Last week I was keen to get to the bottom of something. My children were tucked up in bed and I could hear the satisfying noise of quiet all parents love at night.
I tend not to have tech on where I sleep. On this occasion I thought I would get to the bottom of my business dilemma. My 5 minute ‘quick’ look turned in to an hour and half and before I knew it my sacred sleep time had been eroded away.
The following day I could sense my body craved food high in carbohydrate, my concentration wasn’t as good and as a result wasn’t as efficient with my work. My thinking time I liked to do on a walk didn’t happen and I felt tired.
Maintaining our energy levels is easy really. We need the basic human needs of good wholesome food, reduce your sugar consumption, sleep, rest, exercise and breathing
Sleep - Keep to the same patterns all through the week. Yes even at weekends. Your body has its own rhythm and by banking sleep at the weekend by having more rest doesnt make up for that which is lost in the week.
Food - Good wholesome food. Beware of food from the supermarket with more than 5 ingredients in it. It is likely to be reducing its wholesomeness. or ideally the original product is what you should be aiming for. Keeping your intake of sugar / simple carbohydrates to a minimum is the key.
Exercise - You will know what you want to do. I find that if you do exercise before the family are up and work has started you are more likely to actually do it. No one has pulled you aside for your thoughts and more tasks. Realistically its the only time of the day you have full control of your actions.
Breathing - Give your brain a chance to breath. Stop look at the sky, the passers by, feel your feet within your shoes.Then breath. If you want to learn more take a listen to Patrick Mckeown.
Resting - Rest means all sorts to different people. I often joke with people as rest to me is going for a challenging hike followed by a great nights sleep. For some it’s the opposite. Like having the day lying in bed with a book a few cups of tea.
Give up screens -You may have heard this suggestion once or twice before. its true though. Although we may be addicted to a series, the conversation on social media or just sucked into things through human curiosity, it doesnt help us. We use energy that we could use on something else.
No one is full proof and sticks to the rules all the time. It helps if you can do it most of the time.
