Hacks For Energy and Focus
Increasing general energy levels is something all my new clients are looking to achieve when hiring me. Exercise is a great help, but it doesn't end there. Here are my 6 tips to increase energy and mental focus.
Start off each morning with at least 16 ounces of water. Your body is most dehydrated first thing in the morning, so help your cells, joints, muscle tissue and generate some instant energy by hydrating first thing. Don’t stop there; continue throughout your day, keeping in mind a general guideline of half your bodyweight in ounces of water. If you are apt do drink soda, coffee, or juice, help break the habit by drinking flavored sparkling water. Set out to get a soda stream, make your own very inexpensively, and add fresh fruit like lemon, lime or orange.
Set time aside in the morning to establish a healthy start to your day. Put in 30 minutes for yourself before the day gets away from you. No electronics. Use this time for meditation, stretching, or a brisk walk. Allow some time for reflection as well as some for movement. If you have a morning workout planned spend time during your warm up or on your way to the gym or studio to mentally plan for your day. Forget the emails, focus in on your own needs and set up a plan for lunch, breaks, snacks, and dinner. If you don’t workout in the morning use your commute time to mentally imagine your day going exactly the way you would like it to play out.
Make time for short breaks throughout your workday. Set an alarm to get up from a seated position every 30 minutes. Break for 2 minutes to stretch, do some bodyweight squats, stroll over to the water cooler to refuel, or lie down and gather your breath and thoughts. Key is to get out of a seated position and away from electronic devices. Using this mental and physical break will assist with maintaining your energy throughout the day.
If you’ve made dinner plans review the menu before you arrive. By end of the day you may be a bit frazzled which makes it harder to make good meal choices. Set the tone before you sit and have a drink or two. If you are having dinner at home set an intention to not snack before the meal. If you are feeling hungry, you may actually be stressed or dehydrated, so grab more water and take a time out if you need it before jumping into preparing a meal.
Take time to completely relax at the end of your day. Most people have some problems with sleep and that often is a factor of not getting into a relaxed state before bed. Set aside social media and TV and converse with your family, friends, or enjoy the company of a pet. This may also be a good time to stretch, meditate and give thanks.
Take time everyday to be grateful. To be grateful is to express love. And love is one of the biggest requirements for happiness and longevity. Writing down what you are grateful for has been shown to strengthen the immune system and help you sleep better and longer. And grateful people are more likely to take care of their health and exercise more often which leads to feeling healthier. Gratitude also reduces negative emotions like resentment and frustration. Next time you are stuck in traffic, state out loud at least 20 things you are grateful for. Also use this exercise to relax before bed and set out for a great day in the morning.
Establishing healthy habits usually takes about 90 days. Be persistent. Focus on one of these points this week and move on to another next week. Please do let me know how it goes!