Cultivating More Energy in Your Everyday Life
First things first, we need to understand that energy is not something we simply have or don’t have. Like any power source, energy is something we GENERATE. So today we’re going to chat about ways to generate more energy in your everyday life, AND how to sustain that energy for prolonged periods.
GENERATING ENERGY
We say that energy is something we generate, because we truly believe that it comes from within. Yes, there are dozens of ways to generate more energy, which we’ll dive into, but before we can do that we need to understand that we can bring it about whenever we choose. So before you grab that second cup of coffee, ask yourself what you’re drinking it for. And oh girl, trust me, I LOVE my coffee and we will never ever ever tell you to stop drinking you beloved caffeine, because well, then we’d be hypocrites! That’s most definitely NOT what we’re saying. We’re just encouraging you to examine a bit about where you’re energy is residing and how to be more protective of it.
TIPS FOR GENERATING ENERGY
#1: Move Your Body!!!
Uh hello, we knew this was coming! But seriously! How many hours a day do we sit at our desks or stare at a screen of some kind? Only to yawn through lunch and zone out the second half of our work day because we’re lacking in energy.
If you’re feeling sluggish, we challenge you to get up out of your seat and move! Do 10 jumping jacks, dance to your fave song, take a walk! Whatever it is, get up and get moving! You’ll find that after a few heart pumping moves, you’re feeling re-energized and ready to tackle the rest of your day!
#2: If you look good, you feel good!
Dress for the position you want, not the position you have. We’ve all heard this, yes? Even in these crazy quarantine/socially distant times, get dressed. Like really get dressed. Pick out a cute outfit, pair it with some of your fave fall boots and put a little make up! Guaranteed, you’ll feel so much more productive and ready for the day once you do!
Dressing for the life you want or the position you want, tricks your brain into thinking you’ve already got it. And girl, you have GOT IT in you to have everything you’ve ever wanted. We believe that!
#3: Go Outside
Go ahead, get some Vitamin D. Your work/ the laundry/ the dirty dishes / your errands will still be there when you get back. It’s not going anywhere! So do yourself a favor and soak up some sun rays any chance you get! I, Francesca, find that whenever I’m in a productive rut, getting outside feels (quite literally) like a breath of fresh air. It feels like a little reset in my day. If you can’t spend tons of time outside, no sweat! Sit outside and take a few, intentional, deep breaths. You’ll be glad you did, trust me!
#4: Take a BREAK!
Again, we reiterate, your work/ the laundry/ the dirty dishes / your errands will still be there when you get back. And even more than this, set INTENTIONAL breaks.
In one of my favorite books, “High Performance Habits,” Brendan Burchard mentions that he sets a timer on his phone to ensure that he’s taking breaks. Every 50 minutes or so, set a timer and make sure you’re taking a quick brain break. *Hint: this is a great time to go outside or move your body!*
By setting intentional breaks, we’re training our minds to do the work we have in front of us purposefully. And by that we mean, without social media or notification interruption. If we know we have a break coming up, we’re more likely to stay focused and try to get as much done in the time we have!
Do you ever find that when your schedule is busier, you get more done? This is the same concept! If you are setting intentional pauses in your day, you’ll be productive with the time you do have!
SUSTAINING ENERGY
Now that we’ve equipped you with some tips for generating energy, how do we sustain it for prolonged periods of productivity? Don’t worry, we got you covered!
#1: FOOD + WATER
When I get really busy, I find myself ignoring meals. Anyone else? I have the mindset that oh I’ll just eat later, or I’m not hungry, or just 5 more minutes (which turns into 2 hours). This isn’t a great habit to get into and, if you’re like me, being intentional with breaks, can certainly combat this!
But making sure you’re getting at least 3 meals a day is so important. And I know I don’t need to tell you guys, but try to make them healthy, fulfilling meals! One phrase I’ve heard from my fave girl Rachel Hollis is whenever she’s about to sit down for a meal, she asks herself how is this food going to make me feel? She doesn’t ask how many calories it has or what the fat content is. She simply asks how it’s going to make her feel. Sometimes, eating a piece of cake and a bowl of ice cream makes us feel GREAT! And sometimes, eating pizza for the 3rd night in a row, makes us feel not so great. Having this little mental check in before diving into our meal helps us generate more positive energy!
Another tip we love about having food throughout the day is trying to choose crunchy snack foods like celery sticks or some pretzels!
And as always, drink water!! We know this friends, right? Drinking water throughout your day will help you to feel revitalized. And yes, you’re gonna have to pee a lot, but it’ll be so worth it. Drinking water has tons of positive effects, with just one of them being an increase in energy. One way that Audra loves to hydrate is with Liquid IV. Hear her testimonial on today's episode!
#2: PROTECT YOUR TIME
We love social media. Heck, many of us need social media for our businesses! But so often, we head to social media as a way to take a “break” and it leaves us feeling less than. What was 10 minutes away from our desks became 30 minutes of negative self talk and seeing what everyone else is doing with their time/ their day/ their businesses.
We love the philosophy of create before you consume and we chat about it a lot on this podcast! It’s so important to find our own voices first and our creativity, especially if you’re using the ‘gram for business, before we dive into everyone else’s world.
Try to take productive work breaks by taking a walk or getting outside, rather than scrolling on your phone. We love technology and we’re so grateful for the growth potential on social media, but that doesn’t mean it beats real life. Prioritizing and protecting your time will generate more sustainable and positive energy throughout your day, we promise!
#3: MULTITASKING MYTHS
Over here at the Live Fearlessly Podcast, we’re all about efficient workflow and trying to maximize our time to get the most done. But that’s not to be confused with multi-tasking. Multi-tasking tends to be a myth and we can’t wait to dive into this topic even more soon! But in truth, every time your brain switches gears between texting/ social media post/ working on emails / making lunch for your little one / you’re losing minutes and minutes of precious time. And truthfully, at the end of the day, it makes us feel like we got nothing done at all!
Doing one thing at a time will help you stay focused where you need to be and get your *ish done faster!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Friends, we know there isn’t enough hours in the day at times. But we’re here to help you maximize your time AND your energy so that you can’t feel sluggish less and empowered more. The life of your wildest dreams is at your fingertips, and we believe you can get there.
So we’ll leave you with one last thought:
When you feel like giving up, REST, don’t quit.
We’re rooting for you!