7 High Energy Tips to Rock Your Day

Years of experience coaching groups and individuals toward reaching their goals has taught me one thing. Energy matters. And most of us report wanting more of it.

Several years ago I had the amazing experience of working with a VNA (visiting nurses association) in Santa Cruz that really drove this point home for me. I was asked by the managerial team to create a fun and engaging wellness program for this office full of women with extremely different health profiles, some of whom found the idea of the program extremely daunting.

I realized some creativity would be paramount to equally engage such a diverse team around the delicate subject of personal fitness, so instead of jumping right into goal setting strategies, I introduced the idea of morning energy building tips as a starting point.

The team loved the simplicity, and the results. They expressed feeling more positive and motivated to stay on track with their goals, regardless of how challenging the experience.

My experience shows and research proves that an integrated approach to change is always the most effective. Individual energy levels are determined by a combination of biology, lifestyle and nutrition choices. While your biological makeup is difficult to change, lifestyle factors are, if not easy, at least doable. And managing your energy level is a great place to start!

Ready to take your focus and motivation to the next level? Try these 7 energy-boosting tips to start your day off right!

1. Lose the snooze; studies show that the extra sleep you gain from hitting the snooze button does nothing to improve your energy, in fact, just the opposite. So move that alarm clock across the room if you have to, set it at the time you really need to get up, and start your day right!
2. Set your path; taking a moment to set an intention for the day lets you align your focus with your goals. Since energy is the focus here, try keeping your energy uplift practices top of mind as your day progresses.
3. Just breathe; research shows that we’re actually running low on oxygen first thing in the morning, so stopping to take 5 slow, deep breaths, begin sure to fully exhale on the out breath, is a great way to begin your morning.
4. Rehydrate right (as in plain, noncaffeinated water); after 8 hours without hydration, you’re ready for a refill to control and hunger pangs and help you wake up.
5. Hold the joe (just for an hour of so) When you wait 60-90 minutes for your cortisol levels to peak before your first cup of coffee, you’ll get the most of that caffeine boost and maintain healthy cortisol levels on through to the afternoon.
6. Skip the sugar; most of us consume at least 2x the daily amount recommended by the American Heart Association. Not only does this dramatically increase risk of diet-related disease, it puts your body on an energy roller coaster that may last all day long. Juices and coffee drinks are key sources, so always read the label and opt for low or sugar-free.
7. Crank up the tunes; whether you’re in the kitchen or in your car, find some fun, energizing music and crank it up! Extra credit; sing along!

Wondering if these tips work? Track your progress!   Schedule and energy check in mid-morning, same time, before and after. Assess your mood and energy levels on a scale of 1-5 and write it down. Compare and contrast to see what works for you. Send me an email, I would love to hear how it goes!