91. Creating More Energy- STAT
2022 is the year to regain your energy. With everything that’s been going on the last two years, it’s about time we prioritize our own energy levels. In this episode, we’re talking about some of the simple and not-so-simple ways to help increase your energy this year. The Five Aspects of Physical Energy Sleep: getting enough sleep Light: getting enough daylight Nutrition: eating well often Exercise: small or big movements every day Water: drinking enough water Increasing Your Physical Energy We start out by talking about our physical energy levels because when we feel physically energized, it’s easier to tackle the mental energy. There are five aspects of physical energy we can start to improve using some pretty simple methods. Getting enough quality sleep every night will almost immediately improve your energy. Sleep is essential for our health. Aim to get at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep; I like to use Melatonin and sleep in a cool, darkroom. If you notice your physical energy dropping, take notice of how much sugar you’re consuming and try to reduce this. It’s also important to drink enough water, get a moderate amount of exercise, and get some natural daylight every day. Tips for Mental Energy Preservation The more difficult piece is the mental energy. Racing thoughts struggle with boundaries, and feeling overwhelmed is common and tricky to overcome. But there are ways to identify which thoughts go along with the overwhelm you feel. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or have a particularly long to-do list, I start applying the 3, 2, 1 method. By reducing the overwhelmingly long list in this way, and knowing I only have to get three things done makes the tasks feel less daunting and way more manageable. The 3, 2, 1 method also helps to reduce feelings of decision fatigue. It’s exhausting having to make decisions all day, every day, so anything we can do to reduce the overwhelm helps our energy levels. I also talk about how boundaries improve our mental energy. What is your word for 2022? My word is energy. How can you start to take some of your energy back this year? Let me know in the comments on the episode page! In This Episode How to create the most optimal sleep environment [5:00] How sugar impacts your energy levels [9:00] Simple ways to increase your physical energy every day [13:30] How to identify the thoughts that go with overwhelm [17:30] How to apply the 3, 2, 1, strategy to slow racing thoughts [20:00] How decision fatigue drains your energy [22:30] The role of boundaries in energy protection [25:00] Quotes “We don’t exercise to change how our body looks, we exercise for our health and how we feel.” [11:46] “Agree to agree that you can’t control everything. If you focus on what you can control, you’ve gained back over 50% of your energy. Most of the things that you stress over are things that you can’t control.” [21:22] “Boundaries are basically saying out loud what you want and that’s where you start.” [26:04] “If you can learn to set boundaries, you will take back a lot of emotional energy. A ton. And you’re worth it.” [26:52] Resources Mentioned Join G.O.A.L.S. Society Check out the full episode page here Find Life Coaching for Women Physicians Online Follow Dr. Ali Novitsky on Facebook | Instagram Subscribe to Life Coaching for Women Physicians on Apple Podcasts Podcast production by the team at Counterweight Creative Related Episodes Episode 80: Beating Burnout with A Simple Reset Episode 89: Good Enough in 2022 Episode 62: Creating Boundaries to Grow with Dr. Sasha Shillcutt