10 Tips for Boosting your Energy

1. SAYING NO

Over-committing yourself is one of the fastest ways to leave you feeling frazzled. Saying “no” doesn’t have to be a big deal – it’s just giving yourself the breathing space to recognise what you really want and don’t want, and then saying no in a self-assured and pleasant manner. So before you automatically find yourself saying yes, stop and take some time to determine whether you actually want to say yes, and whether or not it’s realistic given your current priorities.

2. STRETCH MORE

Stretching your body is a super way to boost your energy as it enhances your circulation thereby oxygenating parts of your body where things may have been a little sluggish. Have you ever felt the ‘tingle’ in a Yoga class (often referred to as ‘Prana’) after some great stretches? So whether you’re in an office all day or out and about, there’s always the opportunity to stretch out a bit more and enjoy the buzz.

3. CUT DOWN ON CAFFEINE

OK – here’s a biggie. While you may enjoy the caffeine ‘hit’, you can be sure your body isn’t enjoying the dehydration that coffee induces. As we so seldom drink enough water, we’re often under-hydrated anyway, which is a strain on the body.

By adding diuretics like caffeine to the equation, we just make this worse. Consider not only increasing your fresh water and reducing the coffee, cola, chocolate etc – but try substituting your usual caffeinated drinks with herbal teas for instance and begin to enjoy their many benefits too.

4. POWER NAP

If the opportunity presents, this is a great way to pick yourself up and inject some additional vitality into your day. It need only be brief but the act of actually relaxing your body and stilling your mind is super-recharging. You may or may not get to sleep, but if you can get the ‘drifting’ space which is a little pre-sleep, you’ll feel great. Mid-afternoon is an ideal time to really set you up for the evening.

5. WORRY LESS

Worry is often just a habit and frequently turns out to be entirely unjustified. Yet we raise our anxiety in our minds and deplete our body of energy by creating a story about what may or may not happen. Practise staying positive and in the flow of the moment. Integrate some powerful affirmations into each day and notice how your days change. When you feel yourself getting into the worry mind-space, take some deep breaths, talk it out with someone, or enjoy some quiet time to just relax and know that all is well with the world. Experiment with what works for you, but make a start by taking a few deep breaths!

6. GO ON A DETOX

It’s like a spring clean for your body. Try a period of no alcohol, caffeine, decreased sugar, meat, dairy and preservative-laden foods, & increase your natural, raw foods intake, along with plenty of fresh water of course, and you’ll be amazed at the energy that this change liberates.

7. AVOID NEGATIVE PEOPLE

Negativity simply usurps your energy like a vacuum in the same way that positivity feeds back to you, making you feel relaxed and happy. Where you are able, remove yourself from all environments and people who leave you feeling depleted, and deliberately seek out positive people, places and things. Smile a lot – it’s one of nature’s greatest tonics, and it takes up far less energy than it does to frown.

8. CHECK YOUR IRON

If your iron is out of balance, no amount of the other suggestions here will probably make a difference. Iron is essential at a physiological level and if you are deficient, it will leave you feeling tired and de-energised. If you are vegetarian, you need to be even more careful to ensure a balance given that meat is a great source of iron.

9. ADDRESS YOUR DE-ENERGISERS

These are the myriad of little niggles that we all have in life and plan to get to at some time, but just keep putting off. Every time we think of them, we feel our energy just drain away. This might be your scratched sunglasses that annoy you each time you put them on, the drawer that sticks, the pile of paperwork you’ve been meaning to file away, the leave you haven’t yet asked your boss for etc. We can so quickly put them out of our mind, only to be reminded again in the near future and once again experience some energy drain. This continuous pitter-patter of little annoyances zaps your energy fast. So make a list and get to tackling the easiest one today. If your annoyance is in fact a biggie, consider breaking it down into smaller steps and take the first action now.

10. GET PLENTY OF SLEEP

Sleep is our body’s time for repair and restoration, and sets us up for the next day’s activities feeling revitalised and rested, ready to go again. It’s like replenishing what the previous day took out. If you are not sleeping comfortably and sufficiently, you will be in negative balance and then still have the day to get through. Needless to say, this leaves you feeling de-energised and not at your most resourceful. Ensure that you also address your bed for comfort and support. Sleeping long enough but on a lumpy bed will just not do it.