13 Easy Ways to Optimize Your Energy

If you're anything like me, you have a lot of roles to play in just one day.

I'm a mom.

Business owner.

Community builder.

Creator.

Partner.

Daughter.

Gym warrior.

Future-author? (feeling more and more compelled to do this)

BUT...

Unfortunately, I DO NOT have limitless amounts of energy...

I do require sleep, rest, reflection, and time away from pouring into others...

Especially because I'm a stage-4 cancer survivor. If I do not listen to my body for an extended period of time, my kidneys force me to rest (and it's not fun)! About 11 months into the pandemic, I found myself pushing the limit. And when I start to wake up tired, I know it's time to pull back and re-strategize.

So, I thought to myself, "Fine, I will accept the fact I don't have unlimited energy (for now... insert evil laugh here LOL)."

Next question, "How can I do more with the energy that I have?"

I began listening to podcasts from experts like Andrew Huberman, drowned in books like Atomic Habits by James Clear, and began to test science-based strategies around productivity, energy, nutrition, etc., to maximize my energy.

Then, about two months into finding what worked best for me, I shared it with my network in this live video. People loved it, way more than I expected. BUT the live is 30-minutes and it could have been much more concise.

... So because I value your time so much, I've compressed it to just 10-minutes (see below).

This is my effort to show you how much I care about you, even if I don't know you yet.

In the video (click here to watch), I share what has helped me do more with the energy that I have, with the least resistance!

That "least resistance" part is key.

A lot of people share tons of tips, the difference is that these things will not require you to make dramatic changes, making it more likely that you will actually do them and experience their benefits.

Because of these things I'm more present for myself, family, clients...

And I feel better, which in and of itself is priceless.

My goal: is that at least one thing that I share in this video helps you feel better so that you can show up better for other people.

And if you're more of a reader, get the written list here...

1 - Don't keep your blinds closed.

When you wake up you want natural sunlight to hit your eyes almost immediately. Open your blinds the second you stand up.

2 - Gratitude and prayer.

Being grateful for what you have while becoming the person you need to become to attract more and better is a superpower.

To increase the chances of writing down what you are grateful for right after waking up, keep a notebook by your bed (with a pen that actually works).?

Practice gratitude around problems so that you train your brain to find the good in everything. I learned this from Mo Gawdat, he has a great book called "That Little Voice in Your Head."

For every negative or "complaint" that your brain tells you, find at least two positives related to that thing.

So for example, if you are sitting in traffic you probably get the thought, "I hate traffic," you would then attach two positives to that negative.

Maybe, "Now I get to spend 45 minutes listening to my favorite podcast," or "This gives me a chance to call someone I love for 45 minutes." Do your best to make this a habit.

I think that this is what most gratitude journaling practices try to cultivate, but they never worked for me as effectively as this exercise did to build gratitude as a skill.

3 - Don't check your phone for the first hour after waking up.

This sounds easy but it is not (at least it was not for me). I used to be the person that literally would grab my phone and with my eyes half-closed, skim what emails came through, what social media notifications I had, text messages, etc. This will put you in reactive mode. You want to ground yourself before you get notifications thrown at you.

4 - Drink water with a splash of sea salt and lime for the first 2 hours after waking up.

According to Andrew Huberman, there's some sodium-related fancy neuroscience behind the sea salt. But the overall point is staying hydrated because...

• It increases your energy levels throughout the day
• It decreases the chances of you experiencing a migraine (which for me is brutal and can wipe me out for the day if and when I experience one).

5 - Go on a walk outside in the sun within the first hour of waking up.

The sunlight will hit your eyes and make you wake up even faster. The movement of walking will get your eyes into something called optic flow, which will increase your alertness even more. To make it fun, I do one of two things...

• Take my dogs on a walk for about thirty minutes.
• Mow the lawn. This serves as both a workout and gets me in the sun! (After doing this for about two months, I have tremendous respect for landscape workers!)

Walking becomes fun when you do it in a way that you actually enjoy. So make sure that you design that activity around that.

6 - If you drink coffee, have it about 2 hours after waking up.

If you have it too soon it can actually have opposite effects because it will get in the way of your natural cortisol spike binding to your adenosine receptors. So drink water for the first two hours of the morning and then coffee after 2 hours.?

7 - Be intentional about how you show up for your business (or your work).

As a person who does not like to rush, I can tell you that this made a huge difference in my business.

Show respect to your clients and to your social network by showing up with a neat appearance for them.

Design your schedule so that you aren't rushed when you are getting ready. Be intentional about how you show up for others online (just as much as you would in the real world).

8 - Workspace design.

Set up your workspace so that your computer screen sits slightly above eye level. If you look down it will negatively affect your energy levels throughout the day.?Here are some other things that work for me in my workspace design.

1. I only work in my office so when I enter my office my brain knows what time it is.
2. If possible, position your desk so that you sit in front of a window. The light will hit your eyes throughout the day and keep you alert.
3. If that is not possible, having artificial light in front of your desk can also have the same effects (this is the light that I have).

9 - Don't do the "hardest thing" on your to-do list first.

We've all been told, "get the hardest thing on your to-do list done first." That never felt natural to me. I know it works for some people, but not for me. Instead, I do my "hardest work" when I have my highest level of focus and energy. This is most likely to happen 6-7 hours after waking up.

• Change your mindset about work; aim to get into a flow state at least 1X (for 90 minutes) a few times a week. Just that minor change can make a big difference in your productivity.
• Make sure that you reserve that 90-min to two-hour time block for the work that will require the most amount of focus.
• Strategically reserve this window for your most-profitable activities in your business.?

10. Prep your lunch in advance.

It will save you time, money, and energy.?For me, it was such an interruption to be asked every day, "what do you want for lunch?" I make that decision beforehand so that I don't have to be faced with that question daily.

11. Block off an hour to play

Play is good for your overall health. I reserve one hour a day for play. I spend some quality time with my daughter. We play tag, hide and seek, and dance. I paint with her, and sometimes alone. I try some carpentry stuff. I've even been getting into gardening.

Do new things. It will provide opportunities for new connections in your brain to happen, increasing the probability of new ideas or new ways to look at things that maybe you haven't experienced before.

Sometimes your best ideas happen when you are having fun!

So don't forget to have fun.?

12. Respect your sleep space.

Respect the room that you sleep in by sleep being the main thing that you do in the space. That way, when you enter your room, your brain knows that it's time to wind down. Try to not work, eat, watch TV, play video games, etc in the room where you sleep if possible.?

13. Create and stick to a bedtime.

Have a set time to go to sleep and get off of your phone at least 30 minutes before that set time. For me, I go to sleep by 11 pm EST and I try to get off of my phone by 10ish. I'm kind of ashamed to admit it, but I didn't have the self-discipline to force myself to go to sleep at a set time.

So, I took responsibility and put accountability measures in place. I had a meeting with my family and team and made sure that they made sure I was asleep by a certain time. After 2 weeks, I got used to it.

• Also understand, that it's completely normal to have a spike of energy right after laying down, so expect that and use that window of energy to LEARN or CREATE.
• I usually use that spike of energy to read a book, listen to a podcast, or strategize content for my personal brand.?
• Whatever you do, as a leader, don't underestimate the power of sleep. Sleep is your chance to recover and it will affect the next day (whether you want to believe that or not).?

Share What Works for You

I want us to be able to learn from each other.

• Share one thing that has worked for you to maximize your energy in the comments.
• If you found this to be valuable, share this newsletter with just one person you love.

Sincerely,

Shanee′ Moret

p.s. Learn more by listening to the podcast (click here to start listening).