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Happy Tuesday!
Your energy levels throughout the day have a massive impact on your productivity, your mood, and your general sense of wellbeing. When your energy levels are high it's easier to stay motivated, focused, and present. When your energy level are low, everything becomes more challenging.
So how do you optimize for higher energy levels throughout your day?
The first step involves learning to pay closer attention.
The whole idea of your energy levels is a bit woo woo in the sense that you can't really measure it directly. It's more of a feeling than anything. You know when you're exhausted and you know when you're feeling super energized but most of your day is spent somewhere in between.
Over time you start to normalize whatever energy level is typical for you and that becomes your point of reference. Unfortunately, a lot of people tend to have low energy levels but don't even realize it because it's just what they're used to.
For many years, my energy levels weren't really something I paid much attention to. I didn't feel like they mattered that much and usually they were hidden by some other emotion.
A hard day at work seemed harder because some project wasn't going well. I would get into a mood because I thought my partner did something to aggravate me. In reality, I was just too fatigued to gracefully deal with the situation.
This isn't to say that work and life aren't hard on their own.
It's more like observing that when a little kid doesn't take their afternoon nap they start to throw a tantrum. No one is shocked to see a toddler freaking out over something trivial because they're tired but the same circuitry is hardwired into adults.
For some reason we think we're different and fatigue doesn't impact us now that we're all grown up.
Fortunately, there's a lot of things you can do to improve your energy levels and with it your level of motivation, focus, and overall happiness.
Because everyone is different, it's really helpful to notice which activities give you energy and which leave you drained, but there's also some general techniques, rooted in biology, which can make a big difference.
Some of the more obvious ones include:
Some less obvious techniques include:
Even if you've managed to establish healthy routines and habits to maintain high energy levels throughout the day you will naturally have certain times, whether it's in the morning or afternoon, when you feel most awake and energized.
Notice when it is for you and make use of it.
Ideally you do the most important things during the period of the day when you are the sharpest and most energetic.
If you are best in the morning, notice how you are spending that time and whether or not you could do those same things later in the day when you have less energy. Reading emails or catching up on the news over coffee may feel like a natural way to start the day but maybe it's not the best use of your peak hours.
The more you can pay attention to your own energy cycles and rhythms the more efficient you can be while protecting yourself from burnout. Trying to do hard work while you have low energy is just that much harder.
Have a great week!
Cheers,
Nick