Avoid These Habits to Stay Energetic!

LifeStyleAugust 12, 2017

You would be surprised to know just how easy the little things you do (or don’t do) during the day, can make you so physically and mentally exhausted that everyday tasks feel like chores. If you think that you don’t have enough energy only because of lack of sleep, you’d be surprised to know what can also bring you down.

“Good luck is the willing handmaid of an upright and energetic character, and conscientious observance of duty.”

— James Russell Lowell

Here are ten toxic habits you should avoid so you could lead a healthy life full of energy.

Don’t skip your daily exercise

fizkes/Shutterstock

Skipping your workout to save energy works against you. Sure, you might feel exhausted for a couple of minutes after you’ve finished the workout, but the rest of the day, you will feel more energetic than you would after a cup of coffee or a quick nap.

Stop worrying

Of course, worrying is a part of life and is unavoidable, but if you constantly worry about things you can’t fix or control, you’re stressing yourself out and becoming exhausted for no reason at all.

Don’t be a perfectionist

If you’re a perfectionist, you’re striving to be the best at everything, and that’s why you work harder than anyone else, more than it’s necessary. You set unrealistic goals for yourself that are often so difficult or even impossible to achieve. In the end, you’re left exhausted and unsatisfied with yourself. Therefore, limit yourself in your projects and take care of yourself. Don’t slack off, but also don’t prioritize your work over your own well being.

Avoid negative thoughts

Just like worrying, negative thoughts are often unnecessary, and people who have them often look for reasons to be unhappy. One negative thought will spark another and soon create a spiral. They often arise when you have a problem in your life that you avoid talking about, so you torture yourself by thinking about it.

If this is a case, find someone who you’re close to, someone you can trust, and talk about all the problems and negative thoughts that are bothering you. You will feel much better when you let everything out.

Don’t skip breakfast

People skip breakfast for multiple reasons. Maybe they think they’ll lose weight like this, or they simply don’t have enough time. However, breakfast is the fuel your body needs to have enough energy throughout the day. And it shouldn’t just be any kind of food; your breakfast should be rich in whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats.

Learn how to say “No”

Everyone wants to be liked by other people, but some take people pleasing to the extent of making themselves exhausted and unhappy. Of course, it’s nice to help your friend move or organize the bake sale for the fundraiser your kid’s school is having, but sometimes, you need to say no. When you have free time after an exhausting day, use it to relax.

Don’t resist change

Change is something that people generally tend to avoid and are even scared of. They stay in jobs they hate, and in relationships they’ve grown out of just because they don’t want things to change. Nonetheless, if you want to grow, you need to accept change as an unavoidable part of life that you should embrace. Therefore, if you have the chance to change something about your life you don’t like, don’t hesitate but use it wisely.

Never work in a messy environment

NakoPhotography/Shutterstock

If you’re working in a messy environment, your brain will never be able to focus on the work and process information. As such, clean your workplace regularly and if your office needs reorganizing, don’t postpone it. You should make sure everything is organized in a way that you feel comfortable in.

Don’t drink alcohol before bedtime

If you can’t relax before going to bed and can’t fall asleep, don’t think alcohol will help you. You may think that drinking relaxes you, but the effect that alcohol has on your body is actually completely opposite. It boosts your adrenaline levels, and even though you will probably fall asleep, you will most likely wake up in the middle of the night and won’t be able to go back to sleep.

Not drinking enough water

The claim that you need eight glasses of water a day isn’t scientifically correct, but you do need a specific daily intake of it to avoid dehydration. To calculate the needed amount, divide your weight in pounds in half, and you will get how much ounces of water you need.

You should be aware that dehydration is dangerous. It can make your heart pump less efficiently and reduce the speed at which oxygen reaches your muscles and organs.