Energy building rituals
Energy building rituals
By adjusting your personal eating, sleeping and exercise patterns, you can create increased, reliable and sustainable energy levels which will improve your performance and productivity. And, unlike the quick-fix solutions, these methods won’t damage your health; they will boost it.1. Sleep
When trying to increase productivity, many people try to increase the number of hours in their day by cutting down on sleep. This approach will usually lead to some quick gains before the lack of sleep catches up on them. Sleep is vital for restoring lost energy. Sleep allows for the repair of any damage or strain which has occurred during the day. After a few days without proper sleep, your body starts to break down, your mind is fatigued and your performance levels begin to drop dramatically.
The smart people take the opposite approach. Rather than attempt to increase the number of hours in their day, they focus on getting sufficient quality and quantity of sleep. They know that when they are well rested, they are able to get more quality work done during their working hours as they are better able to sustain their energy output throughout the day. As counterintuitive as it may seem, if you are struggling with productivity, you may need to increase the quality and quantity of your sleep.
2. The mid-day rest
Your energy levels naturally drop for a period of time during the middle of the day. You can try and fight it but you actually end up making matters work. One of the most powerful energy building rituals that you can adopt is to make the most of this time by consciously deciding to rest. If possible, taking a nap in the middle of the day will maximise the recovery that your body and mind achieve during this period. This will allow you to return to work refreshed; with more energy and enthusiasm. If you are not in a position to take a nap, you may be able to take some time to meditate or just switch off all technology and find a quiet corner to relax and unwind.
By making the most of this time and relaxing fully, rather than fighting the fatigue, you can greatly increase your energy and productivity. You may think that your work/life is too important to take such a break but bear this in mind; during World War II, UK Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, continued to take his nap in the middle of the day. He insisted that it was that important. Many of the world’s leading CEO’s have followed his example.
3. Exercise
It is easy to think that exercise robs you of energy but it is one of the greatest ways to build your energy levels. Having a daily exercise regimen, it can be as simple as 20 minutes of cardio exercise per day, will boost your fitness and strength. Not only will this give your more energy but it will increase your resilience, allowing you to cope more effectively with pressure.
4. Adjust your diet
Your diet provides the fuel that you need to survive and thrive. What you eat and drink has a profound impact on your performance. Ideally, you want to avoid foods and drink which give you a short sharp spike of energy and, consume more foods and drink which will give you a slow, steady release of energy throughout the day. Managing your diet is one of the most important energy building rituals. The following tips, though not exhaustive, will help you to improve your energy levels:
- Drink more water. Keep a water bottle nearby and you will be able to keep yourself hydrated and, keep fatigue at bay.
- Cut down on caffeine. Caffeine is one of those products which give you an initial burst of energy but the effects soon wear off. The more reliant you become on caffeine, the more of it you need to consume just to achieve the same effect.
- Eat more protein. Proteins are a source of slow releasing, sustained energy. As well as being more filling, they allow you to better regulate your energy levels throughout the day.
- Eliminate excess sugar. Excess sugar messes up your blood sugar levels which, in turn leads to decreased energy levels.
- Eat small and frequent meals. Smaller, more frequent meals, allow you to sustain your energy levels throughout the day. They also reduce the stress that your digestive system experiences when it is forced to digest large meals.