Gayle HHow many times have you said, “If I just had more time in my day I could/would …..”. Probably quite a few.
Unfortunately our reality is this – we all have the same 24 hours in a day. There will be no more, no less – unless something quite odd happens which, if it does, will probably wreak more havoc in our lives than simply adding a few more minutes to a day.
Wait, I take that previous statement back. In fact, every four years we have an additional day at our disposal. February 29th. A leap year.
But one day in four years does not a time savior make!
Nope. In our crazy, overworked, over scheduled, overcommitted lives, we don’t get any additional time to do things that we want to do.
And frankly I’m not convinced that most of us would use that extra time wisely. I suspect we would fill those precious extra minutes with work. Or uninspiring obligations. Or we’ll say yes to one more thing we should have said no to.
I’d like to propose an antidote to the never ending issue of not having enough time. Focus on increasing your energy levels.
While what I’m about to explain may seem a bit counter intuitive, I promise, you will see tangible benefits from your efforts.
Like when people tell you to eat more and you’ll lose weight.
Or get more sleep and you’ll be more productive.
Or less exercise may be better for your body.
Or like jumbo shrimp. Wait, sorry, that’s an oxymoron.
There are details behind all the counter intuitive statements I’ve made above. For example, eating more to lose weight – this assumes that you eat a balanced diet of protein, carbs and fats. But there is truth (and a lot of science) underlying the fact that if you consume 1500 calories of a well balanced meals every day compared to 900 calories of salads and diet cokes, you WILL ultimately lose some weight.
So let’s explore this idea about increasing your energy and how, ultimately, you will find that you get a lot more done in one day.
Why are our energy levels important?
I think this question is easily answered simply by having you remember a day when your energy stores were limited. Feel that exhaustion? Was it difficult to pay attention? Did you want to sit on the couch all day eating Doritos? Was your mood sunny and fun? Or tired and glum? Were you short tempered with people? Could you hardly wait to go to bed? Only to get into bed and not be able to sleep because you kept thinking about all the things you didn’t do that day?
We’ve all had a day I’ve just described. Maybe due to too much work. Maybe caused by a sick family member who kept you up all night. Maybe the source is a new baby. Or a hangover.
Low energy levels can, like anything in life, impact our health if we do not find remedies. Think about how your body does/doesn’t work when you are low on energy stores.
You are susceptible to illness (your defenses are down). You carry more stress (you worry about all the things you should be doing but aren’t). You are less inclined to eat healthy food or exercise (refer to Doritos and Diet Coke memories while laying on the couch watching Netflix) impacting your physical health.
Low energy levels also impact our ability to contribute our best selves to our professions and our personal lives. Low energy = slower thinking, slower reaction, less creativity, lower threshold for other people’s idiosyncrasies.
High energy, on the other hand, makes you feel invincible, right?
Take a moment to think of a time when you had a very high energetic day. You got enough sleep. You ate food that digested well and provided your body with nutrients. You looked good! You nailed an important meeting. You were the best parent presentation at show and tell that day.
Just reflecting on the difference between your low energy day and your high energy day should be enough data to support why your energy levels are important.
Because you are at your best when your energy levels are high!
So how do I increase my energy levels?
Here’s where things start to break down for us. And, back to my counter intuitive comments above, here is where we forgo easy energy boosters because we “don’t have enough time”.
Higher energy levels can be achieved through some very easy actions that require little (if any) additional time in your day.
1.Drink more water.
Water provides your body with oxygen – oxygen is natural energy for your body.
Water keeps you hydrated – dehydration has been linked to brain fog and decreased memory.
Water keeps the body lubricated – joints, bones, muscles move better, easier, with less pain.
Water helps keep the body clean – helps to rid the body of energy sucking toxins.
Water keeps your heart and circulation and blood in tip top shape.
Water makes you want to eat healthier food.
For more on all of those benefits, read this: 7 Health Benefits Backed By Scientific Research
Ever get that afternoon energy slump? When you start yawning for no reason at all? When you feel like you just want to take a nap? When you maybe feel a bit less ‘on’?
Maybe you think it’s time for a big ole venti mocha frappichino? Or some other large dose of caffeine?
Nope. Grab a glass of water. Add some lemon. Make it bubbly water if you need to. But drink water – and see if you notice a difference.
And when it comes to easy, how easy is getting a glass of water??? Please. You know getting water is easier than getting a coffee. Or a soda. Or a glass of juice. Water is easy.
Need more water ideas? I feel so strongly about water that I wrote a whole blog on it: 5 Ways to Make Drinking Water the Best Thing You Do Today
2.Eat More Whole Foods.
Whole Foods = Foods that are closest to their natural state as possible. Not processed, with added chemicals or added non-whole food ingredients.
Example: An apple is a whole food. Pick food from tree. Eat.
Example: A Dorito is not a whole food. There is no Dorito tree. Instead this is a concoction of chemicals and processed ‘foods’ mixed together in a lab. Do not eat.
Here’s how this works. Think back to what you learned in Biology during 8th grade. Specifically the digestive system. I’ll give you the Cliff Notes.
Food enters the body, starts to get broken down into its macro-nutrients (proteins, carbs and fats), and heads to the stomach where the break down is complete. These macro-nutrients then get filtered to the blood where they get taken to various parts of your body to provide energy for use. The brain, your muscles, your organs – everyone gets what they need to work at their most productive levels.
So what happens if you have a food that doesn’t actually contain whole macro-nutrients? Well, first, the breakdown process is inhibited. Then whatever does get broken down that is not useful for the body gets stored somewhere it shouldn’t. As fat. Or inflammation. Or as other gunky stuff just sitting around where it shouldn’t (yes, they say the word gunky in the Cliff Notes – I swear).
The body is deficient of nutrients to keep things running! Your brain, your muscles, your organs – everyone is impacted.
And what do you think happens? Well, a lot of not so great things, but for purposes of this topic, you lack energy.
You didn’t eat anything to provide energy to yourself so why do you think you’d have energy! We get tired. Lethargic. Grumpy. Foggy.
You need to eat energy to get energy.
I have two resources to help you to eat/snack healthy when you are ultra busy. Here and Here. I also do a full chapter on this topic in my book. And, can talk endlessly about how to easily eat healthy, so if you ever need any quick advice, you know where to find me.
3. Sleep!
The amount of energy you will gain from a good 7-9 hours of shut-eye is EPIC!
Consider these statistics:
– Sleeping 6 hours a night for 2 weeks straight yielded the same impaired function as staying up for two days straight (Harvard Medical School, University of South Wales).
– Sleeping 5 hours a night for 2 weeks straight has the same effect on the brain as being intoxicated (Harvard Medical School, University of South Wales)
So what can you deduce about your energy levels if you are low on sleep?? Yeah, they suck.
Add to that the stressors of your day, the demands of your schedule, errands, appointments, and everything else that fills our daily lives.
Your energy levels? Are DEPLETED.
Sleeping gives our bodies a chance to recharge. Think of your body as one of your electronic devices. You plug your phone/computer in when the battery is low to recharge the energy source, right?
Sleeping is our way of plugging our bodies into an energy source.
Have trouble sleeping? Try these ideas.
Replacing Time with Energy
So let’s go back to the beginning.
Time vs. Energy
Think about your calendar. Overbooked. Not enough hours in a day. Multi-tasking. Not getting the important items done. Too much to do too little time!
When we are low on energy, everything takes longer. We are grumpier. We are slower. We don’t think as clearly, so we need more time to get things done. We are stressed. We are short tempered. We make mistakes.
All of then above requires MORE TIME in our day to get things done!!!
Now, with a body and mind full of energy (from drinking water, eating whole foods, getting a good night sleep), you will work at your highest performance levels.
You will think more clearly. You will get things done right the first time (avoiding unnecessary time spent on do-overs). You will realize that quality always trumps quantity. You will be a nicer person avoiding time consuming arguments and wasted energy stewing in resentment and anger. You will spend time with the people who matter most to you because they will increase your energy levels. And spend less time with people who deplete your energy levels because you know what depleted energy will cost you.
Tap into your energy and you will find you create more time in your day!
Gayle H
