How to Get More Energy

We all need a high level of sustained energy in our lives. It's crucial for crushing goals at work and showing up well for our loved ones. Upgrading our knowledge and excellence around energy allows us to be in the top 10% achievers in our society.

The problem is most people don't think about their energy level or mood during they day. They stumble out of bed into their morning. Then amble into work where they spend half their time puttering around on boring and unnecessary tasks before rolling into their driveway at the end of the day, exhausted. Thinking of nothing but the food and entertainment they'll soon enjoy. Meanwhile some critical tasks at work have been left undone and at home they fail to bring a high level of joy and focus to their family. I hope this story doesn't sound familiar to you, and no judgement if it does! I have gone through seasons of low energy as well. However the critical change happened in me when I realized how much I influenced others with my energy levels. 

One Sunday night I was feeling tired and unusually mellow. On my list were a few things to get done that weekend but none of them happened and they were still hanging over me as I lay watching a Netflix show and chowing on some popcorn. Thank God I had the self awareness that night before going to bed that something was wrong and I needed to do better. The next morning I committed to my healthy habits and focused on being extremely productive. I crushed my leftover tasks from the weekend and then some. That night I excitedly told my fiancé Rebecca about the awesome day I had. I felt like I crushed it that day.

Later that that week I was with Rebecca listening to her fill me in on her life. She joyfully recited all the tasks she accomplished on Tuesday and how good it made her feel to be done with all those items hanging over her head. That's when it hit me-  Our conversation Monday night potentially inspired her explosive productivity on Tuesday. I was sure but I asked her if this was true. After a moment of thought she agreed. The high-energy call on Monday night heavily influenced her productivity on Tuesday. 

What I realized is we humans, the social creatures we are, have a huge positive or negative influence on each other based on the energy we bring to our interactions. This is true across history and cultures. In friendships, romantic relationships, and coworkers. Not only does our energy level directly correlate with our ability to get stuff done; it also determines the quality of relationships we have. It's worth the time to work on getting your energy to the place it needs to be.

So how do you get more energy? I have 4 ideas to share with you plus some energy boosters at the end I use to turnaround a sluggish day.

1. Have a mission that excites you

I cannot overstate the importance of being passionate about the good you wish to manifest in the world. Your goals and vision for the future must be so inspiring for you that you literally get stoked just thinking about it. Right now if you were to close your eyes and think about the future you're building for yourself- the person you'll become, the creativity you'll contribute, the abundance you'll create for yourself and your family. Does that make you want to jump out of your chair and start working?! It should! If not it may be time to do some reflection on where you're headed. Your goals should inspire you to work and give at your highest capacity. 

Remember to utilize self talk as well. The day has natural ups and downs of energy. In those down moments speak life into yourself. I sometimes say to myself "Joey, I know you don't feel like it but your people need you right now. You can do this. Get it done." That motivates me to push through when I'm feeling depleted. 

2. Work Smarter Not Harder

Age old words of wisdom, but no less true because of it. If you want to have more energy first thing you have to do is stop multitasking! It is very hard for your brain to move between different tasks repeatedly. It will suck your energy away quickly to have 5 things going on at once. Instead, focus on completing one task at a time. Even if it only takes two minutes. Block out everything else you could be doing and work on it until it's done. Put the phone on do not disturb and out of sight. You'll flow through your to-do list so much quicker and have more energy at the end of it. 

If you have any tasks you know are personally very draining for you, do everything you can to eliminate or delegate them. You'd be surprised, that thing you thought was so important after a little digging you'll find is just not important after all. You might even have tasks you assumed everyone hated doing (because you do) however someone else actually finds that thing enjoyable. Make a list of all the things you do that suck your life away, set a timer for 10 minutes and brainstorm all the ways you could delegate or eliminate them. If both of those are impossible, answer this question instead "how can I get __________ done and have fun doing it?" That question could change your life. 

Finally remember decision fatigue is a real thing. The more time we spend deciding what to do next the less energy we have to get stuff done. Setup habits or processes for those repetitive tasks like morning/evening routines. This will save your brain making so many decisions each day.

3. Commit To Health

If you're serious about productivity and having maximum stamina over the long term, you need to prioritize healthy eating and exercise. There's no question what the science tells us about the benefits of regular movement. It increases energy and longevity. My guess is you probably knew that so I'll get to the point.

If ready to commit to getting and staying healthy, I want you to reach out to the healthiest person you know and ask them to coach you. They could be a friend who has had excellent health for many years. Maybe it's a health coach you follow on instagram. Whoever it is, even if you have to shell out a little money, it's important you reach out to someone you trust for a personalized plan and accountability. The key is to make it a goal to be their best student ever. Be very coachable, follow their guidelines and strategies. They're the expert! Make sure it's someone you trust, then do what they say. And try to be the best student they've ever had. Will this take a little extra time and money? Yes. Most things in life when you get serious about them take resources. It all depends on how serious you are about upgrading your energy and stamina. 

Second thing I'd recommend is to overcome a physical challenge first thing in the morning. Many people use this technique to build confidence and momentum for their day while getting exercise. Simply set a workout goal that's moderately to highly challenging for you to accomplish first thing in the morning. Then crush it and enjoy the benefits of a difficult task being accomplished at the top of your day.

4. Prioritize Effective Rest

 One issue I see many people struggle with is knowing how to have effective, rejuvenating rest. I believe the problem is most people confuse entertainment with recovery. News flash- binge watching an entire season of The Office is not helping your body reenergize. It's probably making you more tired! I used to have a problem where I'd stay up late because I felt like I needed to finish the movie/episode I was watching. It was a false need. What was really important in that situation was going to bed on time so I felt energized for my projects the next day. What entertainment are you consuming that you might be confusing with recovery?

One thing I encourage almost everyone to do is invest in their rest. Know the 3-5 things that really make you happy and help you feel restored, and make those things happen more often. It might be a good massage, a dinner with friends, sitting on a foam noodle on the lake sipping a lemonade. Whatever it is, incorporate those things more often into your life and invest in whatever's necessary to make it happen. 

Energy Boosters

Lastly I want to give you a few quick techniques that could help you boost your energy if you're having a bad day. Before I do that I want to share with you one of the most profound truths I've ever discovered: moods are deceptive. Whatever 'mood' you're currently probably is going to be gone soon and has little importance on what you should be doing next. Let me know in the comments if you've ever experienced this: You're in the middle of your workday putting along getting stuff done, then all of a sudden an unexpected wave of tiredness that sweeps in from seemingly nowhere. You feel instantly drained and your first thought is "This sucks. I should just take the rest of the day off." And all you want to do is not work.

If that's ever been you try some of these energy boosters I've found and use myself to get me going again.

• Give your brain a break! Take a 20 minute nap or spend 10 minutes meditating. As a skeptic myself of these tactics I've totally changed my opinion of these simple approaches once I started implementing them into my workday. It can be a game changer at 3pm when early dinner and a movie sounds appealing. 
• Get up and move! Get the blood flowing again. Take a walk or drop and do a handful of push ups. I find investing just a minute or two into movement can create a quick spike of energy.
• Type in 'motivation' into Youtube. There are multiple channels dedicated to creating short videos of inspiring music and motivational speakers. They can be very helpful first thing in the morning if you wake up tired and need a boost. 

 So that's it! You know having enough energy and stamina is critical to crushing your goals. Now what are you going to do about it? Don't feel overwhelmed. Pick something to work on and commit to improving it over the next 2-3 months. Consistent effort will provide results in your life. It's worth fighting for good health and vibrancy in your life. You got this!

Stay awesome,

Joey