By LeAnna J. Carey | Jul 27, 2011
Socrates said that, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Fortunate that Socrates did not live in today's ....wait, this is exactly what he was speaking about - taking the time to examine your life. If you were to examine what your last week looked like, chances are you would recall your energy states; moments of creativity, frustration with your schedule, creativity, fatigue, or moments where you were able to relax and create balance. Nothing is as frustrating as running out of time and energy when needing to check things off 'the list.' Socrates' question is personal and sparks reaction; for example, how can change occur, when one does not take the time to examine his or her life?
If we were to jump to the future and then look back on our lives, two of the questions we might find ourselves asking are:
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What did I spend my time on?
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Why was I so busy?
Let's consider that we all have the same 24 hours in a day. Most of us work no less than 8 hours a day, and within that day, there are times where you are the most productive. For me, don't call between the hours of 10AM and 2PM, I'm writing - I actually feel creative, my energy level is rocking, my thinking is clear - a different story after 9PM. When I began to rearrange my schedule to my peak productivity times, there was an immediate impact on my sense of productivity, balance, and energy. I actually have time to examine my goals, and strange as this may seem, my goals are bigger, I accomplish more... and there is more balance. Go figure. The key is taking time to reflect on what I need to change.
We all want a life worth living. So, if you were to redesign how you spend your time, how would you align your peak productivity times to accomplish your life goals?
By LeAnna J. Carey | Jun 14, 2011
Oprah said, " Everyone has to learn to think differently, bigger, to open to possibilities" When was the last time you reflected or imagined your possibilities? To cultivate a blueprint of possibilities you need to tap into perspective - and that requires energy. As impossible as it sounds, successfully meeting the demands of life and balance are both achievable if you have an open perspective and a healthy energy flow. While the connection between mind and body can probably be attributed to the ancient Greeks, in contemporary society, most of us are trying to create a balanced life and live to our fullest potential.
When picturing someone who realizes their possibilities, does that person also look like a person with a great deal of personal energy? We have previously addressed that one of the most important steps to feeling energized is to get enough sleep; now, let's explore changing the way you think. One helpful tip is remove 'tail-enders' - yes, you heard me, correctly. According to Feinstein, Eden & Craig, in their book, The Promise of Energy Psychology, "tail-enders involve a limiting self-image that instructs you that the desired state is not possible, you are not capable of it." Their example, "But, if I lose the weight, others will expect me to keep it off," or in this case, my example, 'if I tap into my possibilities, I may have to make different lifestyle chioces." Feinstein, et al, goes on to suggest to bring your goal, even if dimly recognized, into the forefront, write it down; doing this may reveal attitudes that are keeping your goals from becoming a reality.
Thinking differently is the first step to changing anything in our lifestyle, so let's start with understanding that a key resource for restoring your energy is your circadian synchrony- in other words, the timing of light, ambient temperature, the timing of meals, fluids and activity are all related and need to be in sync. It's also important to realize that your personal energy is renewable! Your possibilities will take you as far as you have the energy to discover and act on them. Being open to and connecting with the elemental energy and rhythms of the natural world like sunlight, the sky, the signs of the current season, the time of day, is an ever present source of energy that automatically makes us more open. If you are making daily lifestyle choices to sync up, you are stoking your daily source of energy - consider the possibilities!
By LeAnna J. Carey | May 04, 2011
There is a great deal written about women and success. It's fascinating to read about the success journeys of women and how they know when to make the right moves. Let's take a look at a basic ingredient to success - energy. How does energy impact our lives?
We are all born with a unique body clock and getting in sync with our body rhythms will produce the energy and vitality needed for our optimal personal and professional productivity. For example, sunlight and temperature cycles regulate the timing and effectiveness of basic behaviors such as sleep, physical stamina, cognitive performance, alertness and appetite. If you are cooped up in an office all day, chances are, your energy starts to deplete sometime in the afternoon. Taking a break for even 5-10 minutes will reset your energy levels. The midday sunlight will increase your mental alertness, the movement will warm your core, and the fresh air will stimulate your breathing.
One important tip to remember is that what we eat is only half of the equation - appetite and metabolism are intricately related to sleep and light exposure. One recent study found that just a single night of insufficient sleep leads to increased appetite and the consumption of 350 to 500 more calories than are consumed after a night of 7 to 8 hours sleep. Nothing diminishes your productivity or how you feel about yourself, more than feeling sluggish and bloated.
Understanding when your greatest stamina peak is huge. Studies have clearly demonstrated that in healthy adults, physical stamina is greatest in the afternoon. The later afternoon peak in core body temp and the mid-afternoon decrease in skin blood flow may be the reason. I find that I am the most productive late to mid afternoon; please don't call me before 10 AM, I'm really not myself.
The absolute most important energy tip is to get your sleep! Start winding down a couple of hours before you go to bed. Turn it all off..your iPhone, iPad, laptop, television. Here's the reason why: the light at night can cause elevated night time cortisol and slow wave sleep disruption.
Start making a few of these lifestyle changes and you may find that success is waiting for you right around the corner, and all that you ever needed was to turn out the lights! To listen to Dr. Virginia Gurley, MD talk more on finding your stamina peaks listen here!