Often, when a lack of energy strikes, most people are inclined to grab and drink energy drinks. However, it is not the most efficient and healthy thing to do.
Recent studies have shown that consuming energy drinks are health risk particularly, heart health. Of course, there is no substitute for maintaining a healthy diet and eating energy-boosting foods or taking supplements like CoQ10.
But there is more to just taking supplements and having a healthy diet. If you feel the need for an energy boost, there are certain activities you can do.
These activities are simple to do that can affect one's well-being such as physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual.
Physical
Probably, the most obvious when it comes to lacking energy and feeling tired is the physical aspect of humans.
So, let us explore the activities related to the physical that can give us a boost in energy and motivation, as well.
1. Take A Daily Walk
The habit of engaging in daily walks as a regular activity has many health benefits, including longevity, anti-aging, and even help in keeping anxiety under control.
However, many of us today are sitting for a long time due to the work we do. On the contrary, our bodies are not designed for that. Hence, taking a daily walk for 10 to 30 minutes is a healthy form of activity.
Walking is easy, and it only takes a few minutes a day but gives the body tremendous health benefits. Plus, it allows you to have sun exposure, which is essential for Vitamin D production.
All these daily walk health benefits can provide the body with a much-needed energy boost for you to focus at work and go through the day with ease.
2. Take A Quick/Short Nap
During the first half of the day, you may be full of energy. However, as mid-day approaches and lunch break is done, energy seems to disappear.
One of the best ways to regain energy and go through the rest of the day with ease is to take a short nap. Quick afternoon naps is refreshing and good for maintaining a healthy blood pressure level.
3. Do Stretching
Stretching routine is an excellent morning routine. It is also great and helpful prior to doing workouts like HIIT and strength training.
But do you know that most of the time, stretching is all you need to be able to break a lethargic moment?
As quick as a 2-minute stretch helps your body loosen up, improve blood flow, and allows energy to flow freely giving you an instant energy boost.
If you're getting caught in your chair sitting long without breaks, take a stretch, or stand up and stretch.
Back and neck pains are among the consequences of sitting long without breaks. These exercises might help you.
Emotional
Besides the physical aspect, the emotional aspect is often neglected but contributes significantly to causing low energy.
Let us look at what can be done to the emotional aspect to maintain high energy and motivation at work or personal life.
4. Check Your Diet
As mentioned in the beginning, foods have a significant impact on energy. Hence, it is crucial to check your diet and make sure what you eat is good for the body.
The emotional aspect often links to brain health. The healthier the brain, the better and easier to feel good, which eventually triggers a boost in energy.
When it comes to diet or foods you eat, make sure to avoid or minimize highly processed and sugary foods. Instead, focus on eating high-fiber foods that come from whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.
5. Calling a Friend
The mood can affect energy levels. Having a good mood raises energy, optimism, and motivation while a bad mood has the opposite effect.
Social connection, in this case, calling or connecting with a friend is a good way to achieve good moods.
The next time you feel down and low, call a trusted friend, and have a chat. A non-sense conversation can sometimes lead to a feeling of happiness, which eventually puts you in the right mood.
6. Playing a Game
Playing simple games like those pre-installed in Windows can sometimes put people in the right mood, and eventually regain energy for productivity.
However, getting addicted to games is not good. So, play only the games that are simple and enough to put boost your focus and eventually regain your energy.
If you work in a company wherein gaming is part of the culture to boost productivity, you're lucky.
Intellectual
The intellectual aspect is another thing to address. There are certain activities that make it more interesting.
The more you learn and become better at what you do makes you feel full of energy. Hence, you can do things such as;
7. Playing Music In The Background While Working
Keeping the music playing at low volume in the background while working can be helpful in productivity and keeps the energy level high.
The kind of music does not matter. If you like pop music, play it. On the other hand, there are certain types of music without lyrics that are designed for focus and productivity.
Some of these have apps that can be installed on a smartphone to listen on while doing the work. Brain.fm is one of these apps that has a collection of various genres of music for relaxation, sleep, and focus.
8. Reading A Book
One study says that reading a book daily can contribute to one's longevity. However, not many people are into reading.
But if you start reading a page a day, you'll be able to gain focus and be able to read a few pages per day.
The habit of reading books helps in stimulating the brain in gaining focus for a longer period of time.
Therefore, instead of spending hours binging on TV that has a bad effect on the brain, overall health, and negative impact on male sperm count, read a book.
9. Reframing Your Perspectives
Reframing perspectives is a powerful tool, and yet many are not doing it. It is looking at problems or situations from different angles.
For example, if you encounter a problem or challenge, before tackling it, look at it on how you approach it.
Another logical example is the struggle to exercise daily. When you look at the effort you put exercising, it exhausting. However, if you look at it from a different perspective, like seeing the benefits of it, it makes you motivated to exercise.
In other words, finding the “why” you're doing what helps you do the work more effectively.
Next time, when you feel unmotivated and drained, look at things from a different perspective, and see the good things from them.
Spiritual
Many people are shy about talking about spirituality. The reality is we are all spiritual beings. The energy that flows throughout our body is inexhaustible.
For instance, sexual energy can be harnessed through some form of exercise for health purposes.
10. Meditation
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years in the East. Today, meditation is recognized to have a positive impact on health and wellness.
Another thing that can cause low energy in a significant way is stress. Hence, keeping stress minimal and under control is vital.
Daily regular meditation practice is a great way to keep stress under control. It makes you feel refreshed, as well as clarity.
11. Getting In The Zone
When you are in the zone or “flow”, it feels like you have all the time in the world and everyone around you is in good vibrations.
So, make it a habit to do daily rituals that can put yourself in the zone or flow.
12. Experience and Feel The Power of “NOW”
While we're doing something, we always tend to think about the next thing. In fact, for productivity purposes, many have To-Do lists. In turn, it makes us chase continually chasing stuff in the future.
Although it is a good thing to think about our future, being stuck in this habit can be exhausting. Hence, when you do something, focus on that thing and enjoy the time while you're doing it without worrying about what you should be doing next.
It is called being present and somewhat related to being the zone or flow.
For instance, when you go to sleep at night, instead of thinking about the things that could happen the next day, just go to sleep. Be grateful for the day, and when you can do a journal before sleep and list the things you are thankful for that day.
For most people, this may be an odd thing to do but many successful individuals are doing this, which is why they're successful and they have their stress under control every time.
Final Thoughts
Small changes could bring significantly big results. For individuals who are not accustomed to these activities as ways to boost energy and motivation, these could be overwhelming.
However, it is not necessary to do all these at once. Do one activity you are comfortable doing and be good at it.
Meaning, keep doing it until it becomes a habit. Then, do another one and so on. Sooner, you'll realize that you are doing the majority of these activities, if not all.
You don't have to take a big leap if you can't do it, just take one step at a time. One activity at a time, and add another one, and another one, and so on.
The more consistent you do these activities, you'll find and enjoy the results of your efforts.