5 Ways to Increase Your Energy & Productivity

by WiredBerries Editors — November 12, 2007

If you need a little boost, consider implementing a few of these ideas over the next several weeks and see how you feel. Everyone is different, so there may be one that makes a huge difference, while others maybe not so much. But they're all worth a try!

• Let Your Body Determine When You Wake--If you have to use an alarm clock to wake up, then you probably aren't getting enough sleep. If you're used to going to bed late and waking up groggy, it may take some time to adjust, but the idea is to start going to bed a little sooner until you start waking up when you're supposed to wake up. That may mean going to bed at 10pm, which could be hard for night owls. But if you start waking up naturally because you've gotten enough sleep, you'll notice a huge difference in your energy level over time. P.S. Keep the alarm clock set for the latest possible time, just in case! (I don't want anyone losing their job because their biological alarm clock ran out of batteries a time or two.)
• Feed Your Brain--What is "brain food"? Well, roughly 50 to 60% of the brain's overall weight is pure fat, which is used as insulation for its billions and billions of tiny nerve cells. The better insulated, or the fatter the cell, the faster it can send messages and the speedier your thinking. Sorry, this doesn't mean you should eat more donuts. It's the "healthy fats" that are essential for energy and productivity. Fish are high in healthy fats like omegas. Wild salmon, mackerel, and anchovies are a good bet. If you're strictly vegetarian, nuts and avocados work too.
• Take a Lesson from Your Cat and Stretch--Yoga and Pilates are great, but even if you have no inclination to learn some "asanas" or poses you can still benefit from basic stretching. Even animals often stretch when they wake up. It not only keeps your muscles and tendons flexible but also will keep the brain vigorous. The brain accounts for 15% of the body's blood flow but only 2% of its overall weight. Because your brain needs so much blood, stretching is a great way to oxygenate and rev up your brain, giving you more energy throughout the day. You can even discreetly stretch at your desk between projects.
• Always Have Something to Look Forward To--This could be a trip, a guy or girl's night out, or any other planned activity or social event. The main thing is that it's actually scheduled in with a day, time, and place, so you know it's really going to happen and isn't a "one of these days" type thing. Consistently having something that you really look forward to is a wonderful way to increase vitality and happiness. If you don't have concrete things you look forward to in life, don't expect to have lots of pep and energy for the everyday activities either.
• Appreciate Your Life, Loved Ones, and Everything Else!--Surprisingly, but true, gratitude will yield enormous energy. People who appreciate life experiences and other people will always have a wellspring of energy. Try this. Keep a little gratitude journal. Stick it under your pillow and every night before you go to bed, write down 5 experiences or specific people and situations that you were grateful for that day. Studies have even found that grateful people even recover from illness sooner! How's that for positive energy!