Did you know that people who have made New Year's resolutions usually drop them within the first week of January? In addition, they also show a regression to their previous bad habits. Which is why I'm chiming in now to give you a (friendly) kick in the butt.
Christian Baker, a professional speaker and nutritional specialist, shares his top 5 strategies to fight fatigue and have more energy to achieve the most ambitious New Year goals.
If you want to make 2021 your best year yet but you're not quite sure if you have the energy to do it, here are some strategies for you to implement today to get yourself back on track.
Serious coffee drinkers know the feeling of strong desire (desperation?) that hits them in the morning and urges them to get their first cup into their body asap.
Some of us reach for something quick and easy such as instant coffee. Others have a nespresso machine at home and turn to this instead. And the rest of us tend to head to a cafe once we leave the house. And some of you weirdos out there don't even drink coffee!
For the month of January I challenge you to only drink water throughout your morning routine, head to a cafe before work and do not drink your first coffee until you sit down, relax and are about to start your first task for the day. First thing in the morning, hydrate with 2-3 glasses of water and take a pinch of salt. For those inclined, amp up your frequency, so to speak, by gently jumping up and down as if you were on a mini-trampoline / rebounder.
For those of you who work from home, I would like you to leave your house, walk down to your local cafe and consume it there. Start your day outside, ideally surrounded by nature, exposed to fresh air and sunlight. Even if it's winter, still get some fresh air.
If you don't live near a cafe, get some good quality coffee beans (Bulletproof and Kimera) and make your own coffee at home using a plunger.
Either way, the aim of the game here is to make your first coffee of the day non-rushed, good quality and delayed by at least 1 hour after you wake up.
I've talked about the importance of this so many times before but I will not hesitate to talk about it again.
By using an effective night routine, going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning you are establishing a rhythm.
After doing this for a while your body will become more effective when it comes to sleeping which means that you can feel even more refreshed and energised from the same amount of sleep each night simply because your body is prepared.
Of course there are going to be times when this gets thrown out the window but if you can keep your rhythm strong 6+ days per week, you will be able to reap the benefits.
For most high performers and obsessive list makers it becomes increasingly harder to unwind as the year gets busier.
So instead of working until you burn out and are forced to take some down time I instead recommend scheduling some "playtime" each week where you block out a chunk of time on your schedule and make yourself do something fun.
It could be as simple as catching up with a friend for coffee, seeing a movie, reading a book, or doing anything that you personally find exciting, this will help recharge your mental battery.
Most people could do with some more exercise. Some people however, could do with less.
I challenge you to find the right routine for you and experiment with some different approaches this year.
A high performing corporate type who also trains like a professional athlete every evening and on the weekends tends to suffer a lot when it comes to energy levels and could benefit from the occasional less intense, less serious session.
Also, someone who only jogs could really gain some benefits from the occasional explosive intense bout of exercise such as sprinting or weightlifting.
So try something different this month and see how you feel.
The aim of the game here is to give your nervous system a break from your usual exercise routine and give yourself a chance at achieving even better energy levels than you currently have.
Read more: How Exercise Can Improve Your Executive Functions
And that's it for now.
Happy new year, I hope you have a kick ass January and I look forward to hearing about the results you achieve by simply implementing the above strategies into your routine.
Live with energy,
Christian Baker
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