What can be done to maintain steady Mental Energy? fix these habits ASAP!
Two major factors that contribute to a successful and productive day are time management and your mental energy. Many people strive to achieve their goals by managing their time as best as they can but what about the mental energy you need to run with during the day? We must accept that every morning we get a dose of mental energy that might not be sufficient to pull us through each day if it is not properly managed. This is why many people feel mentally drained even before it is 10 a.m. in the morning.
You are experiencing this mental drain because of certain bad habits that set in very early in the morning and cause you to have a mental drain before noon, this is bad for you. So what are these bad habits? We have listed eleven of them below. You should know which of these apply to you and how you can start eliminating their effects on your life.
1.Lack of sleep
There is no better way to replenish your mental energy than sleeping. Unfortunately, many people have compromised their sleeping time to carry out other activities. You will not be missing out on much if you plan your time well to include an adequate time to sleep.
Lack of sufficient sleep will compromise your mental energy reserves. You need to sleep well to avoid being slow mentally.
Tip- Your body will always give you signals when it needs sleep. Never eliminate these signs by taking caffeinated drinks, just go to sleep. Find out how many hours of night sleep you need to feel energized in the morning and stick with it every night.
2. Taking on too many tasks at the same time
Yes we need to work and we also have a life to live but fitting everything in all at once can be overbearing on your mental energy. Many people have to contend with strenuous demands of work life balance, but this can be simplified. Understand your capacities and only agree to do what you can effectively handle at every time. What matters is whatever you do it very well rather than trying to accomplish numerous tasks averagely.
Tip- Consistently practice the habit of prioritizing your activities and you will definitely get better at it. Allow for some free time every day to accommodate any unforeseen tasks that might suddenly come up on your to-do list.
3. Habitual Procrastination
Procrastination takes its toll on your mental energy. It is easy to put off performing some tasks because you don’t feel inspired at that moment. This can easily lead to a pile up of work to do. Handling this will require a lot of mental energy because your workload has been doubled.
Tip- you can fight procrastination by adopting the two-minute rule. This means if a task will take you two minutes to accomplish, just do it quickly and perfectly then move on to the next task. Two-minute breaks in the middle of a task have been proven to be great for the mind without you getting distracted.
4. Striving for unrealistic perfection
There are times when you have done your very best but you fail to realize it. This means you keep trying to make your work better, spending many hours when you have actually reached your highest point of productivity. The pressure put on your mind to exceed your actual capacity can become very overbearing.
It is important to know your work, understanding when you have put in your very best and moving on is important to save up the amount of mental energy required for that task. Don’t push yourself too hard except you know more can realistically be achieved.
Tip- focus your mental energy on developing a good work. Once you have met the basic requirements for a task, you can attempt to improve it but don’t put pressure on yourself looking for errors that are not there.
5. Poor eating habits
There have been many links connecting your mental energy to your diet. Foods that have high sugar contents should be avoided because they can give you a surge of mental energy which will be immediately followed by a decline once the sugar levels drop. You need foods that can sustain your mental energy all through the day,
Eating foods like whole grains, vegetables, fruits and healthy sources of protein will give your body enough energy to sustain your mental energy while you go about your daily activities.
Tip- Adopt a healthy diet. Your diet should include foods like nuts, vegetables, seeds, fish, berries and other foods that have been proven to have the ability to boost brain power. Please avoid caffeine as much as you can.
6. Starting without a plan
Starting without a plan can lead to mental drain because you will need to put in more effort to make a decision, and it takes a lot of effort to make decisions. The absence of a good plan can leave you mentally stranded and this will lead to a waste of time.
We have seen how great men have avoided this bad habit; they have simplified their daily activities by reducing the activities that ask their minds early in the morning. Many successful men like Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs limited their wardrobe to the dressing in a similar way every day. I can bet that it takes them a few minutes to get dressed. Simple decisions like eating a regular breakfast or establishing a simple routine will allow you to have more mental energy which can be focused on other things.
This is worth considering, while you should find out what works for you.
Tip: start planning the events of the next day from today. It might not work out the way you have planned but you will have a plan and a direction. Changes can be easily addressed as the day goes by.
7. Neglecting your hobbies
Engaging in your hobbies regularly is an excellent way to keep up your mental energy. Doing what makes you happy will put you in a better frame of mind to focus on your responsibilities. As you plan your day, include some leisure time to engage in activities that make you happy.
Tip- Find out those hobbies that make you really happy. Some people like to skip just before meals or play some video games. Others might love to read a good book in the evenings. Always make time to do things you love.
What can you do to sustain your mental energy?
Those people who are able to smile at the end of every day have been successfully able to manage their mental energy all through the day. They have mastered this by adopting good habits that prevent mental energy drain.
In reality, there are many ways our mental energies can get compromised. We are constantly faced with responsibilities, the need to make decisions and numerous errands to run. The good news is that there are very many ways to effectively manage your mental energy. Find out which of these methods works best for you and adopt it. You will become a happier and more productive person in a very short time.
BONUS VIDEO
Values – First and foremost, your personal values are perhaps most important because they explain your opinions and even your actions. What are your beliefs and do you know exactly why these factors are important for you? Over time, you should also learn just how committed you are to these beliefs and they begin to form your opinions and help to make important decisions.
Direction – Finally, where is your direction in life and where is your true self-going to direct you in the coming years? As soon as you understand the first six factors, the direction will take care of itself. Often, we spend too long focusing on the destination when the journey itself is the most important factor. Once you choose a direction that represents YOUR happiness, you can be confident that you will enjoy the life that unfolds before you!
