Ways to get more energy. Staring out the window, longing for a break? Does the sweet summer sun drain you of your energy? We’ve all had our ups and downs in terms of feeling energized, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Just a few tips can seriously jack up your overall feeling of vitality. Granted, not everyone’s made for being a Duracell bunny, but everyone can be at his or hers utmost productive state all day, yet come home feeling revived.
In fact, don’t feel left out if you are feeling worn out because even the vast majority of business leaders are suffering from working below (61%) or over (21%) their ideal energy levels, according to a study of the USC Center for Effective Organizations.
While the downsides of ‘overdoing it’ are pretty obvious, it may be a little surprising that working below your ideal energy levels is just as bad for you. Tony Schwartz, a global expert on managing your energy, explains in an article in Harvard Business Review that when you’re working above your ideal energy level, you’re inevitably going to make mistakes and your productivity will go down –even if you’re still feeling perfect at the moment. If you’re working below your ideal levels however, you’ll end up feeling bored, which only brings your energy levels even further down.
Everyone’s different. There’s no use in comparing yourself to your colleagues, even if they seem to be running on leading brand batteries. The amount of sleep you need, how many hours of exercise you can handle and how much leisure time your mind & body require, are all dependent on who you are. Tchaikovsyky for instance, slept 8 hours a night and worked for 3.5 hours a day. Voltaire on the other hand, slept 4 hours per night and spent 15 hours a day working, yet both geniuses created masterpieces in their respective art forms.
You can too!
At least, if you’re performing at your ideal energy levels. Here are nine tips to help jack up your energy:
- Double your break time
You’ll love this one, I’m sure. Breaks are the cornerstones of continually feeling energized. Step outside for a while, run up and down the stairs,… do anything you like that helps getting work out of your mind and relax. Then get back to work, when you’re feeling completely revived. You’ll make less errors and you’ll be able to process more work.
- Set reasonable goals to celebrate
Instead of focusing solely on the big picture, break it down into smaller parts that can be achieved on a short term (or one day) basis and reward yourself every time you attain one of those smaller goals. You’ll find that time passes by in the blink of an eye.
- Be confident
While it’s still unclear how exactly confidence influences your energy levels, the link between both has been scientifically proven. The easiest way of boosting your confidence is probably by learning something new on a daily basis. Don’t try and become a math wonder in less than a day though, for that too will surely drain you of your energy.
- Measure your energy
As the infographic above clearly indicates, everyone’s personal ‘rhythm’ is different. Try to find the beat of your rhythm, by taking notes every hour of how you’re feeling and what you’re doing for a week straight. When the week’s over, analyze your findings and keep them in mind at all times.
- Listen to your mind and body
If you’re feeling tired and run down, don’t force it. Instead, take a break. Ignoring those signs of fatigue, won’t get you ahead, as you’ll end up making significantly more mistakes. You’d be amazed how much clearing your head and stretching your legs can do for you!
- Test & adapt
Experiment with various ways of exercising, eating and sleeping. Finding the right balance, does wonders to your energy levels.
- Avoid boredom
Even if you’ve got nothing to do, don’t let boredom control your life. Search for new opportunities for your business, learn new techniques –or something entirely new, look for new connections to your network,… Being active helps a great deal in both avoiding boredom and increasing your energy.
- Bring in a professional
Finding your current state of your energy levels can be challenging enough as it is, but when you’re trying to change your ways at the same time, there’s a fair chance you’ll no longer see the wood for the trees. With the help of an experienced professional, you’ll be feeling revitalized in a jiffy.
- Get physical
You don’t necessarily have to hit the gym, even a morning stroll will do just fine. Ironically, exercising on a regular basis leaves you with more energy than before, so don’t waste any more of it on making excuses.
Hercules Academy provides personalized advice on how to manage and build up your energy. We even provide Energy Bootcamps for groups, which will make you feel like a new person, even after only 3 days.