There are always phases in life in which we feel energetic and drained. Much is left behind, there is a lack of motivation to tackle things.
That’s what happened to me over the past few weeks and months. My motivation was gone, I felt listless and due to the special situation, the possibilities to refuel new energy and inspiration were limited. I’ll be honest with you: I felt really bad in places. That’s why I’ve decided to do a few things differently, especially at the beginning of the new year. I want to have more energy, be more motivated and just sparkle with creativity. So it’s time to get started. What has helped me and is still helping? I’ll tell you in today’s blog post. 🙂
Just relax!
In the morning in particular, we usually have little time and are completely clocked: get up, shower, have breakfast and then we go to work. Hustle and bustle are often the order of the day here. If you start the day like this, you will stay stressed for the rest of the day.
So my tip to you: first take enough time for yourself in the morning, come to your place after you get up and gather strength for the day. The first thing I do in the morning is make my coffee, then go back to bed with it and write down the things I’m looking forward to today or what I’m planning to do. So you can collect yourself and start the day in peace.
Small boosters for more energy
When we get stressed, we tend to like to grab unhealthy snacks. We justify this because we need “something for the soul” . But unhealthy snacks do exactly the opposite. Almonds, for example, are a much more sensible strengthening(approx. 30 g or approx. 23 almonds), which provide energy in the form of vegetable protein, which helps us to keep going. In addition, the vegetable protein contained in almonds not only provides energy for the day, but also helps maintain muscle mass and bones. Almonds are high in riboflavin (B2) and are a source of niacin (B3), thiamine (B1) and folate (B9), which make almonds a healthy all-rounder and play an important role in energy production in the body. In addition, almonds are rich in magnesium, which helps reduce tiredness and fatigue.
That’s why I always have at least a handful of raw almonds with me when I’m out and about. But almonds are not only delicious raw, but also as a snack combo. Especially after an intense workout, I always have a delicious refreshment that goes super fast and gives me enough energy: a homemade almond-vanilla-cinnamon smoothie .
What you need:
- 2 ripe bananas
- 3 (pitted) dates
- 320 ml almond milk
- 2 tbsp white almond butter
- 30 g raw almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- The pulp of a vanilla pod
How it goes:
You put all the ingredients in a blender and mix everything well together so that you get a creamy consistency. Fill into a glass – done!
If you want, you can add ice cubes to your smoothie.
Break your routines
Although our routines are very valuable for our time management, they can also become very boring at times. Therefore: often try to bring a breath of fresh air into your everyday life by deviating from your routines. Small things are enough, like taking a different route to work, trying out new recipes, starting the day with meditation in the morning or simply exercising in the fresh air instead of at home. In this way, you break your habits and consciously perceive things differently.
Energy is in the air
Speaking of fresh air: going for a walk is the absolute classic among the energy kicks. Go outside, exercise in the fresh air and consciously breathe it in. This increases your oxygen concentration in the blood and lets you continue the day with more energy.
Another plus point: Vitamin D. You can fill up with vitamin D especially when the sun is shining and it always lifts my mood immediately. In addition, sunlight also suppresses the production of the sleep hormone melantonin, which regulates the day-night rhythm and is released in the dark. A few minutes of sunlight and walks in the fresh air will immediately give you new energy.
Be careful!
Especially if your everyday life is very packed and you have a lot to do, you should focus on small mindfulness exercises to replenish your energy reserves. But what does mindfulness actually mean? Mindfulness is the conscious perception of the here and now, without judgment.
A simple mindfulness exercise, for example, is conscious breathing. To do this, close your eyes and follow your breath. Watch your breath come in through your nose and your lungs fill up. Now consciously perceive how your breath flows out of your body when you exhale. Try to keep your attention fully on your breathing and let any thoughts that pop into your head go by.
This little exercise can (with regular use) relax you and clear your head. You will see that, especially at the beginning, your thoughts will wander again and again. But as soon as you manage to let all your thoughts go for a few moments, you will experience deep relaxation and that will give you new energy in the long run.
