How can you create more energy and pace yourself to get more out of your energy levels? I want to firstly introduce the concept of an energy jar; it’s not a literal jar in the body obviously, but the idea that we have one receptacle, one place where our energy is stored. What I mean by that is we tend to think we’ve got energy for home, energy for work, energy for the gym and I know a lot of people will go and have a difficult week at work, get into the gym and put themselves through a hard workout, and find they don’t have the energy to do it.
That’s because their energy has already been depleted. We need to pace ourselves like an athlete would. They’ll look at their energy reserves, they’ll look at the demands being put on them and their schedule and they’ll ebb and flow, they’ll adapt. We as corporate or business athletes, if you like, tend to see ourselves as having to operate at a high level all the time. This is simply not going to happen, that’s how you burn out. If you do find that you’re lacking in energy, here are a few things that you can use, and they’re entirely free of charge.
Light is the first thing. I’ve got big windows here flooding the office with light. I use light in the mornings as soon as I wake up to give me a little shot of energy. That also helps to kick start my circadian rhythm. Light is something that you can use, natural light but also blocking out blue light later on in the day that can suppress melatonin and therefore impact our sleep.
Movement is another thing that’s very energising. Have a standing desk, stand up when you’re taking phone calls at your desk perhaps. You can just put some books underneath your laptop to make a standing desk, but get moving. A constant level of daily movement is very energising. It’s when we sit still and static that that problems arise and we tend to feel under-energised.
Cold water is another one that you can use. I’m a big fan of a cold shower in the morning. It took me awhile to get there. To start with I would splash cold water onto my face, then I would crank the tap onto cold for the last few seconds of a shower and now I can pretty much do two minutes. It’s shivery, it’s gaspy, it’s unpleasant, but it sets you up pretty well for the day because if you can start your day like that, almost anything seems easier the rest of the day.
Heartfulness is another thing that I find very energising and empowering. This is contribution, it’s doing something for other people or something that’s not related to you. Volunteering would be one example. It’s about giving back in some way. The feeling that creates is very energising, but it’s also about doing something for you. Many people I talk to have just forgotten about their hobbies, they don’t have time to do anything for themselves any more. It’s either work or it’s family and there’s not much in between. Just reconnect with a hobby or something you used to enjoy, even if it’s just ten minutes a day.
What’s your Health IQ?
If you’re reading this, you’re are probably in a reasonably senior position, running your own business or have a busy life running the home and juggling other responsibilities. Either way, you’re busy. The convergent pressures of work and family life have probably meant that the time you did have to spend on health and fitness has disappeared. Why not talk to us and see how we can help.
Leanne Spencer is an entrepreneur, coach, TEDx Speaker, author of Remove the Guesswork, and founder of Bodyshot Performance Limited. Bodyshot is a health and fitness consultancy that helps busy professionals get more energy by removing the guesswork around their health, fitness and nutrition. Visit www.bodyshotperformance.com or email [email protected] to register your interest in our services and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.