{"id":9066,"date":"2012-01-31T22:29:29","date_gmt":"2012-02-01T06:29:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=9066"},"modified":"2013-09-16T14:58:41","modified_gmt":"2013-09-16T22:58:41","slug":"10-simple-ways-to-balance-your-energy-levels-throughout-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/10-simple-ways-to-balance-your-energy-levels-throughout-the-day\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Simple Ways to Balance Your Energy Levels Throughout the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Do you feel enthusiastic and inspired in the mornings \u2013 only to find yourself exhausted in the afternoons? Perhaps you only ever seem to perk up when you\u2019ve got a coffee in hand, or you manage to concentrate for 30 minutes but then find yourself procrastinating.<\/p>\n

If your energy levels fluctuate a lot, you might need to focus on achieving more balance. These ten tips should help:<\/p>\n

#1: Drink Plenty of Water<\/h2>\n

Yes, you\u2019ve heard this one a hundred times before. But are you actually managing it?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re slightly dehydrated, you\u2019ll struggle to concentrate.<\/strong> Try keeping a bottle of water on your desk so that you can easily sip while working. If you don\u2019t like the taste of plain water, try buying sparkling or flavored varieties.<\/p>\n

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#2: Don\u2019t Drink Too Much Caffeine<\/h2>\n

Coffee, tea and caffeinated sodas will give you a short-term energy boost, followed by a slump. If you\u2019re relying on caffeine to stay alert and awake, you\u2019re probably not sleeping enough.<\/p>\n

But … don\u2019t reduce your caffeine intake too suddenly, or you\u2019re likely to get headaches.<\/strong> Try cutting down slowly \u2013 if you normally drink six cups of coffee a day, cut back to five.<\/p>\n

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#3: Eat at Regular Intervals<\/h2>\n

Your brain needs fuel: if you\u2019re hungry, it\u2019s hard for you to focus. It\u2019s also difficult to concentrate after a heavy lunch \u2013 so rather than stuffing yourself, eat smaller amounts at regular intervals.<\/p>\n

Many nutritionists recommend eating every three hours<\/strong>; that means having a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack to keep you going between meals.<\/p>\n

#4: Don\u2019t Eat Sugary Snacks<\/h2>\n

Eating regularly doesn\u2019t mean filling up on cookies or donuts. Sugary snacks play havoc with your energy levels: they give you a quick boost followed by a crash.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve got a sweet tooth, try eating fresh fruit instead.<\/strong> On days when only chocolate will do, go for dark varieties (at least 70{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c} cocoa) and eat just a small amount.<\/p>\n

#5: Have a Power Nap<\/h2>\n

Although this one isn\u2019t an option for many of us, a quick nap during the afternoon can really boost your energy. If you work from home (or have a very understanding boss!) then try taking a twenty minute nap to help you over the afternoon slump.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Make sure you don\u2019t sleep too long, though; you\u2019ll just wake up feeling groggy. You might want to set an alarm.<\/p>\n

#6: Don\u2019t Skimp on Sleep at Night<\/h2>\n

Even if you take a power nap during the day, don\u2019t cut back on sleep at night. Most of us need seven to eight hours of sleep to function well \u2013 but some people need more.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s tempting to sleep less in order to have more time to cram everything in, but if you\u2019re well rested, you\u2019ll have more energy to tackle everything, and you\u2019ll get tasks finished faster.<\/strong><\/p>\n

#7: Take Regular Breaks<\/h2>\n

No-one can stay focused on a task for hours at a time. You need to take breaks from whatever you\u2019re doing in order to keep your energy levels up.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good idea to get away from your desk: grab a glass of water or go for brisk walk<\/strong> (even if it\u2019s just round the corridors). At lunch time, make sure you take a real break from work, rather than eating sandwiches at your desk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#8: Don\u2019t Procrastinate<\/h2>\n

Taking a planned break is different from procrastinating. If you\u2019re surfing the net when you know you should be working, you\u2019re simply letting resistance to a task build up.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, procrastination can look like work: for instance, you might work on emails so you can put off that difficult phone call or tricky report. This will leave you feeling demotivated. Instead, tackle the harder things first \u2013 you\u2019ll get a real energy boost.<\/strong><\/p>\n

#9: Exercise at Moderate Intensity<\/h2>\n

Exercise is good for you in so many ways. One of the benefits of being active is that you\u2019re likely to have more energy<\/strong>: moving around gets your blood pumping. You may also find that you sleep more soundly.<\/p>\n

When you exercise, aim to work at a moderate intensity. That means you should be able to hold a conversation, but you shouldn\u2019t be able to sing the lyrics to a song.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

#10: Don\u2019t Exercise Too Hard<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re just getting started with exercise, don\u2019t overdo it. There\u2019s no point in spending two hours in the gym after work \u2013 only to end up so exhausted that you slump on the sofa with a bag of chips instead of cooking a healthy dinner.<\/p>\n

For most of us, thirty to forty-five minutes of moderate exercise, five times a week, is about right.<\/strong> You don\u2019t necessarily have to do this in one daily session, either; you could aim for a twenty minute brisk walk in your lunch hour and a twenty minute cycle ride in the evening.<\/p>\n

How do you keep your energy levels up during the day? Share your tips and ideas in the comments…<\/em><\/p>\n

Photo credit: Stephen Vincent<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you feel enthusiastic and inspired in the mornings \u2013 only to find yourself exhausted in the afternoons? Perhaps you only ever seem to perk up when you\u2019ve got a coffee in hand, or you manage to concentrate for 30 minutes but then find yourself procrastinating.<\/p>\n

If your energy levels fluctuate a lot, you might need to focus on achieving more balance. These ten tips should help: Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":9069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[17,6],"tags":[463,375,1876,1875,66,4639,4629],"yoast_head":"\n10 Simple Ways to Balance Your Energy Levels Throughout the Day - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Coffee, tea and caffeinated sodas will give you a short-term energy boost, followed by a slump. 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