We all have moments when we don’t feel as energised or inspired as we’d like, and we feel a little disconnected from everything. However, there are many things you can do when your energy is low. Here are my top five tips.
- Move: As human beings we were designed to move, but many of us simply don’t do enough of that any more. The best way to energise yourself is to move your body. Get all your joints moving. Walking is a fantastic way to do this, or you could use something like a kettle bell; I get up and do 10 kettle bell squats every hour and I might pump the kettle bell to work my biceps too. You can also use it for tricep extensions, there are many different ways to use it for movement. Having something around in the house or in your office to help you get the blood pumping is really good. Walking, standing up regularly if you’re sat down a lot during the day, stretching out the body and all the main muscle groups all help.
- Drink water: Many of us walk around in a state of sub optimal hydration, but drinking a cold class of water, will immediately energise you. Remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day too. Herbal tea is also good, but try to avoid sugary drinks, which causes a quick increase and subsequent slump in blood sugar levels. Plus of course caffeine is an artificial stimulant, so, water or water based drinks are best.
- Eat a fat or protein based snack: You can get some reasonably good snack bars now that are protein based, Deliciously Ella for example although these are more suited for when you’re exercising. Examples of foods that contain good fats for snacking include nuts, seeds, avocados. For protein, you could have some good quality chicken, eggs, almonds, cheese, yoghurt, chick peas or hummus. Vegetables complement a protein snack nicely as they contain carbohydrates.
- Connect: If you’re feeling under energised, connect with something that energises you. Is it a friend that you can phone? Maybe you read something motivational by your favourite author for example. Maybe you just connect with something you really love, so think about the weekend when you’re going to be doing that hike out in nature. That will give you a little spark of energy as well.
- Take a nap: If you’ve got the option, take a nap if you’re not feeling very energised. Maybe you just don’t have enough sleep cycles under your belt for the day ahead. I appreciate napping isn’t possible for everyone, but even just closing your eyes for five, ten minutes, whether that’s a meditation, a quick relaxation, just trying to reinvigorate and re-inspire yourself can also be very effective.
So, move, drink water, eat a fat or protein based snack, connect, and take a nap if you can, or a micro break. All fantastic ways to gain energy.
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Leanne Spencer is an entrepreneur, coach, TEDx Speaker, author of Remove the Guesswork, and founder of Bodyshot Performance Limited. Bodyshot is a health and fitness consultancy that helps busy professionals get more energy by removing the guesswork around their health, fitness and nutrition. Visit www.bodyshotperformance.com or email [email protected] to register your interest in our services and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.