4 minute read
BALANCE YOUR LIFE, BOOST YOUR ENERGY
BRING BALANCE TO YOUR LIFE AND BOOST YOUR ENERGY
In a society hooked on being busy, how do you bring balance to your life and boost your energy reserves?
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With work and personal lives being more intertwined than ever, there are ever increasing cases of stress - related illness and burnout. The Mental Health Foundation found that in 2018, 74% of UK adults had felt so stressed at some point in the year that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. Are we paying enough attention to our energy? Squeezing that extra bit of effort out, working those extra few hours to get something finished? Believing if we just get past this crisis it will all be ok? In the frantic pace of day to day life, the vital warning signs that we are running on empty are often missed or ignored. It’s a quick fix to just grab yet another coffee or energy drink but that isn’t sustainable in the long run. We need to pay attention to topping up our wellbeing energy reserves regularly so that when faced with tough times, we have the resilience to recover more quickly and perform at our best.
THE 3 ENERGY RESERVES Physical Energy – fuels our ability to move around and powers our physiology Mental energy – powers our thinking and ideas and the internal processing of the mind Emotional Energy – fuels our feelings and contributes to our state of being Common symptoms of low reserves in these areas are; Physical – tiredness, insomnia, headaches, loss of appetite, no energy, stiffness, aches or pains. Mental – loss of concentration, foggy head, forgetfulness Emotional – irritability, mood swings, low motivation Do any of these seem familiar? Sometimes you are not consciously aware of exactly what is draining or even boosting your physical, mental and emotional energy. Becoming more self-aware is the first step to noticing when things are out of balance. Keep a weekly diary of events, how you feel, what’s going on and notice what patterns may emerge. Watch for situations, people or activities that trigger either a drain or a boost in your energy.
PHYSICAL EMOTIONAL
WELLBEING ENERGY
MENTAL
TOP ENERGY BOOSTING TIPS One of the biggest areas is in building in positive habits with the aim of them becoming automatic in your subconscious so you don’t even have to think about them. Sleep and exercise are still one of the most important contributing factors to physical emotional and mental wellbeing.
Evelyn is a qualified executive coach and mindfulness expert who is passionate about helping professionals stretch themselves without burning out. With a public sector background of over 20 years, she is experienced is in leading teams through high profile organisational change. Her private group wellbeing workshops are delivered to corporates and individuals. Evelyn has been featured on local radio and regularly speaks at charity events. wellnessforsuccess.com
MINDFULNESS It is a word you hear a lot these days but what does it actually mean? It’s simply about spending more time in the present moment and connecting with yourself in that single space. Taking yourself out of the stressful time and shifting focus from the stress to the peace of your own mind. Practising mindfulness is incredibly beneficial for your emotional energy and ability to focus.
A simple mindful exercise to immediately help overwhelm or stress: Stop what you are doing, close your laptop or put on the screen saver Rest your hands on your lap and uncross your legs. Start by taking a few slow deep breaths in and out. Look around your environment and pick something to focus your attention on. Really pay attention to what you are looking at. Notice the detail intensely What do you see, notice, feel, observe? Bring your awareness to your body and notice from your feet up to your neck shoulders arms and head if there is any tension or tightness Stand up, stretch or roll your shoulders or ankles. Take 3 deep breaths and then resume.
GRATITUDE AND KINDNESS Practising gratitude and kindness raises serotonin levels which helps us feel good. Keep a daily gratitude journal. Write down at least 3 things from the day that were positive, no matter how big or small. Take time to be kind to someone every day, whether you know them or not. Take a moment to smile or speak or make a gesture of consideration.
MINDFUL BREAKS Taking regular breaks boosts mental energy - but how many of us just work solidly for hours sometimes without a break? Our brains need frequent rest breaks during the day to process learning and memories.
Rest doesn’t always mean having a nap! It means consciously moving your mind away from concentrated focus. Get outside, switch on some music, practise the mindful exercise or meditate.
CONNECTION Connecting with others, share thoughts and concerns to gain perspective. This reminds us we don’t have to carry our emotional burdens by ourselves. Make time to catch up with friends or do something just for fun. If you spend a lot of time working on your own at home, make time to connect with other people, find a co-working space or join an online mentor group of entrepreneurs for support.
