How To Manage Your Own Personal Energy

Anyone else start to feel tired around 5pm?

If you do, you’re not alone. Some of us wake up tired, go through our day tired, to be even more tired in the afternoon.

Another thing we didn’t learn in school is how to manage our own personal energy. This is one of our most precious resources, because it’s limited- we only have so much of it.

I imagine it very much like a battery pack with bars of energy. We wake up in the morning fully charged, with all our energy bars, and we have to use them wisely to make sure we can get through the day.

How awesome would it feel though to not feel as though you are struggling through your day? Wouldn’t it be amazing to wake up energized, get through our most important tasks with gusto, maybe take a little time to recharge and then still have some energy left to enjoy the afternoon and evening? Yes, I think so too.

So how can we manage our own personal energy to make this happen?

• The first thing we have to do is guard our energy. Not any and every thing is worth our precious time and energy. We must guard this fiercely and choose wisely the things we give our energy to. Every single decision we make whether big or small, from what color shirt to wear in the morning to which intern to hire for the job, draws from our energy source. One way to guard our energy is to limit the amount of decisions we need to make, or minutiae tasks that we encounter.
• Another thing we can do to manage our energy is to conserve it. Emotional control can play a huge part in our energy conservation. If you fly off the handle at the smallest inconvenience and revert to a state of anger for example, that emotion of anger will draw on your energy reserves big time. Practice gaining control and composure of your emotional state in stressful situations and your energy levels will thank you.
• Many of us do not take the time to recharge. We work through our lunch break and don’t take the time to rest our bodies or our brains. Personally, I try to take a 10 minute power nap every day. I wake up from this nap feeling recharged and ready for my afternoon. Maybe a power nap is not your thing, but I encourage you to find something that is. Something that will recharge your battery around midday. Maybe it’s some quiet time, a short meditation or a quick walk in the park or around the block. Whatever it is, it will serve you well.
• The last point is something I’m not sure many people know about. It’s energy creation- how to create your own energy. Sometimes when our body feels sluggish or tired it’s because it needs to move. It’s funny because this is usually the opposite of what we feel like doing. But give it a try; at 5pm when you feel low energy and sluggish, go for a brisk walk — 10–15 minutes, and chances are, you’ll feel more energized, positive and ready for your evening.

The final point of energy management is your fuel. Your food is your fuel. If you eat high sugar, processed foods, your energy levels will spike and crash throughout the day. For a more stable and substantial energy stream, opt for balanced eating of lean proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats.

A happy and quality life is holistic, my friends. Each part affects the others, and each part counts.

Life is not a sprint, it is a marathon.

Until next time, keep that energy flowing ✨