The start of a new year is an excellent time to turn over a new leaf, pursue new habits, and take massive action toward completing your goals.
If you regularly suffer from fatigue though, that progress may be easier said than done. Fortunately, you don’t have to allow exhaustion to be a daily part of your life or hold you back from achieving your goals.
If you’re ready to fight fatigue and reach for new levels of success this year, read on to learn 10 natural ways to sustain and boost your energy.
1. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration often results in fatigue, which is why prioritizing your H2O intake is vital in keeping yourself energized. Keep a water bottle with you throughout the day so you have no excuse not to hydrate. You can also try more unique ways of upping your hydration such as snacking on water-rich fruits and vegetables, adding fresh organic fruits to your water (preferably lemon), and setting calendar reminders to sip water throughout the day.
2. Practice Breathwork and Meditation
Breathwork and meditation are effective tools you can use to reduce mental fatigue. Set a reminder or schedule in daily sessions to make these practices habitual. You can also use these tools to break up your workday and reduce stress and anxiety.
3. Delegate and Outsource Tasks
High achievers are often hesitant to outsource or delegate some of their tasks to others, but we only have so many hours in a day. If you can save even one of those precious hours for self-care, it can make a huge difference in your energy levels.
Try picking one or two of your household or professional tasks to outsource. Could you have someone else pick up your groceries, clean your house, or do your admin work? By delegating these tasks to other people, you can free up more of your limited time and lighten your mental load.
4. Eat Foods That Boost Energy
You are what you eat, so eat foods that improve your health. Whole, organic, nutrient-dense foods will give you the most energy. Prioritize foods such as almonds, salmon, oatmeal, dark berries, or Greek yogurt.
Remember to eat and drink real food as well. For instance, caffeine disrupts hunger cues, which can suppress your appetite and prevent you from getting nutrients. Although you may be tempted to load up on coffee to get through the day (hello, Starbucks), you’ll ultimately experience a net-negative effect if you drink it excessively. Though caffeine may provide a brief burst of energy right away, the crash you experience later will leave you feeling even more depleted.
5. Reduce Stress Levels
Stress can take a massive toll on the mind and body. Learning effective stress management tactics will help you conserve energy for productive tasks, rather than spending it worrying about other aspects of your life.
Try stress management practices, such as Tai Chi, Pilates, and progressive muscular relaxation to preserve your energy for the activities in your life that are most important to you.
6. Try Cold Therapy
If you’re looking to conserve energy, the idea of cold therapy may sound counterintuitive but there’s actually some exciting evidence that demonstrates that cold therapy can provide you with increased energy, as well as improve your sleep and reduce inflammation in your body.
To practice cold therapy, try cryotherapy or cold plunge pools. Don’t have access to these therapy tools? Take advantage of the winter season and go for a long walk in the snow, or simply take a cold shower.
7. Get Out in Nature
There are many health benefits to spending time outside, including better sleep, reduced stress, and a healthier immune system. Additionally, exposure to sunlight can improve your energy levels. Make it a habit to go outside each day even if only for a short amount of time.
8. Limit Sugar
Be on the lookout for added sugar in foods you’d expect to be sugar-free. Foods high in sugar cause a spike in blood sugar levels and decrease energy. The crash you feel afterward is due to the large amount of insulin your body needs to regulate your blood sugar. Avoid this crash by filling your plate with low-sugar alternatives.
Have a sweet tooth and don’t want to swear off all sugar? Opt for foods with natural sugar instead, such as fresh berries.
9. Work Your Passion
Recall a time when you were really excited about a project or assignment and think of how much energy you experienced at that time.
Developing passion for your work can help you tap into sources of energy and motivation that may otherwise remain dormant. If you build a career around passion, you’ll be more energized and motivated throughout the day.
Sometimes it’s hard to identify your exact passions or to leave your job to pursue them. If you’re in either of these boats, try taking on a side project to bring more of this energy into your life.
10. Take Care of Your Gut
Your gut has a large impact on several areas of your health and well-being. If your energy levels are tanking, try adopting habits that support a healthy gut microbiome.
Taking pre and probiotics, eating fermented foods such as kombucha and sauerkraut, and adding a source of fiber to each of your meals are three simple strategies you can use to improve your gut health.
The Bottom Line
You should never allow fatigue to keep you from achieving your highest goals. By following these simple tips to boost your energy, you may be able to turn an unsuccessful year into a year of success.
However, taking that first step toward wellness can be difficult, especially when you’re already burnt out. For this reason, try starting small by picking only one or two habits from this list and implementing them into your life. You can always build up more habits later.
Looking for support? Working with a certified coach can support you in creating the habits to bring more energy and vitality into your life. Schedule a free, 30-minute session with one of our coaches today to talk through your goals and work towards a personalized plan to start achieving them.