The internet is full of energy hacks.
Try Fasting! Put butter in your coffee! Take This Supplement!
What if you’ve tried all of these – and your doctor has declared you the healthiest, fittest one, too?
But your energy and focus are still not where you want them to be.
Is it time to face the reality that you will never feel as brave or achieve as much as you want?
No not really.
There’s a good chance you haven’t explored all of your options. In this article we are going to introduce three unexpected solutions. Experiment with one, two, or all three – and get ready to feel a lot better.
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# 1: optimize your sleeping environment.
Our sleeping habits are tied to our physical environment.
For example, a PN customer couldn’t figure out why she avoided going to bed every night.
It turned out that her bedroom was some kind of garbage dump, which reminded her of all the work she had left to do. More stress meant less sleep.
The thing is…
A relaxing environment is essential for a good night’s sleep.
People sleep better when their bedroom is optimized for comfort, light, noise and temperature.
The experiment: redesign your sleeping area.
Imagine this experiment in two levels.
Level 1: declutter.
Marie Kondo, the famous cleaning consultant, author and Netflix star, has based her cleaning method “KonMari” on this idea:
You can transform your home into a place of rest and inspiration simply by tidying up.
A calming, restful environment can not only help with sleep but also lead to mental clarity. (Hello, energy that you lacked!)
The important thing is that your bedroom doesn’t have to reach Kondo perfection and you don’t have to do all of the cleaning at once.
(If you’re happy to be sleeping in a pile of laundry or with your pet tarantula … then enjoy it.)
For example, this customer we mentioned earlier committed to tackling a tiny bunch of stuff every day.
Within a few weeks, her bedroom became a haven rather than a dumpster.
And guess what? She couldn’t wait to crawl into bed every night, relax with a cup of tea, read a good book, and go to sleep.
What leads us to …
Level 2: Redecorate your sleeping environment.
Once you’ve tidied up, it’s time to set up your bedroom for an optimal night’s sleep. You may want to customize the following:
➤ Light intensity and quality: Dimmed or red / orange spectral light (as opposed to bright or blue / green spectral light) can promote sleep and relaxation.
For some people, a night light creates a sense of security and makes it easier to fall asleep.
➤ Ambient temperature: In general, body temperature drops during sleep, so a cool environment is considered to be conducive to sleep. However, some people find warmth to be more relaxing and prefer a heated blanket or bath before bed. Go back to what works for you (or your customer).
➤ Noise (and silence) level: Some people need rest to get their best sleep. Others find background noises – like music, storm or songbird playlists, or white noise – more relaxing.
➤ Tactile stimulation: What do you think of flannel pajamas? A fluffy cat or a dog? Body pillow or stuffed animal? A weighted blanket?
Don’t forget: these are all experiments.
Not everyone is the same. Try things out and see what works.
# 2. Help yourself feel socially safe.
People need supportive social connections.
Yet other people often cause the most pain.
In other words, relationships can be a source of energy … or drain energy.
One way to measure whether a relationship is giving or taking your energy: attachment.
Attachment is the ability to form strong, secure, and stable bonds with others.
When you are securely connected, feel free to be yourself and express your needs. You trust that the other person is behind you and is an ally and advocate. You also gain energy by engaging and connecting.
If you are not securely attached, you may feel that you cannot honestly share your real thoughts or feelings. And that can be exhausting.
Your energy is consumed when you hide yourself, try to deal with others’ feelings, and / or protect yourself from their toxicity.
The experiment: carry out an asset inventory.
Make a list of the people in your life.
Include animals (like your dog, cat, or horse) as well as yourself.
For each relationship, consider how strong, secure, secure, or supportive the bond or connection is.
- Strong: The binding is robust and almost unbreakable. This relationship has “life” and vitality. You are connected.
- Secure: You feel confirmed, seen and accepted. They can be messy, real, and vulnerable, and won’t be criticized, judged, or disapproved of.
- Secure: You trust this relationship. It will be there for you no matter what.
- Supporting: The other person really cares about your goals and values and wants to help you succeed.
Jot down some notes.
Whatever you notice, don’t judge it. Just watch. Then write down your answers to these questions:
- who gives Do you get energy when you interact with them? who Drains it?
- What relationships feel like most connected and close? What makes you feel like this
- What relationships feel like more complicated, risky, stale, or unsafe? What makes you feel like this
- Who will help you move into being? the person you want to be? How exactly do you do it?
When you have your answers, consider what relationships are potentially stealing some of your energy. Is there anything you can do to make them stronger? Or is it time to let go of some?
Conversely, who gives you energy and how can you spend more time? Yes, really involved?
Maybe instead of liking his photo on social media, Call the uncle who always makes you laugh. Or instead of half-heartedly throwing the ball to your dog while you’re distracted on your tablet, take Fluffy for a walk through nature.
The answers don’t necessarily include a quick fix. (You may not want to let go of your sister even though your relationship is fucking exhausted.)
But creating awareness of how relationships either energize or drain you can be an important step.
# 3: Give back … wisely
Giving some of your time to others can make you feel like you have more time overall, research shows.1
But there is a catch. You can also exhaust yourself, especially if you give for the wrong reasons, such as to please certain people.
To gain energy rather than use it up, carefully choose the service and care that you offer, and take care of yourself too. Look for options that bring joy and comfort to you and others, but not you overwhelm.
When you prioritize what you truly value and choose your care and service wisely (rather than just being another commitment) then it feels great to give to others – and not just another arduous task that is pressing she Your own to-do list below.
The experiment: create your very own mission statement.
First, consider these questions.
- Are you someone who likes to think about it Big questions?
- Are you someone who prefers “Just the facts“And don’t have much time for this nonsense?
- Are your cultural traditions part of it? existential, philosophical and / or spiritual exploration? If so, how and what?
- Have you ever had a profound, life changing, “bigger than me” experience? A feeling of Amazement and awe? Or something that changed the way you feel about yourself? If yes, what?
- Downside: Have you ever had one small, unique experience that made a big difference? (Think: a kind word when you are on the ground, a spontaneous gesture, sharing a real emotion with someone, a joke that surprised you and made you laugh?)
Take this exercise one step further by writing a personal mission statement. Make a list of three existential commandments (or at least personal guard rails) that guide your life.
Dig deep and think about the following questions:
- What are the Core Values and Beliefs do what you do?
- How are you? return or support others through your daily life, your job or your voluntary work – or simply because you are who you are?
- What aspects of life are most importantly to you? What would you like to experience while you are here?
- What a heritage do you want to leave behind
- Okay now: what is it? smallest possible execution (do you think: 5 minutes of action or less) of all of the above?
With your personal mission statement, think about how you can give something back without overwhelming yourself, e.g.
Note: you will likely find that you can beautiful to give back in a way.
That’s great. Acknowledge that and remember that it’s a pretty good reason to get out of bed every day.
Here is an example. Let’s say you’re a health coach who is passionate about helping others live healthier lives.
You are probably already giving back by working with customers. But you could also:
- Volunteer to help with a blackboard, a reception center for refugees or a soup kitchen anyone Eat healthier – or just eat a square meal.
- Start or contribute to a community garden, cooking program, or hiking group to promote the health of the neighborhood.
- Organize a sports league (like a soccer game where everyone is welcome) with the neighborhood kids to help tackle sedentary lifestyle.
- Offer a free coaching space for those in need.
Energy can hide in surprising places.
The experiments in this story? You are just the beginning. not every Solution for better focus and energy will work for you or others. However, chances are that if you keep experimenting you will eventually find the focus, strength, and motivation that you want.
References
Click here to view the resources referenced in this article.
If you are a health and fitness trainer …
Learning how to help clients manage stress, build resilience, and optimize sleep and recovery can be profoundly transformative – for both of you.
It helps clients “loosen up” and makes everything else easier – whether they want to eat better, exercise more, lose weight, or regain their health.
And for coaches: it gives you a rare skill that sets you apart as an elite change maker.
The brand new PN Level 1 sleep, stress management and recovery coaching certification shows you how to do it.
Would you like to know more?
Thank You For Reading!
Reference: www.precisionnutrition.com
