7 TIPS TO LIVE A HAPPIER LIFE

Are you a sluggish person who wakes up in the morning? Do you find caffeinated drinks a necessity to power through the day?

This may sound familiar? Then it is time to get rid of the quick fixes and create an energy management plan. Although it may seem difficult to get started, once you see the benefits of a happier and healthier lifestyle, you will be more motivated to continue.

What is energy management?

Your energy is a limited resource. Think of it as money in an account. Each day begins with a set amount of money to spend. This amount can vary from one person to another depending on many factors such as age, lifestyle, sleep patterns, stress levels, medical conditions, and lifestyle.

Interactions and activities can withdraw energy or deposit energy into your bank account. You can control the activities that drain your energy but you can still take steps to add more energy to your account.

These seven tips will help you increase your energy to live a happier, more productive, and healthier life.

1. Get healthy food.

Well-being is all about a healthy, balanced diet. It’s not uncommon to view healthy eating as a way to lose weight. For optimal energy, a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains is recommended by the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. You are truly what you eat.

To get energy throughout the day, eat a variety of food from all the food groups. You can choose to eat fresh or frozen vegetables, including nutrient-dense dark leafy greens like broccoli and carrots, as well as orange veggies such as sweet potatoes and sweet potatoes. There are many options for protein choices, including fish and legumes. Daily intake of whole-grain cereals and breads, as well as rice, pasta, should be 3 ounces.

2. Sleep seven to eight hours each night.

To be successful and energized, it is important to prioritize sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to serious health problems and negatively impact your motivation, energy, and mood. Quality sleep is something that everyone needs to improve. Adults need seven to eight hours sleep each night. So what is stopping them from getting that quality sleep?

If you have trouble sleeping, it is worth paying attention to your sleep habits. If you are having trouble sleeping, take note of how many hours you sleep each night, the factors that influence your sleep, how tired you feel, and how much energy your day brings. You can then use sleep strategies to improve your sleeping habits, such as creating a calm and peaceful environment, reducing light and noise, setting a bedtime routine and managing stress.

Be consistent, no matter what you choose to do. Using the same routines and strategies for sleeping will improve your internal clock and lead to better sleep quality. People who have better sleep quality experience better health and a higher level of emotional well-being. They also experience lower risks of developing diseases and are more productive.

3. Keep company with positive people.

Maximize your time with people that you like. You will feel more motivated and excited if you connect with people who are positive and share your interests.

People you don’t like, who are difficult to relate to, have negative outlooks, make bad choices, or complain often will drain your energy. Choose carefully who you choose to keep in your company.

To protect yourself and preserve your energy, it is important to establish boundaries.

4. Avoid news overload.

It’s important to keep up with what’s going on in the world by reading news. It can be informative, entertaining, and even uplifting.

Too often, news stories are filled with stories about suffering. These stories can cloud your perspective and make it easy to see the negative instead of seeing the positive.

These stories are not something you can avoid, but it is possible to reduce your exposure, particularly during difficult times.

5. Get regular exercise.

Are you ever lethargic mid-day? Do you ever feel tired from simple tasks like grocery shopping and household chores? According to the Department of Health and Human Services, adults should be able to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Contrary to what you may think, this will not decrease your energy but add to it.

Exercise reduces stress and tension, strengthens the muscles, boosts endurance, improves flexibility, and makes your body more efficient in other activities and tasks.

6. Every day, do something meaningful.

What are you passionate about? Are you passionate about a particular skill that you would like to share more often? Even if it’s something as simple as listening to your favorite song or cooking healthy meals, you should do something that you love every day. You will find the most rewarding things in your life if you put effort into them.

7. Positive thoughts are good for others.

Conserving energy is possible by maintaining a compassionate mindset. Kind attention is one example of this type of thinking. Try making eye contact with strangers and smiling while saying “I wish you all the best.” Instead of judging someone, this positive act can help you to keep your eyes open. Judging others can lead to self-judgment, which can be very exhausting.

Each step towards this important self-care investment will make you feel better.

These are some simple ways to be more mindful about taking care of yourself.

• Track your energy. 

Take your energy temperature at different points during the day and assign it a number between 1 and 10, with 10 representing the highest level of energy. You can track the events and people that have the greatest impact on your day by paying attention to details.

• Make incremental modifications.

After you have identified the people and events that are affecting your energy, think about your next steps. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, pick one area that is most important to you and set realistic goals. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, choose one drawer, cabinet or closet each week if your home is disorganized. Next, move on to the next goal as soon as you feel ready.

• Prioritize and plan.

Pay attention to the times of day when you feel the most energetic. You can make the most of these moments by prioritizing tasks that are important to you when you feel fresh and productive.