Get More Energy Today!

Overcome your own personal energy crisis with the very best ways to boost your juice…

If you didn’t know better, you might think that all the energy necessary to get through the ups and downs of an average day could be found in a powder, a pill, or a suspiciously small can. If only! But here’s some good news: getting – and more important, keeping – your energy level high is a breeze. Here are some tips and tricks…

1. To get your first energy boost of the day: Eat a Little Something. Studies show that breakfast-eaters enjoy more energy and stay in a better mood throughout the day than their breakfast-skipping counterparts. Now just any breakfast will not do. Instead aim for an energy balancing mix of high-quality carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats – oatmeal with a serving of almonds, and egg white omelet with a slice of avocado and a side of berries, or even last night’s leftovers.

2. To have enough zing to get yourself out the door: Fake it. You know the saying, “Fake it, til you make it.” Slap on a smile. Wear a crisp, clean outfit instead of sloggy sweats. If you fake energy until you feel it, soon enough your body will catch on. The face you show to the outside world sends a message to the brain. Simply smiling releases endorphins and boosts serotonin, which actually lead you to feel the emotion you’re projecting.

3. Turn your emotions into energy: Spin your Situation. If a few hours working has depleted your good mood, you might find yourself feeling inexplicably exhausted. A bad mood snaps your energy because it keeps your mind busy ruminating. Substituting thoughts about what you have in your life, as opposed to what’s missing, can help reverse the negative spiral. With the first sign of stress or energy drain, ask “What was I just thinking that’s causing me to be in such a funk?” Once you zero in on the problem, replace it with something that’s positive. For example, “I’m grateful that I just had an argument with Sarah. It was a good reminder that I don’t allow people to walk all over me.” This type of turn around will help you from wasting a lot of energy.

4. To find the energy to conquer your to-do list: Change up your daily routine. The same ol’ same ol’ is more than boring – it’s an energy suck. When you switch things up, the brain’s reward, dopamine, is released, which prepares the body for action. The brain is constantly trying to predict the way the world works, so when you encounter something that’s novel, it sees an opportunity to learn something new. Even small changes – like taking an alternate route to work or making that morning jog or afternoon swim – can make a difference.

5. To stay energized during a very long meeting: Sip something cold. Anything over ice is an instant pick-me-up, but staying hydrated can also help prevent brain drain. Water is ideal, but for an extra boost, make it an iced tea. The combo of caffeine and the amino acid theanine stimulates alpha brain waves that are associated with an alert state of mind.

6. To keep going on very little sleep: Get small caffeine hits. Instead of downing one giant to-go cup of coffee, drink 4 – 6 ounces (the amount of a small cup or a half a mug) every few hours. Low doses of caffeine throughout the day are more effective than the traditional large first cup in the morning.

7. To find the energy to deal with conflict: Stop fibbing to others. Making up stories – even the tiniest white lies – takes more energy than simply telling it like it is. When you withhold things or aren’t forthcoming, you’re constantly thinking about what you’re saying and how you’re saying it in order to avoid blowing your cover. Of course, you don’t want to unload in a harsh way in the name of honesty. Try wrapping the truth in something positive.

8. To retain your energy when you’re upset: Breathe! It’s normal to get worked up when something rotten happens. But staying worked up is just a waste of energy, and breathing can help you take it down a notch, thus conserving your energy. Breathing with long slow breaths – as opposed to taking shallow breaths, which we tend to do when we’re stressed – forces more oxygen into your cells, slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and improves circulation, ultimately resulting in an energy boost.

9. To find the juice to de-clutter your surroundings: Picture a tidy space. Clutter is a great big drag on your energy – and not just because of all the stuff taking up space. So much that ends up as clutter are tasks that we haven’t finished or obligations we haven’t been able to meet. Who wants to be in a space where there are constant reminders of things you should be doing or aspiring to?

10. To avoid an afternoon energy slump: Get moving. The exercise-and-energy equation goes like this: The more active you are, the better your circulation, and the better you’ll feel. So take a walk. If you can’t get outside, a trip around the office or up and down a few flights of stairs will do the trick. A brisk, 10-minute walk is enough to boost your energy level for up to two hours.

11. To boost your energy (and treat yourself): Enjoy some Dark Chocolate. Sugar isn’t a complete no-no when it comes to energy – you just have to conquer the crash. That cookie with sprinkles will give you the rush you’re looking for, but your body will burn the sugar quickly, and soon enough your energy level will take a nosedive. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, contains the stimulant theobromine, which boosts energy without the jitters that can come from caffeine. Choose chocolate with at least 60% cacao and eat it with a little protein – a dab of organic nut butter atop a 1 ounce square of chocolate.

12. To remain sharp at the end of the day: Stay hydrated. Where dehydration goes, fatigue follows. But staying hydrated involves more than drinking lots of water. You also need potassium – the mineral that helps regulates fluid balance in the body. Even mild dehydration can slow metabolism and sap your energy. To stay hydrated, besides drinking water and eating water-based fruits and vegetables throughout the day, aim for at least one serving of potassium-rich food or drink – such as avocado, coconut water, banana, white potato – each day.

More Power to you during these crazy times!

Best, Andrea