting ready for that, one of my mentees came in. He was glad meeting the photographer. They talked all through (that was after we had finished with the podcast recording).
They had known each other but haven’t met in a long while.
While they were talking I was busy editing, creating the podcast art work, converting to mp3 (because the audio was recorded in another format) and other necessary things I needed to do before uploading.
When I was done and the photographer and my client were gone, I was ready for the meeting with my mentee and staff.
But before the meeting with him, I felt within me, “I need a short break. I need a short moment with myself.” So I sat alone and closed my eyes and stay still for awhile.
He stepped out when I did that and he later returned.
He asked me if I was ready for the meeting.
Before the meeting started I had to share with him this:
“I have observed that you often complain that you get tired always. You know why? You don’t replenish your energy when you deplete it.”
Talk is energy.
I observed that after talking with the photographer for over 30 minutes endlessly (he talked all through with the photographer hadly chipping in). I observed that.
I also noticed too that, I was a bit exhausted talking, guiding, editing, creating, and monitoring the podcast interview and we were already getting ready again to get into a meeting.
That would deplete another round of energy.
I guess this also happens to you?
What are the things that deplete your energy?
1. Talk
Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com[/caption]
Talk is good but at the same time, it depletes your energy. If you are a public speaker and you do like 5 rounds of talks, and you are observant, you would notice that your energy level isn’t as it were when you first started.
Yes, I understand that when you’re ‘in the mood’, the energy level is high. I’m like that too, but at the end when there is no activity, you should notice what I’m talking about – you feel depleted.
The same applies to when you talk with friends and colleagues, customers/clients, the energy level doesn’t remain the same. It depletes.
Too many talks depletes energy.
What do you have to do to replenish?
Take some rest. Take a lone walk. Drink some water and stay calm. Just be with yourself, alone, in your thought.
Sometime, forget all that is happening around you.
Eat also if you have to eat.
If you have to engage in low energy conversation with your significant other or someone who always energies you, do. And listen more than talk.
2. Activity
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com[/caption]
Engaging in activities at work, at school, and at home takes energy.
If you have to take breaks, please do take them.
Take a walk within the office, the premises, outside the premises.
I remember for me there were times, I would take a walk to a nearby bookshop, walk in, look at book titles and most times, buy nothing and get back to the office to work again.
Take naps. Also, take out 3 to 5 minutes where you just stand or sit still without doing anything. If you have to close your eyes, you can.
You can also play a game you love briefly to take away your attention from work.
For others, they might want to do a short prayer.
For others, it is meditation.
Do whatever replenishes you. Anything.
3. Exercise
Photo by theformfitness on Pexels.com[/caption]
Exercise is energy and time consuming.
To conserve or replenish energy after exercise, rest for some few minutes to an hour. So, it is advisable to space your exercise time a little far away from when you need to work depending on how strenuous the exercise is.
There are some exercises that you would get involve in that the moment you get to work, your body would be asking for sleep.
So, get it right and know what to do.
4. Anger
Photo by Vera Arsic on Pexels.com[/caption]
Anger is another energy depleting activity. If you have observed yourself, when you get angry, to get some things done become difficult. It doesn’t help your productivity.
This may need you to take a break off, for you to simmer down.
You might need to take a walk away from the anger scene and the individual(s) that have stirred up the anger.
If you are in the office, you can walk into the bathroom to cool off or go into an empty space. If there is a chair in the empty space, sit down, close your eyes and just be blank for awhile. Then breathe (exhale).
If you know you can be true to yourself, tell the truth to yourself right there – if you were wrong, tell yourself you were wrong.
Then, quickly walk yourself through what to do immediately you leave that empty space. If you need to apologise, summon up the courage and go apologise.
If the other person was wrong, don’t go out there and rub it in the person’s face. Allow time ( a day or two) before bringing it up maturedly seeking dialogue with the mindset to know why she thinks you were wrong.
Sometime a colleague or a senior can wade in.
5. Food
Photo by Rajesh TP on Pexels.com[/caption]
Yes, food depletes energy.
First, there are some types of food that are not advised to be eaten while at work or not. They naturally make you become drowsy.
And second, if you take too much of anything, that can also deplete your energy.
You can Google and find out the kind of food that would deplete your energy. Knowing that would help you steer yourself away from such.
You can also consult with nutritionist about this.
Furthermore, make sure you don’t eat too much. I mean it. Too much food don’t really help you. Take the much that is okay for you, but not too much.
6. Alcohol
Photo by Tembela Bohle on Pexels.com[/caption]
Alcohol, contrary to some people’s opinion, is not an energizer. Some might tell you, it helps them to get more work done. I believe the contrary. Well, if it works for you, fine.
Alcohol holds very low nutritional value.
You can read up more here.
7. Sex
Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com[/caption]
Sex is good, however, it also depletes energy. Sex is a physical, mental, and emotional activity. Just like physical exercise, it needs your body and your mental alertness. And much more, it needs your emotion (if you are engaged in it with your significant other).
It is required that after sex, you take time off for enough rest. Sleep is advisable.
For some, after sex, their minds keep going back to the action, taking their minds off the work in front of them. This happens most times when the sex was done close to time for work.
This also affect those who involve in office sex (sex in the office). Your mind would be off and on the work in front of you. You can’t give your best at work.
8. Too much workload
Photo by Startup Stock Photos on Pexels.com[/caption]
Yeah, you want to accomplish much so you have to take on more.
In the long run, that comes back to hurt you because you expend so much energy in the immediate. Your reserve energy inclusive.
Why some people take on too much is because, they have spent the time they ought to have used for the work on other things which are not work related. Therefore they need more time.
If you can create proper schedule for your work, and rest in between, this might help you do your work without taking on to much.
Don’t also take on too much to prove a point or to please your boss or whoever.
If it is necessary you work long, and take much on, take breaks in between the tasks. Take a walk. Go for a coffee break. Rest. Go for 5 minutes solitude.
Just break off before taking on another task.
9. Fasting
Photo by Burst on Pexels.com[/caption]
Taking time out to fast involves not eating food and or taking water for a period of time. The body needs food for energy. I know, some is forpeople fast for a purpose. But this shouldn’t be every time. And if you do fast, know that it would deplete your physical energy.
What you have to do, if you know that the energy you have can see you through the work you have to do, it would be advisable you put more important work load at the beginning of your fast early in the day rather than doing that work at the middle of the day or end of the day when you are really fagged out.
10. Hunger
Photo by TheFacesISeek (Saptarshi) on Pexels.com[/caption]
Hunger depletes energy. The solution to this is, go get food to eat.
When you are engrossed in your work, you hadly remember food. I do that too. But it would get to the point that your concentration level would reduce. Just take yourself off the work and go get something to eat. It is better that way.
11. Travelling
Photo by Jason Toevs on Pexels.com[/caption]
After travelling for long hours, you will naturally get tired. And if it is by a plane, you can get jetlagged.
Taking on work immediately you have travelled for long hours isn’t always advisable especially if the work has to do with taking important decisions that can spell doom or success.
Go take a rest first. Ask for a time to rest if you are accountable to a senior colleague or your boss.
The possibility of error is high when committing yourself to such when you haven’t rested after long hours travelling.
12. Unhealthy or not enough sleep
Photo by bruce mars on Pexels.com[/caption]
Sleep naturally should replenish but if you don’t have enough, it would affect you and your work.
It is said that 8 hours is ideal. But, for some of us, 8 hours might be too much. If you often take naps at work or in between your tasks, you might not need up to 8 hours.
You will have to determine what is enough for you.
13. Disorganisation
Photo by OVAN on Pexels.com[/caption]
Another way you can easily gets your energy depleted.
The truth is that when things are in order, productivity is aided.
If you need to reorganise your table, home, office, closet, etc, do.
——————
Up there are 13 ways you can deplete your energy. There are other ways that I haven’t highlighted here.
What are other ways you know?
In these 13 ways, which one do you agree with and which are the ones you don’t agree with?
And personally, what do you do to replenish your own energy?
Let me know.
Featured image source: Nathan Cowley/pexel