A Business Owner’s Guide To Finding More Energy When You Feel Like You Have None Left
Not having energy is the worst. There is nothing more draining than feeling too drained to do anything. Especially when you have a giant list of to-dos in front of you. And if you’re a business owner, you likely do. And if you’re a side hustler, then you do and you’re constantly racing the clock. Our energy levels can be the absolute difference between accomplishing tasks that will lead to profit and spending the day sending one email before we self implode. If you’re a business owner and you’re familiar with the pressure of being productive despite not having any juice in the tank, here are a few tips on how to hack your energy levels!
What is an energy hack?
An energy hack is a method and/or to get more energy despite how you feel. You can think of this as a “work-around” for your mind and body. Even though you feel drained, exhausted, or just “blah”, there are a few unconventional methods that anyone can put into place to gain more energy and productivity.
Before we dive into the different types of energy hacks, it’s important to note that every business owner is different. Finding energy is low places for full time business owners, side hustlers and parents will all look different. Try out mulitple methods and see which ones are the best energy hacks for you and your lifestyle!
The Importance of pushing through the wall
As business owners, we have all stared blankly at our to-do size (you know, the one that is the size of a Wallgreens receipt) and have asked ourselves the same question; “where am I going to find the energy to get all of this done?”. Business owners have this awesome gift of quantifying tasks in comparison to energy. We know pretty early on when we have more tasks than energy. And although rest, mental health, and physical health are priorities; we also know sometimes we must push through being tired in order to run our businesses.
I un-originally call this “pushing through the wall”. And as a side hustler, this is one of the hardest things I do inside my business. Ironically, I spend more energy dreading tasks when I feel drained than I do actually working on the tasks. However, when I do push through and complete tasks one by when in this state, something amazing happens. I train my body and mind that I can run my business when I feel like I have no energy.
I can also train my body and mind to find energy. Sometimes in low places. But I can do it. And you can too. Energy hacking is one of the ultimate tools I use to run my side hustle. It allows me to know my body more, to proactively prepare for low energy times, and not to get too discouraged when they happen. Here are a few of my top tricks to hack your energy as a business owner. You can use only one of these tips, all of these tips or a custom combination the next time you feel drained while approaching your business to-do list.
change your clothes
The first thing you should do when you have no energy when working on your business is to change your clothes. Especially if you’re wearing PJs or sweats. No matter what, make a point to change your clothes. When you do this, you trick your mind into “starting something” and you can naturally get a surge of energy.
Now if you work from home and you feel like your closet only has two speeds; jeans or sweats. Or sweats or formalwear, it’s important that you still change your clothes. Check out my work-from-home wardrobe if you are looking to add a few pieces to your closet. These items are comfy for the home, but don’t make you feel like you are in PJs all day.
ADDITIONAL TIPS WHILING CHANGING:
- Put on a fresh t-shirt
- Brush your hair and put it up or in braids
- Brush your teeth & wash your face
- Put on shoes!
change scenery
Another energy hack for a business owner is to change sceneries if you can. Moving locations, even just to the other room, can significantly shift your energy and refresh your brain! If you have a laptop, try working remotely in another room or even at a local coffee shop for a couple of hours.
If you work from a desktop, see if you can unplug and move your set up into another room. This may be a bit more work on the front end. However, relocating to a different room can really provide you a new perspective and cause you to hunker down with more energy to get things done.
drink water
The next tip to hack your energy as a business owner is to drink a ton of water! As a general rule of thumb, you should drink water around the clock. According to the Mayo Clinic, the average person should be drinking 11-15 cups of water a day. Now if you’re a business owner, it’s even more important not to skip out on this.
Drinking water throughout the day will obviously prevent your body from getting dehydrated but will also affect how you work throughout the week. It may go seemingly unnoticed, but when you drink water on a regular basis, your body is more alert, awake, and energized! Plus getting up to use the restroom more frequently will remind you of what a good job you’re doing at staying hydrated and will even incorporate micro walks into your day!
TIPS ON DRINKING MORE WATER THROUGHOUT THE DAY:
- Fall in love with a new water bottle like this time-marker water bottle (that even comes with a sleeve!)
- Add a couple of tablespoons of Pedialyte to your water (get the grape- you’ll thank me later!)
- Drink hands-free from a straw while at your desk. You won’t even notice you’re drinking!
micro workout
Speaking of working out, accomplishing micro workouts when you feel completely zapped is proven to ironically give you additional energy. I know it sounds like the opposite, but if you can force your tired body to work out even for a few minutes, then you will likely leave that workout with more energy you can immediately put into your business!
These micro-workouts don’t need to be too crazy or involved. Heck, you don’t even need workout clothes. Try things like jogging in place or having a 2-minute dance party. Small things like this to get your body moving can produce just the right amount of energy and adrenaline to accomplish what you need to run your business.
Addtional tips
- Add 2 tablespoons of Pedialyte to your water (you’ll thank me later!)
- Diffuse a mixture of lemon and peppermint where you’re working
- Have a 2-minute dance party to your favorite songs
- Get in the car and drive around the block
- Listen to this Soft Jazz playlist on Spotify while you work (it’s my favorite)
- Set a timer to help keep you focused and create urgency. This cube timer is one I use daily!
creating your side hustle routine
Unfortunately, energy is not an unlimited resource. And as business owners, our jobs seem to not slow down too often. Now I am all for a healthy balance. But I’m also all for a bit of hard work. As a side hustler, I’ve had to learn where the line is in the sand between burnout and hard work. Oftentimes, this line is pretty thin. Through very early mornings and late evenings, I’ve had to develop my own tools for hacking my energy to complete the tasks my business needs.
Doing things like hacking my energy are a part of my side hustle routine. If you haven’t created your side hustle routine, then let me start you out! Download my free Side Hustle Routine Planner and create a routine for your business to maximize business and balance. Because you can have both 🙂
Side hustling is not always easy. But nothing worth pursuing ever is! Keep up the hard work, pay attention to your body and what it needs, and find your own custom methods of hacking your energy levels to get all the things done!
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