5 Ways to Master Managing Workday Energy

Three 8-ounces cups of coffee and a half of pound of sugar per day is what the average American is consuming! Why? Besides being addictive and delicious both of these substances give out instant energy and boy are we in an energy deficit. The majority of professionals are sick and tired and since they don't even have the energy necessary to make the changes in their life to get at the root cause of their fatigue they turn to quick fixes. These stimulant band-aids give fake energy, create dependencies, disconnect us from our body's signal exacerbate lifestyle mismanagement, deplete the body of energy-generating resources, and allow professionals to push beyond the limits of the body and mind. Combined this all leads to the fattest, sickest, least engaged, most depressed and most exhausted workforce ever. There has got to be another way!

Here's an alte
ative perspective...if we respect and care for ourselves enough to manage how we move, eat, rest, and create happiness we wouldn't need fake energy. It really can be that simple. Below are 5 Ways to Master Managing Your Workday Energy that I present to my clients in guiding them towards more natural energy and vitality.

1. Live Life like a Sprint Not Marathon

In an attempt to experience the very best life possible, most professionals live and work as if they are running a marathon, but they have it completely wrong. Marathons are long, slow, chronic stress. Today's professional is always on, working well beyond 9 to 5, and never unplugs. Endurance sports and distance cardiovascular exercise is known to release stress hormones that have a catabolic effect of eating away muscle tissue and deteriorating joints. With sprinting you have short, intense bursts of stress followed by lots of rest and recovery. It's this rest that allows the body and mind to rebuild muscles and replenish energy stores. Set up your day in blocks of activities and time frames as if you are running a series of sprints with scheduled rest and breaks!

2. Plug Into All Four Energy Sources

Professionals have a one-dimensional view of their energy, but there are three other energy plugs beyond just the physical that can be tapped into. Professionals can gain significant energy by plugging into the mental, emotional, and spiritual sources of energy as well. The mental plug gives your energy focus and comes from intellectual stimulation through creative expressions, problem solving, novel and challenging projects, learning, reading, and inspiring conversations. The emotional plug influences the quality of your energy and is cultivated through connection with your tribe and team, pets, social interactions, mentoring, and volunteering. The spiritual plug is the force behind your energy and it deeply rooted in having a purpose outside of oneself or a vision bigger than oneself. Physical energy should be addressed first and foremost, if you are still experiencing fatigue, make sure you are plugged into these other three sources as well.

3. Recharge Your Bio-Battery from Bottom Up

Physical energy or one's capacity for energy can be divided into six lifestyle factors: breathing, hydration, sleep, nutrition, strength, and cardiovascular activity. The majority of professionals only put their attention and effort into their cardio and strength workouts, but neglect the true foundation of physical energy. When you are already tired a hard, long workout with cardio and strength will only drain your bio-battery even more. Recharge from the bottom up and only when you have the natural energy to do a cardio and/or strength workout should you. Invest your effort in improving slow diaphragmatic breathing patterns, drinking half your body weight in water, sleeping 7+ hours and taking naps, and eating the right balance of organic plant and animal foods for you.

4. Don't Underestimate The Power A Short Break

In the book The Power of Full Engagement, the authors conducted studies on world champion tennis players. The difference between the champions and the top tier was their ability to recover between points. They found that in only 16 to 20 seconds between points during a tennis match, the heart rates of the top competitors dropped as much as 20 beats per minute! This was done by having specific, repeatable, and efficient positive energy routines for the athletes to recover. Don't think you need a long break for it to be effective. What can you do between points?

5. Power Hour

It was discovered in the 1970's that we have 90-120 minute cycles throughout our waking hours that account for our rise and fall of energy called ultradian rhythms. Heart rate, hormonal levels, muscle tension, brain-wave activity, and alertness all increase during the first part of the cycle. After an hour, these measurements start to decline and somewhere betwee
90 and 120 minutes, the body begins to crave a period of rest and recovery. Signals of that break craving include desire to yawn, stretch, hunger, increased tension, difficulty concentrating, procrastination, day dreaming, and higher incidence of mistakes. We can override these natural cycles with our quick fixes, but only by activating the fight-or-flight response and stress hormones.