How to Increase Your Energy Levels – Mentally

We have been focusing on energy levels the last few articles. Specifically the four levels of energy which are:

• Physical
• Emotional
• Mental
• Spiritual

Last week, we looked at the emotional elements. Emotions strongly impact our productivity. Positive emotions include enjoyment, love, gratitude, hope, challenge, adventure, and opportunity. Negative emotions are costly in that they take away our focus and ability to concentrate. When we’re filled with negative emotions we can be like a time bomb ready to ‘go off’ at any moment.

This week, we will focus on our mental energy levels. In numerous work places, the message is that we need to work longer to increase our productivity. Many workplaces no longer have formal morning and afternoon tea breaks. We think we’re getting more done when we continue to work through lunch. A workout during the middle of the day is frowned upon. We’re encouraged to keep our heads down and grind away for as long as we can.

The problem is that thinking uses a great deal of our energy. Even if your work is physical, you have to understand that you’re still concentrating. The brain represents 2 percent of the body’s weight, but requires almost 25 percent of its oxygen.

The effects of insufficient mental recovery include increase in mistakes, lower creativity and misjudging risks. Tasks take longer as your thinking is slower. The key to being mentally ‘on task’ is to give the thinking mind intermittent rest.

Consider when you have your best ideas – it’s usually when you’re taking a break or doing something completely different. Many solutions are found when we’re walking, in the middle of the night, when you wake with a great idea or solution. It can be when you are playing a sport or even while showering. Your mind needs a break to come up with useful information and solutions. There has been researched conducted and the outcome was that most of the best ideas for work come when you are away from your desk, actually away from work and your mind is focused on something else. This is when the unconscious mind is still working away and that’s why you suddenly have the bright idea or solution.

When you’re feeling mentally tired, perhaps listening to music for 10 minutes, a short walk around the block, having a drink of water, chatting with a friend or co-worker or meditation will help your mind rest and recover so that it can regain focus. It’s through rest and recovery that our mental endurance works best. This is why quick short breaks are recommended. If you focus on a task for an hour then allow your mind 5 - 10 minutes to rest so that it can be at its best for the next task.

It’s reported that the artist Leonardo da Vinci took regular breaks from his work. Apparently, whilst he was painting The Last Supper, he would spend several hours in the middle of the day lost in daydreams and catnapping. His employer, the Prior Santa Maria delle Grazie requested often that da Vinci work more steadily; however, da Vinci replied, “The greatest geniuses sometimes accomplish more when they work less.” Leonardo was allowing himself mental rest and recovery.

How will this information change what you do? How will this information change how you structure your day? Perhaps it may allow you to feel guilt free when you are away from work exercising, spending time with the ones you love, catching up with friends. It is important to understand that mental rest and recovery are one of the keys to functioning at your best.

What Will It Take For You To Create a Better Life?

Many of us talk about creating a better life. We want our life to be different – but how? We’re often not sure or clear on what we really want. So we keep doing what we have always done. Wanting or wishing for change but not actually doing anything about it.

If you keep on doing what you’ve always done,

you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got.

W.L. Bateman

Why is that? Is our life not really that bad that we aren’t motivated enough to change? Are we lazy? Are we too busy to actually make change? Is it lack of clarity? Is it lack of motivation?

We all have excuses and justifications for our lack of action. We aren’t wrong and we certainly aren’t alone with our behaviour.

Why then do some people suddenly have absolute clarity over what is important in their life? They know what they have to do, when they have to do it and why they should be doing it?

I know for a couple of my friends, lately, their reason for clarity has been ill health. Both friends had been diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening illness. Both friends had their life put on hold for approximately six months while they went through treatment. Both friends have come out of the ordeal [for want of a more suitable word] having clarity, complete and utter clarity about what is really important for them and the people they love the most.

Both friends are now creating the life they really want to live. Are they fortunate or not, that they had to go through such a traumatic period to gain clarity?

So what can the rest of us do to gain clarity? What can we use to motivate us? Why is it that people who face their own death suddenly know what is important to create the life they want to lead while the rest of us busy ourselves so we don’t have to take action?

I am interested to know what would motivate you to change? Is it money, health, relationships, career?

Evan Money said:

Take Action and the World is Yours.

So what action do you have to take to create your ideal life? There are many ways to do this. One suggestion is to look at your life in categories and rate them out of 10. These categories are individual and up to you; however, to assist you to get started may I suggest the following:

• Health
• Fitness
• Business / Career
• Community
• Personal Growth
• Finance
• Relaxation
• Romance / Significant other
• Spiritual

When you are evaluating, your score doesn’t matter, what matters is the next step. For example, if I rated fitness a 6 out of 10, then my next question would be, what do I have to do to move this category to a 7? Think about your next step and take action to make it happen. Step by step, action by action, you are on your way to creating a better life -the life you want.

You can make improvements in one category at a time or identify a few. Be mindful of planning to make too many changes that it becomes overwhelming and you run back to your comfort zone. At times, creating a better life may mean you have to take a step out of your comfort zone and do something different or new. Just take a small step that means you will take action to create a better life. Take the attitude of bring it on and make your life one that excites and motivates you every day!

Is Your Life Out of Control?

Perhaps it’s because I have recently had a holiday, but I have found that many conversations with people are based around how busy they are that they never get time for themselves. The conversation usually ends with, “but what can I do?”

This is said as a statement not a question. I then find that I am in a dilemma as I know they are not really seeking a solution or advice from me. What is it they are looking for when they say something like that? Is it confirmation that they are right; life is too busy, none of us have control? Is it agreement? Do they want to hear how busy I am too which confirms their beliefs? What is the outcome they are looking for? I could challenge them on their statement, but I know that is not what they are seeking at all.

So what do I mean by challenge them? I could ask them if they have thought of any activities that they could eliminate? That could be from reducing work hours, to resigning from a committee, it may be the kids, reduce the number of activities they are involved with, perhaps they get a house cleaner, a gardener, or even ask the family members to step up and help out a little bit more.

Realistically, we have choices in life. At times, I am not sure we realise that. We are the one who need to take control of our life. If we do look at all the activities we are doing and we don’t want to drop out, reduce, eliminate or change any of them then we have chosen that option. When you think of it this way that usually means you are doing all these things because you want to. That means you have chosen this and you are comfortable with your choices. Perhaps just looking at it in this way can mean that you no longer feel overwhelmed or pushed as you have decided to live this way. It is your choice and you are happy with that.

Did they end up with too many commitments because they can’t say no when others ask for help and support? If that is you then you need to take some time to think about who is benefiting from you helping out and who is not benefitting. The committee you are on may benefit greatly from your support but maybe it is you who is pushed just that little bit too far. It could be your partner or other family members that are missing you. If this is the case then it is time to take stock, and more importantly take responsibility and do the right thing by you.

I know it is a bit of a rant this time but I do feel strongly about this. Life is all about choices and we are the drivers. If we want to exercise but can’t find the time, that means we have made a choice that exercise isn’t a priority. If we want to catch up with friends but don’t make the call, then we are making a choice and that isn’t a priority. They actually say if you want to do something enough, you will make that a priority. Deep down that really means we are the drivers and if we feel out of control so much that we find we aren’t enjoying our life then we need to do something different.

If you are feeling trapped then reflect on the words by Audrey Hepburn “Nothing is impossible.The word itself says “I’m possible.” We just have to work out how to make it happen. What do you need to do differently to take back control?

Make Life Easier – Be Clear on Your Values

The last few weeks we have focused on strategies to function at your best. They covered physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. This week, we are going to look at values. The reason is when we live a life that is aligned with our values, we are living a fulfilled life.

Values aren’t morals or principles. They are the essence of who you are—not who you think you should be. For example, some people feel having money is a value. Please be aware that money is not a value. The things that money may provide you such as free time, risk-taking, and being of service are values.

It is when we are aligned with our values, that we feel inner harmony, our choices are more easily made, and our actions are in agreement with our true self.

This is a quiz I found which allows you to see how well you are living in accord with your values.

1. I have spent time clarifying my values and can articulate them easily.
2. My values are my own. I have not simply adopted them from parents, teachers, friends or other outside influences.
3. I base my choice of occupation on my deepest values.
4. My values are in alignment with the company I work for (or own).
5. My associates and I regularly examine how we are living up to our values and mission.
6. I turn down money-making or status-building opportunities when they conflict with my values.
7. In resolving disputes at work, I look beneath the apparent problem to see if values are being dishonored, and then I seek ways to honor them.
8. Anyone looking at my life from the outside would see what I value.
9. I use my values as a guidepost for making decisions. I ask if a particular choice would bring me closer to—or further from—a core value.
10. When I feel upset, it’s almost always because my values are being trampled—either by me, someone else, or the situation.
11. I am not easily swayed by others’ opinions when they conflict with my values.
12.  To remain open and flexible, I am willing to re-examine my values to determine whether something is still true for me.
13. I find creative ways to honor all of my values—even when they conflict with one another.
14. My work values are in harmony with my personal and relationship values.
15. If I live according to my values, I will feel satisfied and successful throughout my life.

If you answered false more often than true, you may wish to clarify your deepest values and bring your life into greater alignment with them. Even if you answered true more than false, these questions provide a base by which you can ponder how you can improve living a value based life.

Take some time to think through these questions and don’t rush through them. Ponder and dig deep always looking for a better answer, a more considered answer, a truthful answer. Not the one you want to answer, but the answer you know is true and correct. If these questions were uncomfortable then don’t worry. Each week take one question, think of what you would love your answer to be and then start living that way.