Lack of energy, motivation and general get up and go is hitting everyone right now. Are you fed up with the pandemic and sick of making do with what's on offer? Yeah! We crave variety. We want change! According to the Life Coach Tony Robbins, one of our basic needs as a human being is the desire for variation. It's built in. We need both predictability and variety to be happy. So it’s no wonder our energy has left the building and we’re feeling lost. It’s not our fault we are feeling lackluster and can’t be bothered at the moment and here are some reasons why.
Inactivity - One reason you might be feeling fatigued or drained is because you're not doing very much physical activity, which is weird because it's like a vicious cycle. You don't have any energy to do anything physical and then you don't want to do anything physical cause you don't have any energy! That's the challenging part. The thing is...the human body needs to move, it’s designed to. It's like a car battery and gets topped up on the move. So get a 30 minute HIT workout going one afternoon.
Is a foodie one. The challenge with being at home is we don't have a structure in place. It's very easy for us to skip lunch, not eat properly, and end up going for the wrong types of food. “It’s easily done” she thinks, looking at the extra large multi pack of crisps in the cupboard. “Who’s idea was it to get the 28pk?!” The kind of food we should be going for needs to be protein rich (I learned this from my PT). Her advice is I should eat protein with almost every meal. Including breakfast. Eek! So tuna fish it is then!
Supplements - you may need to top up on your vitamins. Vitamin B12 (you can get in liquid form) is about the blood iron levels. When we're low on iron, it can lead to anaemia - so keep an eye on it! Magnesium is another to keep a check on. My PT told me about this and encouraged me to take it. If you're not a supplement fan, you can get it from your leafy greens, so spinach and ‘on trend’ kale, or any veg really that's of the darker hue will suffice.
Your sleep routine - whoo, that's a biggie! If you are working a sort of nine to five, you may feel slightly better as a structure has been imposed on you from external forces, aka work. However many business owners, freelancers and stay at home parents, are finding it very easy to slip into late nights and struggling mornings. What to do? Have a little go at mixing up your evening routine as a way to wind down. It's so important but not always easy to curb the night time scrolling, night time TV binge watching and working late into the wee hours. All of these things don't allow your brain to switch off properly. Limit yourself to a programme or two then duvet time. Choose a book that will send you to sleep. #nooffence to the author.
Too much in your mind - Over-stimulated? An overactive mind can be a thing for many of us. And it is beginning to drain us. It drains our emotional energy. It’s why sleep is becoming the next big thing in the wellness world. Unfortunately this means that downtime becomes really hard so a good bedtime routine will help you transition from being in an active mind state to a relaxed one. T. Parkinson, a Personal-centered Counsellor for over 20 years, recommends taking 15 minutes to yourself each day regardless of what's happening just as a time out for yourself. This gives the brain a break. This golden nugget is also echoed by Doctor Mann who says doing nothing for 15 minutes everyday is important.
Homedesk - Workspace ideal? It’s a personal challenge for me, I am forever changing spaces and in particular my workspace. I've moved my workspace around 12 times since lockdown started last year. I moved my desk again this morning... whoops that's number 13! I move from one location to another and I have tried to create a workspace haven for myself - a few plants and nice pictures. Environments affect your mood. Its why offices are painted particular colours and the psychology of design. And if you are creative, it makes even more difference. Combating the clutter comes with it's challenges and keeping the work station spotless, that's tricky. However...research shows creative chaos is really good for us, especially for us 'Desk Messy Troops!' Dr Craig Knight says it can be damaging to mental energy levels for a messy person to be forced to tidy up. More so than the other way round. And let’s be fair, we all know when enough is enough - aka the sweetie wrappers! Oops.
You see, it’s really not your fault. Even with the best intentions, it can be hard to stay focused and check-in with what is happening with us. If you can only manage a couple of the points above, for now, you are on your way to building your energy levels again. I’ve mentioned my own struggles above so, hun, we really are all in this together! #HLBfamily #realtalk
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