How to stop being tired and start living

Don’t we all need to re-energize ourselves once in a while?
For that very reason, the Bright Side team wants to share this article on how to be a real achiever.
Oh no! You are tired again! Feelin’ lazy? Got no motivation to work?
Well, how about a cup of coffee and a chocolate bar? Still no progress?
You can’t relax? Get a drink, have a smoke, or go check the fridge — there should be something to cheer you up in there!
Those are some easy tips everyone loves referring to.
Yet applying them to real life doesn’t get you anywhere — you end up feeling like a squeezed lemon, braindead, and dog-tired. You are just lying on the couch, staring blankly at the TV screen. Exhausted. Dead tired. But you are not alone. Millions of people have exactly the same experience daily. A whole nation of tired people.
So what now? Are we doomed?
No, we aren’t. Personal energy management is here to help us. It’s not a fast solution, but it works. And this article will show you how.

We have everything

A modern human being has it all: a PC and the Internet to write endless reports anywhere in the world. An automobile to make it to and from work faster. An annual pass to a gym and a treadmill at home to keep fit. A spouse, kids, an apartment, and a summer house to build perfect family happiness. We have everything.

We know everything

Don’t we? For instance, it’s a fact that we all should do morning exercise. Watch less TV and read more. Smile at our children and get our spouses presents for no reason at all, just to make them happy. It’s all common knowledge, right?

But we do nothing!

I can hear you denying this. But you shouldn’t. Try recalling all of your numerous attempts to change: buying new running shoes, waking up at 6 a.m., taking an ice-cold shower, and heading to a gym. Sure enough, you’ll be giving this new lifestyle up in 2-5 days to start over in a year or so. That’s not a question of willpower. Willpower tends to run out. Then what IS the problem?

We lack energy

What kind of energy? Well, when your car runs out of gas, you buy some more and pour it in. So does that mean that you need to swallow something to get energy? Not really. Personal energy management has nothing to do with calories. But it has to do with 4 types of energy.

1. Physical energy

A detailed plan, time management, bonuses, other people’s expectations — these are some factors that may motivate you well enough. But do you really care about those things when it has been 48 hours since you last slept? Or if you are drunk as a skunk? Or if you have a terrible headache?
Yes, I’m exaggerating. And I do so to show you that if you lack physical energy nothing else matters. You are doomed to failure.
How to restore your physical energy?

• Exercise. Do the sports you love. For instance, I play football and walk a lot..
• Get no less than 7 hours of sleep. I also suggest you take up napping — it will make you feel refreshed.
• Eat healthy meals. Listen to your bodу. Remove the junk food and add healthier options such as fruit instead of cookies and chips.

I bet you’re saying: ’Thanks, Captain Obvious!’ Yep, this stuff is as clear as day. Or did you expect me to be sharing trigonometric equations with you?

2. Emotional energy

Even if your physical energy is boosted, you need to make sure not to screw up here. You might have noticed that when you are angry or frustrated those feelings make it harder to concentrate on your work — constant troublesome thoughts never helped anyone to get a project done.
And vice versa: if you get positive feedback at work, it’ll brighten up your day and motivate you to work harder.
Feelings of content, challenges, adventures, new opportunities — these are the factors that boost our emotional energy, while anger, offense, and annoyance suck the energy out.

3. Intellectual energy

That’s your creativity, time management, and plan-making skills and the ability to concentrate. If you lack intellectual energy it becomes much harder for you to work.
Try reading books, playing music, drawing, doodling, and meditating instead of Facebooking, gaming, and Netflixing.

4. Spiritual energy

What’s the meaning of your life? Why do you work at this company? Where will your path lead to? Some people spend their lives running around like headless chickens, never even attempting to answer these questions.
This approach will help you survive, but it certainly won’t help you make great things happen.
A way to restore it: think bigger, work for charity, and commit to a good cause.

The pulse of life

This is one of the key concepts of energy management. It’s important to alternate work and leisure: work — rest — work — rest.
Why do problems appear? Because you get carried away and forget to rest.
Always find time for work/leisure alternation:

• During the day (for instance, try the Pomodoro technique).
• Within 24 hours (nocturnal sleep, napping).
• Within a week (weekend).
• Over the course of the year (vacation).

Don’t be too harsh on yourself! All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

You can build up your ’energy muscles’

To build up rippling muscles you’ll need to train hard and to have a proper rest. Without proper rehabilitation your muscles wouldn’t be able to straighten and grow.
The same is true for our ’energy muscles.’ If you alternate work and rehabilitation, gently increasing the workload at the same time, your muscles will start growing.
We have all met those optimistic and goal-oriented people who can energize everyone else and, at the same time, be productive. Who are those people? How did they accomplish this?
Those are the people who exercise their ’energy muscles’!

What’s next?

That’s not a tricky part any longer. Stop whining and groaning.
You are a person with endless opportunities. You know that you lack energy and you know how to get it.
So go get it! Dare to be!