A crucial part of maintaining your energy is taking care of your physicality. Simply, there is a mind-body connection, when you are in good shape, you feel great, and it takes intentionality and discipline to establish practices for maintaining your physical health. How do you maximize your physical wellness first so you are able to contribute more effectively and easily?
Here are some components to consider:
1. Eating healthy. Some people may not be aware of the types of foods they put into their bodies and the specific impacts on their energy levels. Do you know which foods weigh you down and make you lethargic and which foods help you feel good and alert? If you are unsure, you can work with a nutritionist to discover ways to eat healthy and maintain a balanced diet to be at the top of your game. Simple changes like making sure you drink enough water throughout the day and a glass before a meal so you feel full quicker can alter how you show up.
2. Exercising regularly. Having a regular exercise routine will keep your energy levels high and maintain your longevity. The University of Vermont found that just 20 minutes of exercise can boost someone’s mood up to 12 hours. You can do many things to promote movement and get your heart rate up.
2A Gym routine. Having a strength-building practice or taking classes can give you a great workout, introduce you to many kinds of exercises that help with cross-bodying training, and provide possible seeds for a new hobby to flourish. It has the added benefit of being a social experience and can be incredibly motivating when you find the accountability to exercise together.
2B. Walking. Walking is a great and simple exercise that keeps you active and sharp. Many excellent leaders knew and incorporated the copious benefits into their daily routines. Thomas Jefferson talked about how walking helped with clearing his mind and being the object of his relaxation. Similarly, Ernest Hemingway mentioned walking as a way to develop his best thoughts. Because the nervous system only has a certain amount of bandwidth, walking is a great way to calm it down, even for 10 minutes. A recent study shows that walking for 1 hour daily reduces the risk of major depression. Doing it in nature is especially helpful because it reduces stress while increasing the ability to be more creative and have playful thoughts. Attention Restoration Theory (ATR) “suggests that mental fatigue and concentration can be improved by time spent in or looking at nature.” ART proposes that exposure to natural environments encourages more effortless brain function, thereby allowing it to recover and replenish its directed attention capacity. Because you are in an environment with lower cognitive abilities, you slow down your brain, retrain it, use different parts, create more connections, and have better reflections.
2C. Practicing Yoga. This exercise yields some of the best mental and physical benefits, such as relieving stress and tension, improving focus, managing difficult emotions, and unlocking creativity. Physically, by practicing various poses, it builds strength, flexibility, and balance. There is also the mental component of paying attention to what is happening in your mind when you are holding a challenging pose for too long. With each position, your mind will react and it is good practice to choose how you want to work with that reaction. It is about this beautiful balance of knowing when to strive with the right amount of struggle to be at your best and when to be at peace with where you are at any given moment.
3. Sleeping restoratively. Having excellent quality sleep is one of the most significant differences you can make in your energy levels and performing at your best. It is essential for your cognitive performance because when you sleep, you consolidate and retain all new information and learnings from the day, connect disparate pieces of information, and unleash creative problem-solving. The toxins accumulated throughout the day get cleaned when you can rest. This process is essential to keep your brain healthy and reduce Alzheimer’s. Many people disrupt their sleep by having their phones next to them. There are many things you can do to have better quality sleep. For more on this topic, you can read my sleep series.
3A Napping. Napping for a short time can boost your mood and productivity and give you mental clarity, increasing your productivity. Many people may feel like they do not have time for a nap in their day, but if 15-20 minutes can mean a supercharged next 2+ hours, it could be worth it to slow down to go faster.
4. Breathing deeply. It is a great way to calm your nervous system and restore energy. There are methods of breathing that can nourish your brain. In Breath, James Nestor argues how we breathe matters and that there is a right and wrong way to do it. The right way to breathe can boost blood pressure, athletic performance, and balance our nervous system. Nasal breathing (or inhaling and exhaling through your nose) is more proper and efficient than mouth breathing, which can be harmful because it causes the body to lose 40% more water. Your breathing pace also matters; slow and deep are essential. He mentions how 5.5 breaths per minute are optimal. The most critical element is ensuring you take your time exhaling to get the stale air out of your system. Many people like the Box Breathing method, where you inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, and repeat. Many Navy Seals use it to stay calm and focused during intense situations. Buddhist monks use proper breathing techniques to lengthen their lives and reach higher levels of consciousness.
5. Partaking in regular self-care body rituals. There are various things we can do to prioritize ourselves and take care of our body for a shift in energy and mood. Going for a massage can be a relaxing feeling that calms our nerves, reduces stress, and restores our body, especially after any intense strain on it, such as prolonged exercise. It creates peace and calm and sets us up for what’s next. Taking the time to get a haircut, or going for a manicure or pedicure for our hands and feet can keep our bodies looking and feeling great. Bubble baths with candles and music, saunas, and hot tubs can offer unique relaxing experiences.
Taking time to care for your body matters. It will contribute to your mental fortitude and keep you moving through life with higher energy levels.
Quote of the day: “No [persons] have the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a person to grow old without seeing their beauty and strength for which their body is capable.” -Socrates
Q: What is your favorite form of movement, and how does it impact your life? Comment and share below; we would love to hear from you!
The next blog in this series 3/5 will focus on cultivating a healthy mind for greater energy.
As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to create effective personal energy management systems for themselves and their teams, contact me to explore this topic further.
How do you take care of your body?