1. Develop self-awareness (live mindfully)
Self-awareness is necessary if you want to increase your daily energy levels. We often assume we know what is draining our energy - it might be our kids for instance. But identifying the source is not enough. Is it some form of a drain on your emotions or is it because you are running around all day?
There is more to it than what first meets the eye. So, by practicing mindfulness daily, you'll begin to notice when and what makes your energy dip and you'll be able to take the proper action to counteract that. Therefore, the first step is to become self-aware, noticing how our daily actions are fluctuating and potentially affecting that. This is what allows you to monitor your energy levels with clarity, gathering information and making accurate changes.
Water affects your energy levels drastically. Stick to drinking 8 glasses of water a day and notice your energy levels increase. Water is a huge percentage of our body's composition. When we are dehydrated, our brain can't work at its usual efficiency. Consequently we begin to feel fatigued, losing much of our energy, among other things. Drinking two cups of water each morning will help jump-start your body, from your metabolism to your energy, and is one of the all-around best and easiest things you can do for your health.
3. Sit in meditation
Our mental activity has just as much, if not more, of an effect on our energy as our physical activity does. Many thoughts and emotions that we experience throughout the day and night generate stress within us, having a very real physical and mental effect on us. And one of the effects those feelings of stress has on us is to deplete our energy.
Practicing meditation will allow you to bring your mind to rest. While it won't silence the mind, it will quiet your mind to a manageable and observable level. And this sense of clarity or relief can have a significant effect on your energy. Try meditating once in the morning and once in the evening, increasing the duration gradually up until around 30 to 45 minutes or longer each session.
How much attention you give to what you do right before and right after you sleep is key in deciding your daily energy levels. Here are four points that you may want to consider:
1. Switch off any blue lights. Be sure to turn off all smartphones, tablets, laptops, and computers at least two to three hours before going to bed. Blue lights from electronics can mess with your biological clock affecting the quality of your sleep.
2. Stick to a scheduled bedtime. While it may sound obvious, you need to ensure that you get enough sleep each day.
3. Adopt a nightly relation ritual. You could start with a nightly tea, meditation, reading or some light stretching. This is an important aspect of a strong nightly routine which will help improve the quality of your sleep and ultimately increase your energy.
4. Leave your baggage outside. Before going to bed, we tend to think of everything that happened throughout the day. But this can add more stress. So, before bed, imagine yourself taking all of your issues and concerns and stuffing them into a bag. Give yourself permission to forget about them until you wake up in the morning.
With a strong nightly routine, you'll improve the quality of your sleep and set yourself up properly for the next day.
5. Master your morning routine
The best way to keep your energy levels throughout the day is to make a change to your morning routine. Start off by waking up early, as the sun rises, long before your day is set to begin. This will instantly make a considerable difference in your energy levels each day (assuming that you went to bed at a reasonable hour).
Step outside, breathe the fresh air and take it all in. It's enough to energize you first thing in the morning. Be sure to dedicate some time to yourself so early in the morning. This will positively supercharge you for the day ahead.
Physical exercise or activity will help you stay mindful. Find something that you enjoy. It could be training in the martial arts or working out almost daily. Physical activity is important for both the body and the mind but it's important to maintain activity.
A number of studies have been conducted on High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which shows that all you really need is a very short period of high-intensity exercise (about 7 to 20 minutes) to reap the same benefits you would from hours of running and working out. If you're just starting off, commence with a 7-minute routine to jump-start your day.
7. Learn to manage strong emotions
Some of the most powerful energy-draining forces that exist are strong emotions. Fear, anger, sadness, hatred, and other similar emotions can embed themselves in us and take control of us. Little things can put your nerves on edge causing you to lash out at the person closest to you.
Notice how if you've had an argument with a loved one the night before, it can become close to impossible to wake up energized the next day. No matter what the emotion is, by practicing mindfulness we can notice these feelings building in us and put a stop to them before they take a hold of us. While we can't get around feeling the emotion itself, the problem arises when the emotion takes complete control over us. Mindfulness keeps those strong emotions from taking control.
What often wilts away at our energy levels are the little annoyances of daily life. Things like someone cutting you off on the freeway, or your boss asking you to work an extra shift, can have an effect on our energy. While it may seem like no big deal, situations like this crop up throughout the day and we often make no attempt to understand those around us. Consequently, we are constantly annoyed because we never consider why someone would do something to inconvenience our day.
Living with compassion, which is based on understanding, however, opens our world up. When we live with compassion and understanding, we begin to take into consideration a myriad of reasons why someone just cut us off on the freeway for instance. We stop looking at who is doing us wrong, and instead, we become capable of understanding the mistakes others make. Of course, we need not only apply this to people we do not know, but those we do, and most of all, those we are closest to.
9. Pre-plan
Not having a pre-plan can have a couple of bad side effects including shortness of breath and mental exhaustion. Technology can help pre-plan your days well. We need not keep things complicated. Search for an app that will work well for you. Trello is a great app that will help keep your plans in order.
Related Articles:
1. 16 Great Tips to Stay Energized and Awake
2. How to boost your energy levels (Infographic)
3. Energy-Boosting Tips & Habits (Infographic)
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