Imagine you are running, and you come to a hill. If you have just started running and you’ve got lots of energy, the hill isn’t a problem. But if you’ve been running for quite a long time already and your legs ache and you’re out of breath, the hill will seem horrible.  It’s exactly the same hill but you feel very differently about it.  How you feel about that hill depends on how much energy you have and whether you feel you have the skills and resources to handle it.  Imagine now that hill represents the various demands and challenges you face on a daily basis. Often, we focus so much on the stress that we forget to ensure that we have the energy to handle it. Â
For just one day focus on your energy rather than your stress.
How can you get more energy?
Sleep  -7-9 hours- having a regular bed and wake time is the best way to achieve this
Rest- throughout the day find time to take a short break- breathe, stretch, walk....
Eat -healthy food - healthy fats- nuts, seeds, fish, low sugar fruits and vegetables....
Exercise- Just 10 minutes increases blood flow to the brain, releasing glucose and BDNF
Mindset- how you think about things is powerful, you have a choice positive or negative?
Nature- go outside, get some natural light and fresh air
Socialise face to face- connecting with friends can be energising
Also, think about how not to waste energy on things that don’t serve you
Surfing the internet, you know how it sucks you in and time disappears !
Social media- the devil is in the comparison
Mindset-ruminating about things that are beyond your control using a negative lens
Processed food- your body has to burn a lot of energy rebalancing your glucose and excreting toxinsÂ
Sitting still for too long, your body is designed to move!
According to Dr Stuart Shanker 'Self-regulation refers to how we manage stress, how much energy we expend and how we recover.' Â Â I encourage people to use Self-Reg's reflective process to recognise stressors, especially the hidden ones that zap energy and learn healthy ways to restore energy throughout the day so when you get to that hill you know you can handle it.
Contact me for information on workplace workshops and one to one coaching and consultancy.  Andrea Edmondson 07901970159 info@andreaedmondson.co.uk