Have you lost the energy that you once had in your life? Are you feeling drained at the end of the work day? I know firsthand that women need to increase their energy levels in order to get more of what they want out of their lives. Lack of energy is the number one complaint I hear from every woman that I speak to.

Years ago I taught a software training class for five consecutive days; at the beginning of the week I had high energy levels. However, by day 5, my energy was depleted—mentally, physically and emotionally. It took me two weeks to replenish my energy. Today, I use energy boosters interspersed throughout my day to help me reclaim the energy expended so that I feel revitalized throughout the entire day. According to authors, Jim Loehr, Ed.D and Tony Schwartz who wrote the book entitled The Power of Full Engagement “managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance as well as to health, happiness, and life balance...We must learn to live our lives as a series of sprints – fully engaged for periods of time – and then fully disengaged and seeking renewal”. In other words, if you identify and reduce stress triggers, learn to pace yourself, take excellent care of your body, set boundaries around your life and create a support system-- your energy levels will increase and remain high daily.

Identify and reduce stress triggers. Stress is an unavoidable part of life. Identify the cause or circumstances of stress — where you were or your physical and emotional state. Life events such as traffic, work and family increase stress. Find healthy ways to cope with stress. Recognize that stress depletes energy but your reaction to it helps you minimize the impact.

Learn to pace yourself. Determine what makes you happy and give yourself what you need. Pay attention to the parts of your life that are most important. Create daily practices that nurture your ability to build energy levels---take breaks, eat healthy snacks, listen to music, focus on the present and what’s within your ability to control.

Take care of your body. Make yourself number one as a priority; spend your energy maximizing your health and wellness. Try mind-body exercises, such as breathing, meditation and yoga. Be physically active everyday and get plenty of rest. Take time to nourish your body with a massage, which releases tension, revitalizes energy, and helps you increase vitality.

Set boundaries around your life. Say “no” to things that don’t support your overall priorities. Only accept requests that support you at home and in the workplace. Learn your limits--pay attention to what you can and cannot do to reduce the stress of excessive demands on your life. Make the choice not to overload your schedule.

Create A Support System. Partner with a wellness coach who can create a structure of accountability and support as you find ways to boost your energy everyday. Remember, life can drain your energy, it can steal it and suck it away-or, you can take steps to boost your energy. It's kind of like putting up shields for the Starship Enterprise. When the shields are up and the armor plating is on, your energy levels are stored-and you're fueling yourself. Take three actions this week to boost your energy. Email me at Diane@LifeAccelerated.com to share with me personally what has worked for you. I'd love to hear about your energy boosting success!

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