How do you maintain your energy?

There is a lot of talk about energy at the moment because of the ever increasing cost of keeping warm, keeping the lights on and filling up our vehicles. Without going into the politics around why this is happening, it’s worth considering the role that energy plays in our life.

The definition of energy according to oxford languages is: - power derived from the utilisation of physical or chemical resources, especially to provide light and heat or to work machines. It can also mean the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity and this is the meaning I’d like to explore.

One of the ways we gain energy is by what we eat and we know that somethings give us a short burst of energy and others give us energy that is less intense but tends to last a bit longer. When we need energy it’s easy to reach for something that will quickly give us the boost we need but continually doing this can make us feel we are on a rollercoaster of energy with peaks and troughs. If we can identify the things that give us a longer term energy source then we are less likely to reach for these short term energy fixes.

Other sources of energy may not be quite so obvious as food but are equally important to make sure we are getting the right amount. I’m referring to those energies that seem to flow from inside that make us feel good and when not satisfied lead to a feeling of lacking motivation.

Motivation, like energy, is an invisible force that when we have it it is clear that it is present and when missing the opposite is true. So energy and motivation go hand in hand to give us the impetuous to move forward, so how can we make sure we are maintaining our motivation?

It boils down to knowing what it is that motivates us so we can make conscious decisions around fulfilling or feeding or motivators. So next time you are lacking energy, rather than looking for a short term fix by asking “how can i be more motivated” try asking yourself “what do I need to do more of to keep myself motivated”?