Ah, fall. When the temperature drops, the nights get longer, and my motivation to do anything falls faster than the leaves on the trees.
I’m not the only one who gets more lackadaisical in the fall. As the weather changes, the days become shorter and darker. This throws off our circadian rhythm and can completely ruin our sleep cycles. The change also means we need more sleep than we did in the summer, averaging 2.7 more hours of sleep a night in the month of October, but we rarely get those hours.
So here we are, walking zombies, and not just for our Halloween costumes.
How do we get that lost energy up? I’m going to spend the week trying to do just that.
How to Maintain a High Energy
The majority of the steps I’m taking this week to maintain a higher energy stem from the practice of Ayurveda, a holistic medical system rooted in India.
The main goal of practicing an Ayurveda lifestyle is to create a balanced and harmonious state of being otherwise known as Sattva. This is the key to maintaining your energy while not burning yourself out.
Here are the best habits to maintain your energy.
1. Start the day with a nutritious breakfast
While you need to eat a good balance of fruits, vegetables, carbs, and fats, you also need to focus heavily on liquids — add black coffee, smoothies, and lemon water to your breakfast.
2. Meditate
This is feeling a little like Kate Hudson’s morning routine and I love it. The practice of Ayurveda is all about centering yourself so you can tackle the day to the best of your abilities and meditation is a key tool for that. You don’t need to meditate any longer than 10 minutes, but try to start your day with that practice.
3. Eat sattvic foods
A key Ayurveda teaching is that food is energy, so glean your energy from what you eat. Try to include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seeds, and nuts in your diet.
4. Take breaks throughout the day
In case you haven’t realized yet, the way to maintain energy is to not spend it all at once. Release your stress throughout the day by utilizing five-minute breaks. Maybe get outside during those breaks or work on breathing practices.
5. Do not disturb
There aren’t many worse things than feeling stressed and overwhelmed and then having your mommy group chat blow up or your partner text you wondering about a question you’ve already answered. When you’re working and focused, don’t let your phone add to your stressors or distractions list.
6. Take a step back
When you feel as though the world is crashing in on you and you can’t breathe, it might be a good time to take that five-minute break and examine what’s stressing you out so much. Maybe write a list in order of importance and due dates, so you don’t get too overwhelmed doing everything all at once. More than likely, everything on your lists will be finished in the time it needs to be. There’s no need to add more stress to that list.
My Week
@annalawrencecoaching Want more sustained energy throughout the day? Try these 3 beginner Ayurvedic practices to manage fatigue and keep you sharp all day ✨ 1. Pranayama (breathwork): Nadi Shodhana or alternate nostril breathing. Check out my next video to see how it’s done & stay tuned for the next two Ayurvedic practices for more energy! #ayurveda #pranayama #nadishodana #alternatenostrilbreathing #meditation #vagusnerve #parasympatheticnervoussystem #restanddigest ♬ original sound – Anna | Wellbeing & Ayurveda
I’m glad I did this challenge this particular week because I was stretched thin every single day and needed an extra dosage of energy just to keep my head above water. While the tips above aren’t necessarily groundbreaking, they are a great reminder for those of us who love to work and often do more harm than good to our bodies and psyche by overworking ourselves.
I loved the gentle reminders to take the time to care for my body and my brain throughout the work day. While that should be a thing I do naturally, it’s nice to have a list of things to check off when I get the chance.
I didn’t feel like a new person every day, nor did I feel like I had just drank three cups of coffee after every break, but I know that every time I took time out of my normal schedule and added rest into my day, everything improved.
There were a few days when I skipped a meditation or I didn’t take five minute breaks constantly. But all in all, I love the methods I used this week and will continue to use them throughout my work days.
My Results
The ideas for maintaining energy can really be summed up into ideas for loving ourselves. All of these actions are small steps everyone ought to be taking every day in order not to get caught up in the hustle culture of it all.
While I didn’t necessarily notice a distinct change in my energy, I noticed that I didn’t take things as seriously and my work wasn’t my end-all-be-all this week, but my mental health was.
This week, I was able to put my self care at the forefront of all my actions and I allowed myself to take as many breaks as I could, and even though they didn’t feel ‘productive’ in the moment, I know they were for the best in the long run.
Have you tried any of these energy-giving hacks before? Comment below!
For More Articles About Energy, Read These Next:
