The Energized Woman

Archive for the ‘Energy drains’ Category

In this season of merriment and good cheer, it probably seems unusual for me to be creating a post about growing weary.

However, I actually find that it’s quite common to feel some sense of this as the year draws to a close, especially when we’re not satisfied with what we’ve achieved throughout the year or the results that we were wanting to create haven’t come to fruition.

I noticed in myself these past few weeks, actually, a growing sense of weariness.  It surprised me a bit, but because I was able to step out of it and become an observer, I was then able to move beyond it more quickly than I have in the past.

How about you?  What is your feeling state these days as 2011 comes to a close?

If you do indeed find yourself in a state of weariness, or you have experienced this state at one time or another, listen in to the tip below for some suggestions on how to shift out of this energy quickly and with ease.  There’s no need to feel alone, and there is no reason to stay stuck.

Just click on the triangle; the tip is 5 minutes long.

After listening, leave a comment to let you me know what your usual response is when you’re experiencing a state of weariness, and what you’re now going to do differently in order to move out of it more quickly.

It happens to all of us at least once in a while.  You know the drill.  You finally get yourself into a really focused space, ready to move forward with your work, feeling engaged in what you’re doing, and then…bam…you get derailed. 

Not a pleasant experience, that’s for sure. 

In today’s audio post I share my own experience recently with really being in the zone, feeling like I could take on the world and really excited about moving forward…and then, from what felt like out of nowhere, having a technology curve ball thrown my way. 

How did I handle it?  Well, after a few choice words, I… tune in below to hear the whole story.  (Just click on the sideways triangle; the audio is about 4 minutes long).

What are some ways that you deal with things that come up that really put a wrench in your progress?  Leave a comment to let me know.

Do you wake up in the morning already feeling tired? By the end of the day, are you so exhausted that it’s all you can do to sit on the couch and flip through channels? Do you feel like any “get up and go” that you used to have has got up and went? If you answered ‘yes’, you’re definitely not alone. The lifestyle that people lead these days is a prime setup for leaving them feeling drained and energy-depleted by the end of the day.

Just for a moment, I would like you to visualize your own internal energy gauge, similar to the fuel tank gauge in your car. At the end of a typical day, what does your energy gauge indicate? If the needle moved a bit, but you still ended up in the quarter or half tank range, then you probably have some good habits in place already. But if the vision that you saw was the gauge on empty, then perhaps it is time for you to consider a lifestyle makeover. Read on to see if you can identify with any of the following habits that can lead to these deficiencies.

1. Not enough sleep

Are you staying up late, night after night, to try to get more done on your to-do list? Has your body been signaling you that it needs more rest, but you continue to ignore it and push past the exhaustion? When you begin your day in an already fatigued state, it is very difficult to make up for this as the day progresses. Certainly losing some sleep occasionally is a fact of life, but if you are chronically sleep-deprived your energy will never reach its optimal levels.

Consider going to bed earlier whenever possible, as even an extra hour can do wonders. Also, where in your day can you build in some downtime or extra rest?

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been talking a lot about how our lifestyle habits and choices impact our energy levels, and in today’s post I’d like to shift to a different area of our lives.  When it comes to your energy levels and overall health, you really can’t separate the physical from the mental.  They really are intertwined, and I would imagine that is why there is such a growing body of mind-body medicine and research.  Even as you make changes to improve your daily lifestyle habits, if you’re still experiencing a great deal of mental stress it can really wreak havoc on your health, energy levels, and well-being.

The focus for today is on a particular type of mental stress that seems to be affecting so many people these days:  finances.  Whether we’re actually talking about our own financial situation or listening to stories either in the news or from friends and family members, the emotions that are stirred up can really begin to take their toll.  Depression-like symptoms are showing up in a lot of individuals, as the pressure from a challenging financial picture continues to increase.  Sleep problems are on the rise, and relationships are suffering.  The uncertainty that so many families are experiencing has brought stress to a whole new level.

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If you are a pop drinker, I highly encourage you to take a look at this article that I came across regarding how the ingredients in a  can of soda affect your body. 

Also, at the end of the article there is a list of alternative beverages to choose instead of pop.  These healthier options may be ones that you haven’t previously considered.

Interested in checking out the article?  Please click here.

I’m a big advocate for eliminating soft drinks altogether, but if you’re not quite ready to do that then decreasing your daily consumption is a great place to start.

Today’s post was inspired by the arrival of Halloween.  For some reason this year my children have been getting more candy and treats in the weeks leading up to Halloween than I can ever remember.  I don’t buy candy when I grocery shop for my family, so having it in the house recently has, quite frankly, turned out to be a big pain.  My kids have turned into little monsters who can’t seem to get enough of the sweet stuff (and we haven’t even gone trick-or-treating yet!).  I’ve limited them to two pieces a day, but for some reason the issue is brought up way more than that and the whining is beginning to drive me a bit bonkers!!!

Okay, so back to the reason for this post.  I know that there are a lot of women out there who really struggle with their eating patterns and even at times feel out of control.  This can be especially true when it comes to sugar.  Sugar is one of those things that, unfortunately, the more you eat the more your body will crave.  In addition, many women turn to sugary foods for comfort and/or relief from emotional distress.  Does any of this ring true for your experiences with sugar?

Read the rest of this entry »

I have never been a proponent of the various energy drinks that are available on the market these days.  They are full of stimulants and artificial ingredients that really do our bodies more harm than good.  Unfortunately, more and more women are turning to these types of options as the demands on their lives increase and their energy reserves decrease.

Are you someone who consumes these types of beverages?  If so, I highly encourage you to click on the link below.  The article points out some of the negative effects that energy drinks can have on the body.  Although the article is directed toward college students, the information is relevant for anyone who occasionally or regularly reaches for an energy drink to keep them going. 

http://www.northernstar.info/article/8696/

It is important to keep in mind that what gives you an extra boost in the short-term may not be the best for you in the long-term.  This is certainly true in the case of Energy Drinks. 

I wrote my first post earlier today, and I was quite pleased that it took me such a short amount of time.  However, some other issues with the site proved extremely frustrating.  So it got me thinking about energy drains and what can cause us to take a nosedive during our day when it comes to our energy level.  For me, whenever I can’t figure out something with technology I can feel the energy being sucked out of my body.  I’ll continue to spend time on the issue, and then minutes, and sometimes even hours go by, and I am left feeling incompetent and often helpless.  Definitely not good feelings.  Although I was able to figure out part of the solution, there is still some unfinished business.  However, I have decided that I’m going to go fix a healthy dinner and slow myself down.  This will help me move into a state of acceptance with this afternoon’s frustrations and help me to build my energy back up.