How to Increase Your Energy to Accomplish Your Goals

A woman jumping high
Photo by Anthony Fomin on Unsplash

Do you ever tell yourself that you’re going to make a big life change, but when the alarm sounds, you hit snooze? This small lack of motivation might then cause you to get up feeling groggy and confused about which task of the day you should tackle first. You postpone your workout for later…or the next day. You then proceed to turn on your laptop, work a bit, but get distracted by social media. And finally, you stop. You sit down on the couch and you tell yourself that there will be better days.

Oftentimes lack of energy (and focus) is the reason why we’re not accomplishing our goals.

It all comes down to this:

We need energy to keep moving, and we need to keep moving to get energy. Click To Tweet

I’ve experienced both having no energy at all and having massive bursts of energy. And let me tell you, life is more enjoyable with the latter one.

Now, imagine for a moment that you have the energy to write that motivation letter, pitch that magazine, do that workout, cook that meal, read that book, or learn that language. Imagine getting up every day without the help of the alarm. Imagine accomplishing the things you want most in life.

If you’re feeling burned out, or the thought of taking any kind of action makes you fluster, that’s probably because:

  1. You’re juggling too many things at once, or
  2. You aren’t taking breaks.

I am active in many ways. I write, I paint, I go for walks, I clean my house, and I cook. And you know what? I still get to watch Netflix at the end of the day. I still have time to read, watch Youtube videos,  and go out with friends. I do all this because I have the energy to so do so, and I take care of myself by taking breaks and days off.

There’s nothing I admire more in a person than their energy and values. And it makes me sad when people I love are in a rut (myself included).

So how does one get the energy needed to accomplish things?

There are many ways you can increase your energy, but these three practices have helped me the most. Take what resonates from here, and let the rest go.

1. Get Moving

A rusty car in a field crop

Do you know what happens to a car engine when it doesn’t get used? It gets rusty. And the same thing happens to the human body when it doesn’t get enough movement. I’m not going to tell you what exercise you should do. That’s up to you to figure out. We are all different, and we like different things.

There was a time my spiritual friends tried to get me into yoga. I tried it for a while, and then I stopped. It just wasn’t my thing. I like sweating and feeling the fast beat of my heart. That’s why I love jumping jacks, squats, and burpees. I also like lifting weights. Perhaps when I’m in my 40’s I’ll write a blog post telling you how wonderful yoga is, but at this point in my life I’ll stick to High Intensitive Interval Training (HIIT).

There’s not an exact prescription that fits all. The options are limitless: walking, tai-chi, boxing, swimming, biking, or pole dancing. Just get moving!

2. Eat Whole Foods

A photo of a handful of carrots with the text "Let food be thy medicine/energy"

You know what else I don’t like? People telling me exactly what to eat! So I won’t tell you what to eat either. If you’re vegan, eat those lentils, beans, and potatoes. Or if you’re a fruitarian stuff your mouth with those berries. Eat what your body likes, and your body will thank you.

I know my belly gets bloated when I eat lentils, dairy, or wheat. So it doesn’t matter how much of an expert you are, if you tell me to eat these things, I simply won’t do it. Believe me, I’ve tried it all: Whole 30, Atkins, Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Fruitarian, Vegetarian, etc. And the diet that has worked the best for me is the Jessica Araus diet. My own diet. So I suggest you do the same.

However, one thing I’ve learned during my journey to a healthy lifestyle is that whole foods work wonders. When I’m eating whole foods, I feel like a superwoman. This is where all my energy comes from: the avocados, eggs, carrots, bananas, spinach, tomatoes, and all that beautiful food that doesn’t have ingredients I can’t pronounce.

I want to be honest. I would be lying if I told you that I eat like this 100% of the time. I of course have the occasional cake and ice cream. But 80 % of the time I eat natural foods. If you’re experiencing low energy, have a closer look at your diet, and increase the amount of whole foods you eat.

3. Sleep

A warm drink on a night table next to a bed
Photo by David Mao on Unsplash

In order to keep functioning, we need to give our bodies rest. It is important to give yourself at least 8 hours of quality sleep each night. Try creating your own evening routine in the same way that you create your morning routine. Disconnect at least one hour before going to bed. Have a cup of tea, cuddle with your partner, meditate, or read. Put your phone on airplane mode and leave it in the living room.

I used to give up sleep in order to get work done. But I soon realized that my lack of sleep was hurting my productivity, health, and energy levels. I also used to believe that my lack of energy had to do with the change of seasons. That autumn and winter were dark times. But raising my energy has also helped me change my internal weather. Even though it’s freezing outside, I feel active. And I want you to experience the same—to get up feeling alive and pumped for the day.

It’s easier to sit down and say “I can’t do ____” than creating new habits. But I guarantee you that once you start exercising more regularly, eating more whole foods, and getting plenty of sleep, you will start noticing an increase in energy. And you know what you can do with all that energy? Use it to accomplish your dreams!

Now, I’d like to hear from you. Which of these tips resonated with you the most? Or if you’re already doing these, which other practices have given you a boost of energy? Feel free to share in the comments below.

 


**This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of my links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. And as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

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Author: Jessica Araus

Jessica Araus is a mixed media artist and illustrator living in the Netherlands.

7 Replies to “How to Increase Your Energy to Accomplish Your Goals

  1. Girl, you always motivate me. I am leaving my computer right now to take a fun quick gift shopping break and them back to work. You’re the BEST!

    1. Yay! I’m happy to read I motivate you. 🙂 That is why I write. Enjoy both gift shopping and work. Love, Jessica.
      P.S. YOU are the best! Thanks for being a loyal reader.

  2. Hi! I just wanted to add that I’m in my 50s and still do hiit! I started many years ago with yoga, then as I got stronger, added cardio, then onto hiit. If you keep going, so does your body! Adjusting for various conditions, yes, but I’m stronger than ever. And there are many older than me in the classes that are way more fit!
    So, lol, you can do more than yoga in your 40s (not that yoga can’t be a major butt-kicker). I think starting slowly, finding a workout you enjoy (super important), and setting & keeping a weekly goal is key to my health and happiness.

    1. Hi Wendy! I loved reading your comment. Isn’t hiit awesome? I’d love to be able to still do it when I’m in my 50’s! You have inspired me to keep going. And you’re right: finding a workout YOU enjoy is the key to health and happiness. Thanks for reading. Love, Jessica.

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