5 Tips for Creating ENERGY On Demand
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Are you struggling to stay energized throughout the day?
Damn do I get that. Like, when you’re finding yourself feeling sluggish and unproductive, especially in the afternoons, right? You're so not alone. Many people struggle to maintain their energy levels throughout the day, and it can be frustrating and challenging to find ways to combat the fatigue. So, today, we’re keeping it simple and I’m giving you 5 ways to create energy on demand to help you stay energized and focused all day long.
01 MOVEMENT
Moving your body is one of the best ways to increase your energy levels. I used to call this “exercise”, but I’m realizing that it's not just about getting in a 30-minute workout in the morning and then sitting down for the rest of the day. It’s about creating consistent movement throughout your day as much as possible. Incorporating micro, mini, and macro movements—which is something I learned from the book The Self-Discipline Blueprint—throughout your day can help keep your body moving consistently and your energy levels up. Here are some great examples of what each of these types of movement look like…
Macro- movements. To me, this constitutes your workout, whatever that workout might be.
Mini-movements. These can be things like sun salutations, walking, jumping on a mini-trampoline (though I don’t really have a place to put mine now that I live in a studio), using a walking treadmill, taking a little dance party midday…
Micro-movements. Calf raises while you’re sitting at your desk. Flexing your feet. Stretching. Fidgeting. Basically anything you can do while you’re sitting at your desk.
02 MUSIC
I used to jokingly call this one “be a diva”, but that’s exactly how I think of it. I highly encourage leveraging the power of music to boost your mood and energy levels. Listening to music can be a powerful way to boost your mood and energy levels. Music has the power to transport us to different places and evoke a range of emotions. It can bring back memories of happy times or inspire us to pursue our dreams. Finding your go-to pump-up jam can be a fun and exciting process, one that allows you to explore different genres and artists.
Once you find that perfect song, you can listen to it whenever you need a quick pick-me-up. Singing along to your favorite tunes can also be an excellent way to boost your mood and energy. In fact, singing has been shown to release endorphins, which are natural chemicals that make us feel good. I read an article recently about how singing has an impact on our energy and mood and it’s something I want to dig more into. So the next time you're feeling down, turn up the volume and let the music work its magic!
03 HYDRATION
Dehydration is a common cause of fatigue, so staying hydrated is crucial for maintaining your energy levels throughout the day. Make sure you're drinking enough water, especially if you're working in a dry or air-conditioned environment. I’m not a doctor, so I’m not going to sit here and tell you how much you should be drinking every day, but what I am going to tell you is some of the things that I do to help with this because, admittedly, I struggle with it:
I keep a water bottle by my desk at all times. Generally, I also find that the bigger the water bottle is, the better my water consumption is because I don’t need to go fill it up so frequently.
I try to ritualize water drinking, making it a routine to drink water at particular times of day, though I’m not always great at this
Use how much I’m peeing as a barometer of if I’m drinking enough water. When I have 90 min meetings, I should have to get up and pee after it wraps, right? And if I don’t, I know I’m not drinking enough water.
04 SNACKING.
Sometimes we’re groggy and have mental fog because we’re not eating enough or eating consistently enough. This is definitely something I noticed back in my “I must eat less and be on a diet” phase of my life. When I was “on plan”, I would often find that my energy levels would drop because of the restriction. That’s no bueno. Why does food impact us like this? Well, because drops in our blood sugar can lead to decrease in our energy. So, I’m very pro-snacking! But it is important to make sure you’re being practical about what a good snack is. It’s not secret that there are a lot of sugary, unhealthy snack options out there that could also lead to an energy crash for different reason, so be cognizant of that.
05 CAFFEINE DELAY.
Many people rely on caffeine to get them going in the morning. Hell, I used to be one of them. And I remember the first time I heard this tip. I was genuinely pissed about it, but more and more, I’ve found that I’ve been able to adopt it.
Consuming caffeine too early in the day can mess with your normal hormone production and lead to a crash later on. We need our body to produce the normal hormones it produces in the morning. Cortisol, for example, naturally peaks right around when we wake up. Cortisol is a stress hormone, but it’s part of our normal Circadian rhythms. Caffeine messes with that normal cortisol production, sort of blunting it.
I’ve heard multiple different things about the “right” times of day to drink coffee:
Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford, encourages waiting at least 60-90 minutes after you wake up before you consume any caffeine.
I’ve also read that between 10-12pm or between 2-5pm are good times to drink coffee. However, I’ve also read that you should be careful about drinking coffee within 8 hours of when you go to sleep to avoid it impacting your sleep, so keep that in mind as well
Incorporating these five tips into your daily routine can help you stay energized and focused throughout the day. Give them a try and see the difference it can make in your productivity and overall well-being. Remember, creating energy on demand isn't about relying on quick fixes or stimulants. It's about making small, sustainable changes to your daily habits that can have a lasting impact on your energy levels and overall health.
