AGL 043: Energy

A Geek Leader Podcast - inspiring technical and creative leaders around the world

Energy If you're like me, you wish you had more energy to tackle the things you want to tackle in a day. I hope that this episode (last in our 5 day blitz) will help you discover a few ways to manage the finite amounts of energy that we have a little better. Below are some tips for getting more energy throughout the day. Remember, I'm an IT Geek, not a doctor. Consult your doctor or a medical professional before taking my advice on diet and exercise. Coffee If you know me, you know that I drink lots of coffee. Probably more than I should. I drink coffee all day and evening. My first cup of coffee is before 8am and my last is usually around 10pm. I do believe coffee (which contains caffeine) gives you energy, but more than that, I think the process of getting up and walking into another room to make myself a wonderful cup of joe is what helps my energy levels the most. Sometimes just the break of getting up and moving can boost my energy. Now, I'm not saying the caffeine doesn't help. Breathe We talked about this in episode 36 but breath is important. Doing breathing exercises can help give you energy. There is science to this. Taking deep breaths pushes out carbon dioxide and increases your oxygen levels. More oxygen in your blood makes you feel as though you have more energy. If you start to get tired... take some deep breaths. It helps me. Take a Walk Like I said a few minutes ago, taking a walk to make a cup of coffee gives me a little boost. At my office, there are a couple of ponds. I find that getting up and walking around outside makes a big difference. I'm not 100% sure if its the walking or the outside or most likely, the combination of the two, but after a walk, I feel super energized and ready to tackle the next task on my todo list. Have a Talk Stopping and talking (verbally, not on slack, email or text) can help give you new life when you find your energy failing. Stand up, walk to another cube or office and talk about something. I usually stick to work related topics, like upcoming projects or tasks that I have question on. I find that talking helps motivate me. I also believe that the human interaction of talking with someone gives us a little charge in our brains to keep us active and give us more energy. Exercise Exercise is important. That goes without saying. Its important to keep our body in tune and our mind healthy. When our body is in shape, we have more energy. Ask anyone that started exercising regularly for a few months. They have more energy now than before. I recommend running, because I enjoy it. Its an easy way to start exercising without any equipment (except shoes). It builds your cardiovascular health and gives you lots more energy. Its one of the fastest ways to loose weight and boost your energy. When I get in a rut and don't work out for a while, I really notice my energy falling off after lunch. But, when I workout regularly, I notice my energy levels stay strong throughout the day and evening. Diet I don't always follow a healthy diet. I know I should do better but I like carbs! Carbs give you short-term boost of energy, but they drain you in the long run. One of the newest diets people are discussing online is the keto diet. The keto diet consist of eating high fat, moderate protein and zero carbs. I did this for a while and I must say my energy levels stabilized throughout the day and my hunger decreased. I am no longer following this diet, but I have noticed when I just reduce my dependency on carbs, my energy levels don't rise and fall nearly as much as they did before. I do feel it when I fall off the wagon and eat pizza or something. Sleep Getting enough sleep is super important to having energy throughout the day. Everyone is different and everyone needs different amounts of sleep. One thing we know, is that if you're getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night, you're getting too little.