Too often, our lives are go, go, go. Nothing is ever fast enough and a lot of us are feeling exhausted all the time, working hard at trying to get everything done while still making sure that everything does, in fact, get done. If you’re looking for realistic and practical ways to get more energy without having to add anything else to your already overflowing schedule, take a look at these 10 great options to give you that natural boost in energy:
- Limit your sleep – While it may seem strange to limit your sleep when you’re exhausted, it’s a great idea to understanding how much you need. Time how much sleep you’re getting, starting with 4 hours, and then slowly add time. When you get to the point of waking up at night or not getting a good rest, it means that you’re sleeping too much. This can actually steal your energy during the day.
- Prioritize your “to do” list – The majority of us are trying to do too much in one day, so look at your “to do” list and try to focus on making it as succinct as possible. This will help you physically, and mentally as well, leaving you more energy to dedicate to each of those things. This is hard to do, but critical.
- Take time for meditation or time out each day – Try to meditate or at least try to spend some quality time by yourself, each and every day. No matter how busy it is or how you “don’t have time for it”, make the time. Whether it’s fifteen minutes or an hour, it’s important. If you aren’t interested in a meditative activity, just give yourself a time out in a quiet room by yourself and rest. Maybe read a book or listen to some soothing music. It’ll help you recharge for the rest of your day and make you feel better about what you need to do, because you’ll feel more prepared to take it on. If you have to, schedule the time in every day until you get in the habit of doing it.
- Exercise – Not only is exercise good for your health, it’s good for your energy too. It gets your heart pumping and your Adrenalin going in a healthy way. When you do a workout, you always feel energized after. So, use exercise as a way to give yourself energy to help your day become easier. You’ll also love the added health benefits.
- Ditch the processed foods – It’s no secret that processed food is bad for us, but it’s also bad for our energy levels as well. Eating a lot of takeout food or pre-made meals (which are chock full of sugar, salt, fat, etc.) may taste great at the moment, but all they are going to do is leave you feeling exhausted and totally lacking in energy. Eating healthy balanced meals is the way to go. If you don’t have a lot of time, try smaller meals more often throughout the day. This will help you stay satiated and energized during your stressful day.
- Watch your stress levels – Stress is a huge energy zapper. It is a way of life, but it doesn’t need to totally control you either. This is why taking that meditation or relaxation time is so important in the long run. It will help you melt the stress away and give you the focus that you need to take on your day. With stress pushed to the back burner, your mind will be clear and you’ll feel like you can accomplish what’s waiting for you.
- Watch your caffeine use – Most of us love our morning coffee, but you should try to watch how much you take in. Since it is a stimulant, it can cause problems with your mental and physical comfort when you go to sleep at night. Having one or two cups in the morning is fine, but once noon hits, anything after that may negatively impact your sleep schedule, which will, in turn, steal your energy the next day.
- Stay hydrated – Fatigue is a common side effect of dehydration, so consider the idea of staying hydrated by setting alarms on your phone or getting someone to remind you every hour, if needed. This will help you give your body a boost and focus on bringing comfort and energy to you physically and mentally, which will be great for your energy levels. If you’re exhausted with no clear reason, trying drinking a cold glass of water. Odds are that it’ll perk you up more than you think. It’s also going to help you if you’re hungry and craving the high-fat foods, like takeout for example.
- Watch smoking and tobacco use – Social drinking is normal and to be expected, but try to watch when you drink. Much like caffeine, alcohol is going to mess with your sleep schedule if you have too much of it, or have it too late at night. Nicotine acts as a stimulant as well and can can wreak some serious havoc your body’s natural sleep routine. Once that routine is disturbed, it not only causes you to have a lack of energy on most days, it is also very hard to fix that routine.
- Try having some fun once in a while – Simply letting loose and going out to see a movie or shopping or just a coffee date is great for your energy because being social is something that we all crave from time to time. It’s great for morale and it will help you keep your life balanced between work and fun, which is great for stress levels. It doesn’t necessarily have to be once a week, but that’s a great way to make sure that you always have time for it.
Energy comes from focusing on what we need to keep our bodies strong. These 10 options are nothing new, but they are proven and simple ways for you to find your way to more energy without having to buy anything or change anything drastic in your life. It’s all comes down to changing the way we treat our bodies. If you have a hard time doing these, just create reminders to do them throughout the day. At least until you get into the habit. So what do you do to keep your energy levels up there? Leave a comment below to let us know! Take care.