Well, as you can imagine, life with 3 kids 7 and down, and running a business is no cake walk, so I’m grateful for every ounce of energy I can get.
The questions I get most often surround the general “how do you do it?” and with themes of “you make it look easy”….well clearly if you’re saying that you haven’t stopped over for tea between the hours of 4-6pm very often recently–life is anything but “easy” in certain moments, but I also know I wouldn’t trade this fun juggle for the world. I have learned a few tricks along the way, about both conserving energy (no 5pm grocery trips here, we’d rather skip the 1 ingredient we’re missing)…and about using energy on the things that matter! (mid-day jaunt at the playground, or stroller jog, yes please! Time for after school cuddles and fire time, without yawning, and the extra energy boost for my own time after the kids are asleep, for projects like this post, or having quality time with hub. You all KNOW the things that you would do if you had a bit more energy in each day, so let’s take that and translate it into reality with these fun tips.
So, here are 9 quick ways (I don’t like the word hack, it sounds less than meaningful, and these are very meaningful moments of self-care, awareness and overall intentional habits) that I’ve found will bring renewed energy to my day, and focus to my steps, no matter what I have going on around me with kiddos, or on my list for the day.
And here’s a hint–though I am a sucker for a good cup of coffee, none of these energizing tips involve caffeine! No one has time to be relying on that…the repercussions can be great, especially when you’re worn down, as I discuss in this post on adrenal fatigue…
- My super energizing pomegranate tea with chia seeds. This is the little secret I’m letting you in on which will change your life. The tea has very little caffeine, tastes AMAZING, comes in these super convenient packets that I always keep on hand in my car (tricky moves of busy mommas), and I mix it with chia seeds when I’m at home, then let it sit for 10 min, and the result is unreal. You have to like some texture…it’s almost like bubble tea or something with soft pearls in it. The combination of the fiber/protein/super food qualities of the chia, with the energy tea amino acids which are feeding your brain and making it more alert, always have me feeling awesome for hours. Just the thing for after school pickup, or when you might want to do a workout, a focused work session, or just have extra energy midday. If you stop reading here, you’ve still gotten all you need out of this article;) If you try it out, let me know in the comments what you think!
2. Go outside. Yes, we’re getting into the winter months here in CT, a blast of cold air from being out on my porch immediately brings new life to my brain and bloodcells as everything reacts & activates for warmth and survival. It works for my kids every time (they get sent out to get their energy OUT and somehow come back in with more energy–go figure:), and I send myself outside from time to time when I need it. The fresh air will definitely replenish your oxygen stores, and get you thinking and grooving in new ways. It’s easy and free, so why not? Plus the outdoors always sparks my spiritual and creative side, who doesn’t want that?
3. 10 minutes of yoga or barre. Sometimes you’ll find me in my living room, with messes everywhere, just embracing my moment to do a few poses and stretch/gather my thoughts, release any tension I’m carrying in various parts of the body, and to return to life with new focus and energy. Some great 10 min yoga videos from yoga with adrienne, and the Barre3 workouts I love come in 10/30 and 60 min increments. Every little bit of movement helps.
Here are the links:
http://mbsy.co/jnLl9
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcqW72d5JjI (I like this one for the background), she has hundreds.
4. A brisk walk. This is one of my favorites, when I can make it happen. I’ll often plan errands time around nap times for my little guy, and let him crash in the stroller, get a few miles of walking in (2-3 is a sweet spot for me, time and energizing-wise), and then have time in one of the little towns near where we live for the trip to post office/shops/coffee etc. The walking clears my head, and brings awesome energy into my day. Sometimes the answer is right in front of us, we just have to get creative. Park further, or pick a trail near you, and WALK more today.
5. Drink an apple cider vinegar cocktail (with a syrup chaser);) This is a laughable but awesome one which I rely on many days of the week.
More about the benefits of ACV here. Let’s just put it this way. I have a grandma who is an incredibly robust lady. She’s had diabetes for years, but is going strong at 94. She swears by her ACV daily (and it’s known for managing blood sugar levels), so I’ll take it. I make mine with roughly 2 tbsp ACV (Braggs or unfiltered/organic is best, and 1-2 tsp maple syrup or your sweetener of choice).
6. Read a few pages of a favorite book. So much of our energy ebbs and flows throughout the day I believe are tied to our emotional and mental state. So, I like to keep good juicy books on hand that I can flip open and begin turning a few pages of (we’re not talking a huge reading session)…something that fires you up and allows you to head into the next part of your day in a more responsible and focused mental state. If you’ve got car time or commuting time, podcasts are great! To get some ideas of my favorite books on personal development topics (and to start the conversation around it, because I’m very into all of it! As you can see—and related to # 7)…go here.
7. If you’re an extrovert, be around people! If you’re an introvert, respect your body’s need to be quiet and alone for parts of the day. Play to your strengths, and you can learn more about all of this here. I feed off of other people’s energy, so a low energy morning or day could be entirely changed/solved by a coffee date with a good friend, or even some good ol fashioned playground time meeting up with new folks and running around with kids. Be aware of what helps your energy flow shift throughout the day, and work with that, mindfully:)
8) Grab a healthy snack! People often forgot this one, but it’s obvious. If you’re running 100 miles per hour and then wonder why you’re crashing, it may be because starbucks grande soy lattes only get you so far (or start the day with a coffee flavored protein shake instead:)). We have to eat real food, and a well placed snack can be one of the best parts of the day for both moms and kids, as well. I recommend something with some healthy fats for brain energy/fuel, and simple carbs which are easier to digest, such as apples and almond butter, or a rice cake with sunflower butter & coconut/cinnamon (yum)…also…my favorite energy bite snacks. The recipe can be found here. I also always keep the 180 Snack & meal bars (white chocolate cinnamon, toffee crunch, and PB meal bars) around for myself and my kids, because they are packed with high quality vegetarian protein (10g in snack bars, and 20 in the meal bars!) and super convenient. Better than reaching for sugar, caffeine or junk when you’re feeling a crash. Enjoy nibbling mindfully and watch your energy levels rise with the right kind of snacking!
9. Nap! You never thought I’d say that right? This momma has finally embraced the philosophy that sometimes rest is more important than exercise, caffeine or charging ahead:)! If you have the ability to take a 20 min power nap (or longer!) it could do wonders not only for your energy levels physically, but also for your mental state during the rest of the day.
I’ll be taking all of these into my daily arsenal–they help both energy and mood! Let me know which healthy habits you already use for managing your energy levels, and which of these look intriguing to try!
I also find that when I’m living the life I love, in integrity with my goals and commitments that I’ve prayerfully designed with God, spouse and kids in mind, that in itself brings me such an energy that I’m jumping out of bed in the morning. It certainly wasn’t always that way, and I’ve enjoyed mapping out my journey to get here, as part of some of these programs….perhaps you’ll want to work together to create your own roadmap to an uber-energized life using the tips above and all the juicy topics on becoming our best selves through personal development and growth mindset! It’s fun stuff.
Perhaps some of my life by design courses where I explore my own journey to tap into our natural energy sources, will be helpful as well! As always, I’m grateful for your comments and feedback, and I can’t wait to connect, here and #IRL 🙂
Cheers to an energized winter ahead!