Five real reasons you lack energy (and what to do about it)

Most of us want more energy. We want to feel more engaged, inspired and alive. Mostly, we just want to have the energy to get through everything on our plate, with some left over for the joyful things we want to do, not just to get through our long list of have to’s.

But the reality is, energy is one of the things you are probably in desperate need of. You can feel tired even before you get out of bed in the morning. Even when you have had a decent sleep. And there is nothing worse than feeling like you want to pull the bed covers back over your head before the day has even started.

So let’s remedy that shall we? Here are some ways to bring more energy into your days. They are not the easy breezy fixes that you usually see, but sometimes we have to look a little deeper to address root causes, not just quick fixes. Sit with these this week and let me know in the comments below how you go.

1.Become more self aware. What are the things that sap your energy? From a toxic boss to lack of sleep, there is a long list of potential reasons why you aren’t as vibrant as you would like to be. It’s time to get real with yourself. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being flat as a tack to 10 being the energiser bunny, where are you today on the energy scale? Awareness is a great start. As you go through your week, keep a running list of the things that give you energy (chat with a friend, interesting work project, morning walk, green smoothie, and yes, coffee) and also the things that detract from your energy (difficult conversations, sitting in traffic, too much to do, running around after kids, lack of sleep). Once you have a good handle on where you’re at, it will be easier to rectify your energy deficit.

2. Get out of your head. Too much on your to do list, or being too overwhelmed to even have a to do list, is one of the key reasons we can feel zapped of energy. Take some time to sit down and literally write out everything that is on your current agenda. Big and small, put it down on paper. You might want to separate this into separate lists: work now, work ongoing, home, personal etc. Now when I say write a list, I don’t mean a five minute list with only the things most top of mind. I want you to really sit with this. Get a tea or coffee, and make yourself stay for at least 30 minutes. Get everything out of your head. I want all of it - from planning your next vacay to the fifty things you have to do for clients this week, as well as booking the dentist appointment. This alone can make you feel a million times better just seeing it all on paper instead of floating around in your head.

3. Deal with the overwhelm. Look at your lists and create three categories for each list. Must Be Done | Can Wait | Delegate/Remove. (p.s not everything needs to be on the Must Be Done list. Go back and take another look). By putting things in priority order, you not only get clear on what needs to be done now, but you can see at a glance if what you are asking of yourself is even possible. Go through your Must Be Done list and put a time estimate next to each task. Will it take 5 minutes, 30 minutes or a week to complete? How many items are on there? Map out your time and see if this is realistic (I hate that word, but it’s a requirement here). Time to get real again. All of the energy can get sucked from our bodies at even the thought of not being able to get through it all. Re-prioritise, delegate, ask for support, allow things to wait until later. Get back to manageable and feel your energy rise.

4. Remove the word should. We should all over ourselves. I should go to the gym. I should meet friends for drinks. I should work harder. I should be further along in my career by now. I should get married. I should spend more time with the kids. Should. The very word should have ‘energy vampire’ engraved within each letter. Start catching yourself each time you use the word should in a sentence. How does it make you feel? Typically it makes us feel put upon, obligated, and leaves us with a dulling sense of expectation. It often comes with a side dose of guilt and shame. It's also a word that leaves us hanging in limbo. There is no definitive action, no plan. So we sit in the maybe zone, which also takes our energy with every sway of the pendulum from I should to the real thought: I really don’t want to. Be honest with yourself about what you do and don't want to do. Cut the shoulds - it will take some time and effort – but the difference will be liberating.

5. Remove toxicity. We all have those people in our lives, the ones who can literally suck the energy right out of us. You start the day feeling all juiced up, and by the time you interact with said person you feel like crawling into a hole. Some of these low vibing energy vampires can easily be erased from our lives. But others aren’t so removable. Look at your relationships. Like, really look at them. Take off the rose coloured glasses. We often want to see the best in people so we over look the passive aggressive comments, snide remarks, taking without giving behavior or flat out toxic nature of our interactions. Where can you cut the cords with people who leave you feeling flat, dark or sucked dry?

Cut relationships where you can. It can be hard. But it will make a massive difference to your life. Where you can’t, practice protecting your energy going into an interaction. You can visualise yourself surrounded by white light, or simply intend that your energy remains intact. There are also crystals that can support protection (try black tourmaline) and essential oils (I use doTERRA blend On Guard - ask me how to order). You can also support your energy by energetically cutting the cords with the person and asking silently after interactions that all energy that isn’t yours be removed, and any positive energy you have lost be returned. This intention alone will support your energetic reclamation.

Dealing with the truth behind your energy challenges can be, well, challenging. But when we deal with some of these potentially ingrained issues, then the more simple solutions like sleep, nutrition and meditation can be easier to integrate. Stay tuned for the second part of this post next week where we will look at the next five tools to put in your energy toolkit.

Now, before you hit the next click and forget all about your lack of energy, take action: let me know in the comments below what robs your energy and what one action you will take this week. I look forward to hearing from you.

SPECIAL EVENT: Are you coming to the Real Women Event on May 3 in Sydney? We will be talking all things Simple + Intentional Living – and yes, managing your energy will be a big part of it! Event launch special of 20% discount and bring a friend for free has been extended to the end of the week. Enter code REALWOMEN20 at checkout. Grab your friends and your tickets here.