The car engine won’t turn over. Your cell phone darkens. The laptop’s screen ignores the power button. Dead batteries impede productivity and leave us helpless. New technology includes rechargeable designs, but failure to plan time to plug in will leave you stranded.
Optimal life maintains consistent personal energy required to succeed interpersonally and intrapersonally. With sufficient charge, we can enjoy productivity at work and fulfilling relationships beyond it. Energy motivates and sustains us to live better and help others do the same.
How do you keep your personal batteries charged? Start with the following tips:
1. Design fulfillment into your life.
If your work fails to reflect your purpose and passions, seek opportunities to shift your career or add activities outside your job which fit you better. See my previous blogs for more details about identifying purpose and passions.
2. Volunteer.
Serving and giving bless the volunteer more than the recipient. I’ll explain this principle in detail next week, but reaching out improves mood and helps define or fulfill a deep need for purpose.
3. Rest properly.
Dreamful sleep provides one component of necessary rest. Practice good sleep hygiene to improve your chances of getting adequate REM time. Take mini-refreshers during the day, too. Relaxation techniques such as imagery exercises and yoga breathing will rejuvenate the body and mind in a matter of minutes.
4. Carve out thinking time.
Five minutes to reflect, release, and plan works wonders to help us settle mental chaos and focus clearly on upcoming tasks.
5. Laugh.
Laugh more. Schedule another laugh soon. I’ll risk sounding redundant because most of us fail to grasp the healing power of laughter. Laughter transforms our brain chemistry, offering mood elevation and pain relief without side effects. Laughing brings us such amazing results, you’ll likely see it mentioned in several articles, blog posts, and workshops.
6. Get out.
In addition to the multiple energizing benefits of exercise, we also need sunshine. Natural light elevates mood and increases energy.
7. Hug and be huggable.
Connecting with positive, life-giving people serves and important role in maintaining healthy personal energy.Friends don’t often arrive on the doorstep in a basket. Take the initiative to become a friend to others who will enjoy a hug and a smile. Present yourself as a blessing to others and find groups of like-minded people to join in worthy endeavors.
8. Eliminate toxins.
Root out any lifestyle components which drain energy and well-being. Some might be necessary for the season you’re in, but it is likely you can eliminate many of them. If you’re a caregiver for elderly loved ones, a mother of a newborn, or experiencing temporary stress at a job you cannot yet leave, there will be some strains which must be reframed instead of eliminated. Write thankfulness statements about the tasks you cannot change. Find the glimmer of joy lining that storm cloud. If there are toxic (abusive, untrustworthy, lacking healthy boundaries, e.g.) people with whom you can limit interactions, do so. Reduce exposure to negative media and gossip. Purge as much negativity from your lifestyle as possible, including your own words. Fast from complaining to discover how much you need to cut back on toxic verbal habits.
9. Nourish yourself.
Proper nutrition offers mental, physical and emotional energy. Balance a healthy diet for improved stamina, focus, and mood.
10. Drink equal parts inspiration and water.
Just as we need eight glasses of water to hydrate our bodies each day, inspiration must be imbibed on a consistent basis. One inspiring word or experience does not last the rest of our lives. We must intentionally fill each day with verses, phrases, stories and music to rejuvenate our souls. Year after year, we must plan activities to renew our hearts and challenge our souls. Machu Picchu won’t appear on your calendar unless you plan an unforgettable trip to conquer it. Register for a conference, retreat, or class. Visit an inspirational place. Make time to chat with a mentor.
Let me know which of these steps you’re working on, and comment about your experience. I look forward to reading your comments!
Be Encouraged,
Tina
Excellent! Thank you.