Waking up feeling tired already for no apparent reason and going about your day with low-energy and motivation is something almost every other person these days can resonate with. There’s so much going on always, we are all playing catch-up at one point or another, so sooner or later it had to exhaust us.
There could be any reason involved for your consistent low-energy so it is crucial that you consider the medical aspects too. It could be any Vitamin deficiency or a medical illness you’re probably struggling with like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Sleep apnea, Anemia, Depression etc. These are just a few to name and since I am not a professional of any kind to suggest to you what your problem could be, I won’t. You will have to see a doctor for that.
However, speaking from my own experience (this is not pertaining to the medical issues) there could be more than just one kind of low-energy feeling -
One, where your personality type is inclining more towards Introversion. It’s your choice to exist using minimum energy. It gives you comfort which is why you are less welcoming of any high to moderate stimulating activities or environment This is not a problem and you don’t really feel energy deprived. You function well being quiet and away from people. You are totally okay unless you actually begin feeling low on energy while also being an introvert. (Something I dealt with)
Two, when you are experiencing a burnout.
Three, you are dealing with a loss, failure or any other major life setback.
Four, you are going through a soul-exhaustion phase wherein you experience complete lack of energy or to say you feel emptied from deep within for no immediate reason- this could be your emotional state burning out due to being in unhealthy relationships or lack of any close relationship for a very long time or even just being in a toxic relationship with your own self. (Personal experience again)
One could experience each of these together as well, even along with the above mentioned medical issues. For example- Grief can lead to living feeling detached that can in turn lead to soul exhaustion or maybe even depression. People could be getting more and more exhausted from within and half the time they don’t even realize what is happening to them until it turns worse and paves way for a meltdown or something as such. But just for your information, understand that there could be more but these are the ones I’m familiar with.
Fortunately I’ve been able to come up with a routine I personally follow now, one that has majorly contributed in getting me out of the slump and warming me up for a life that’s meant to be lived and not just wished.
So, you probably already understand that a routine is nothing but a bunch of habits which are either consciously or thoughtlessly clubbed together to form your day. It’s very important to be mindful of the habits that are becoming a part of our everyday life; otherwise we are just letting our life get carried away by our everyday moods and emotions.
Following is a routine or you can say- a few habits for one to start off with a productive life.
1. Move, physically- Right from the moment your alarm clock rings in the morning, count 5,4,3,2,1…and get out of your bed (Read Mel Robbin’s book The 5-Second Rule to know in depth about this technique). Physically moving to take action whenever a thought strikes to do something is the only way you will do it and in fact change something and break the chain.
2. Morning Sun- The warmth, light and necessary Vitamin-D can charge up your cells and leave you feeling more active throughout the day. You will also avoid fatigue in the long run.
3. Exercise- Moving your body is the 101 rule to creating a boost of energy in you. Do a few simple yoga poses, take a short walk of about 10-15 minutes outside or perform a thorough 20-40 minute exercise to get your blood pumping. The idea is to kick start the day stronger.
4. Meditate- Sit down still for just 6 minutes to begin with. Focus on your breath or the sound of something calming. Eyes close or open in your choice. You are only trying to slow down and slip into your day ahead in a rather calm way.
5. Shower- I prefer morning showers before getting on with work for the day because just a simple act of washing up will refresh you. It’s almost a therapy to take a slow shower and rejuvenate your body. Personally I don’t prefer cold showers because that seems like a severe attempt to pump up the nerves and also because I have a Sinusitis issue. If it’s okay with you, you can do that too.
6. Get out of those PJs- This is the most important rule when it comes to the work-from-home group but even otherwise, getting out of your pyjamas and putting on something nice will mentally prepare you for a new and productive day. There will be lesser chances that you will get in bed, let that energy level drop and sulk about everything that isn’t working.
7. Organize your day- Plan, prioritize, organize! If you want to write down a to-do list, update your Google calendar or simply think it through- your choice. But do it. Don’t just go about the day not knowing what needs to be accomplished and within what time-frame. Chances are you will hardly get anything done.
8. Eat clean and healthy- Eating high fat foods or anything with too much sugar can leave you feeling lethargic for the rest of your day. Considering your own health requirements and what suits your system figure out what’s necessary for you. Consult your doctor or a dietician about this. All I know is everything in balance is good. No hard-core diets work for me. I take everything in moderation and that’s how it has worked for me. Do what works for you.
9. Take necessary supplements- It is not always possible to get everything that’s necessary for your body in right portions from food every single day. We always miss out on something so it’s okay to take some of those in the form of supplements. Ask your doctor to prescribe them. Take them regularly and that will show a significant amount of difference if you’ve been struggling with some form of Vitamin or any other deficiency until now. I know this because my mother once experienced severe fatigue and muscle pains. She even felt feverish sometimes with the temperature being perfectly normal. After a lot of tests, turned out she had deficiency of a lot of vitamins. Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 were the two I remember because the deficiency of these has supposedly affected her the most. So you would probably like to consider that.
10. Avoid multi-tasking- Focus on one thing at a time. Climb one step at a time. Even with this routine, if the whole thing is overwhelming you- start with one habit each day and take it for a week before adding another. Then slowly include one by one. Soon each of them will become unforced part of your daily life- a routine.
11. Breathe- Inhale, Exhale. Through the day every time you catch yourself growing anxious or talking yourself down, BREATHE. Take a few deep inhales and exhales. That will remind you to take it easy from then on.
12. Talk to someone- Talk to a friend or anyone you feel comfortable with. Talk about your routine or something different that happened that day- maybe something nice you cooked or ate. The idea is to feel the connection. Avoid topics or people that will drain your energy. The idea is to have a bit of stimulation to keep those energy levels up.
13. Read a new book or watch a good movie- It’s said that a good book can change your life. I believe a good story can too. We always pick something from the stories around us. There is always something different and fresh to grasp if we are just willing to empathize a little.
14. Don’t stay in your head for too long- Catch yourself every time those thoughts of yours start to grow inside. For over-thinkers, especially, even simple thoughts could turn into massive tornadoes wrecking havoc in their heads. I know it because I’m one. So every time your head starts to get too noisy do something that will calm you down- listen to music or enjoy the silence in your balcony. Anything to wash away the thoughts.
15. Less Caffeine- I have read somewhere that more than 3-4 cups of coffee a day can in turn strip you off your energy because the more you consume the greater the effect will be when it wears off. As a result you are going to consume more and the cycle only grows. So a cup or two should do. Also avoid caffeine in the second half of your day.
16. Less Screen time- I understand if you say that your work demands more screen time, so does mine. The point is we have to work our way around it. When you catch yourself scrolling mindlessly through the feed, STOP. Use it purely for your work and then maybe half-an-hour for your personal use. Don’t be surprised. I mean it. Before you know it your energy, your will to do anything else is sucked out by that screen and then you are suddenly indulged in self-hate after seeing everyone else’s ‘perfect’ life.
17. Have a peaceful night-time routine- Do what you have to, to end the day relaxingly. Don’t watch news or anything of that sort before going to bed. Maybe take a nice bath, do your skin care routine, read a page in a book or talk to your partner about each other’s day. Do anything to wind the day up smoothly in a nice package and put it away. Avoid screens from at least an hour before you sleep. Do all this and you will see a significant shift in your sleeping patterns over a few days. As in, you will sleep really well and wake up fully rested.
18. Sleep early for a refreshing start to the next day- I’m hoping you understand this little point. Your morning routine starts with your night routine. Yes. Your morning and how you wake up feeling is determined by your night and how that previous day ended. So sleep early so you can wake up early and not just that. Your body derives most energy from the sleep that lasts between 9 and 5. Note that at least 7 hours of sleep is necessary but don’t do it from 12 am to 7 am or 2 am to 10 am or something like that. It doesn’t really work that way.
Remember, no matter how many powerful habits you pickup you still have to keep these 6 things in mind and practice them if you really want to break the low-energy cycle-
1. Develop a routine and STICK TO IT- What you do EVERY DAY is what will add up and change your life. So though a routine is the most important thing, only sticking to it makes a difference.
2. Get organized- Start at one place and organize everything that isn’t until now. Your phone, your desk, your closet, your schedule, your life.
3. Quit the negative self-talk- Every time you see someone better or something goes wrong with you, stop blaming yourself or assuming that nothing will ever change. If you keep putting yourself down, who do you expect to bring a change in your life? Cut off on the self-pity. Simple mantra- Accept what is and work from there. Only look towards what all there can be.
4. Move- If you have a thought of doing something, just jump up and move. MOVE! When your body sets into physical motion immediately, there is a shift in your internal energy and that becomes your push to carry on before your mind decides not to.
5. Take it one thing at a time- Don’t be overwhelmed at the idea of a huge change. The beautiful thing about change is it WILL happen even if you literally change only one small thing today. You will be surprised at that difference when you look back a month or a year from now.
6. Be consistent- Try everything in the world but if you don’t do it everyday (regularly) or be consistent, there’s no point in you knowing the ‘HOW’. You are as good as someone who doesn’t.
Lastly, remind yourself of this one thing over and over- Why do you want this so bad? The answer is all you need to get up and get back. Remember that even if you miss a day or two or even more, just pick up where you left. Don’t just quit. Go easy on yourself but not so much that you slip back into the old cycle. You are doing this for yourself, so until you find a balance, show up everyday, do the thing you need to do and do it consistently. You will witness your life change. You will see yourself in the right light.
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