Low Energy? Don’t Drain on My Parade!

Excuse the terrible pun; I couldn’t resist.

Musicals aside, how upbeat are you feeling this month? How’s your get-up-and-go? If it’s got up and gone, you might need an injection of energy from your favourite Form team.

The great news is, we made it through January – and whether you did it with a spring in your step or a reluctant crawl, you did it all the same. 

Before long, spring will start peeking playfully over the horizon, and we can draw a little more energy from the seasons. But until that time, we’re going to share some of our top tips (and app-based insight) for giving your energy levels a big old boost.

Energy is One of the Main Drivers of Form

Our wellbeing is affected by a whole range of factors. FormScore splits the main players into 12 drivers: connections, energy, exercise, finances, health, kids, nutrition, sleep, stress, travel, the weather, and work. Why? Because understanding our own mental health, and what’s driving it, allows us to be really proactive when it comes to maintaining good mental health, and improving our form. 

Since introducing our nifty ‘Drivers of Form’ feature on the app, we’re able to see what’s boosting wellbeing across our community, and what’s bringing it down. Last year, energy emerged as one of the top drivers. But not in isolation. We found that energy strongly correlated with connections, health, work and sleep. 

So what does that tell us about our energy levels?

Namely, that balance is absolutely key to boosting our form.

Balancing Energy for Better Wellbeing 

Energy isn’t only about our bodies: sure, there’s the physical side, but we also have mental and emotional energy – and when any one of them runs low, we feel it in just about every area of our lives. 

If you’re tired and sluggish, struggling with motivation, feeling less productive, and having trouble engaging in meaningful activities, it’s likely that your energy reserves need replenishing. And it’s not just about getting more sleep.

Our energy can be affected by everything from an excessive workload, the weather, eating the wrong foods and not getting enough exercise, to unhealthy relationships, mental and physical illness, too much screen time, and being overstimulated. You might even be deficient in iron or vitamin b12.

It’s a pretty big list, right? That’s why finding balance in every area of your life is essential for maintaining good energy levels. If you’re not sure what’s impacting your energy right now, start a journal: score your energy out of 10, note down what’s going on in your life – from what you’re eating to what you’re working on; how you’re sleeping to who you’re talking to – and keep it up over the month. In time, you’ll start to notice trends.

Logging your form on the FormScore app – along with your unique drivers of form – will also help you to build a picture of what’s having the biggest impact on your overall wellbeing. 

Tried and Tested Energy Boosters

So, what can you do to raise those all-important energy levels? 

• Exercise, even if you don’t feel like it; especially if you don’t feel like it, in fact.

• Resist the temptation to order takeout when your levels are low; you need nutritious food now more than ever.

• Take your vitamins, religiously: a good multivitamin, plus any extras you might need (ask your Dr for a blood test to determine your levels). 

• Break down all of your tasks – work and general life admin – into smaller chunks; tackling them one bit at a time is easier when energy levels are low. 

• Get plenty of rest. Set yourself a bedtime (no, really) and stick to it until you’re feeling back on top. 

• Eat your breakfast. Skipping breakfast can have pretty negative repercussions for the rest of the day, so fuel up from the get-go. 

• Control stress levels with yoga, meditation and mindfulness. Stress is a huge energy drain!

• Drink lots of water. Honestly, this is one of the best (and simplest) ways to keep your energy levels high. Dehydration will leave you feeling sluggish and fatigued.

• Reset in nature. Sometimes all you need is a lungful of fresh air and 30 minutes with your own thoughts. A brisk walk around the block really can work wonders. 

Of course, an understanding of why your energy is running low will help you to determine the best next steps for you, so fill in that journal and keep logging your FormScore.

 Knowledge is power, after all.