Welcome to this blog about how to boost your energy during the day as a teenager!
The energy of the mind is the essence of life
Aristotle
Before we get into the blog, I have one question for you: When you think of energy, what is the first word that comes to your mind?
For me, to be honest, I think of a Gatorade drink. That might be what you think of, or you might come up with other words, like the Earth, the food you intake, exercise, or anything else.
No matter what word you thought of, you are right. The whole universe consists of energy. And this, readers, is something that you should keep in mind while reading the whole article. Read the takeaway to find out why.
Energy. The strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity.
Have you ever made a detailed plan of how you are going to spend your whole day, starting with waking up early, and ending with a long walk in the night? I certainly have.
But, how many of us have actually followed that detailed plan consistently? I certainly have not.
Throughout the whole day, I would make excuses circling the following words, “not enough energy.”
When I was supposed to wake up at 6 a.m. but snoozed the alarm: I don’t have enough energy to wake up right now.
When I was supposed to make a healthy lunch but instead, ordered fast food: I don’t have enough energy to cook a whole meal.
When I was supposed to work out for one hour: I don’t have enough energy today. I’ll do it tomorrow.
I’m sure many of you can relate to the following situation, and if you can, welcome. You’ve come to the right place.
Energy allows us to do things. It allows us to be productive, be active, and more importantly, be successful. Success doesn’t come from being lazy, and if we think that we don’t have enough energy to do something, we are being lazy.
Whenever you feel sluggish or tired, you tend to make lazy decisions, which leads us to be annoyed with ourselves, and eventually, failing to live up to the standards we create for ourselves.
As teenagers, it’s normal to lacking energy levels depending on the amount of work we do. Many of us play sports, are exceeding in school, or have business/side hustles. We NEED the energy to continue doing all the things we love to do. So, if lately, you’ve been feeling like you don’t have enough energy throughout the day, follow these 10 tips:
1. Fix your sleep habits
The reason why sleep is at the top of the list is that in my opinion, it is the most important element to having more energy throughout the day.
For me, if I sleep too little, I am very tired throughout the day, and if I sleep too much, I don’t feel like doing anything as well.
A lot of teenagers tend to sleep late, which leads to either sleep deprivation or the opposite by waking up late. Regardless of what it is, fix your sleep habits!
Start sleeping AND waking up early!
By sleeping well, you are giving your mind and your body the rest it needs to continue hustling the following day.
2. Drink more water
Every morning, I start my day with a nice glass of water. It helps me feel refreshed and energized.
If you want to have more energy throughout the day, start drinking more water!
What’s the only nutrient that has been shown to enhance performance for all but the most demanding endurance activities? It’s not some pricey sports drink. It’s water. If your body is short of fluids, one of the first signs is a feeling of fatigue.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/energy-and-fatigue/9-tips-to-boost-your-energy-naturally
I get it, sometimes it’s hard to remember to drink water, especially if we’re having a busy day. But, it helps to track how many glasses you’ve drunk, set alarms for yourself, and remind yourself to have water. After all, there is nothing more refreshing than a glass of water.
3. Eat healthy food
Chips or salad? Cookies or oatmeal? Ice cream or strawberries? I’m guessing that you chose the first option for at least two of them.
However, if you’re looking to feel more energized throughout the day, without a sugar rush, it helps to eat more healthy food.
Eat foods that contain good amounts of protein and fiber. You should also try to avoid sugary foods because they may energize you at first, but they will lower your blood sugar, leaving you feeling fatigued.
Some good foods to eat are nuts, yogurt, whole grains, and like my mom says, green stuff.
4. Lighten your load
The reason why you may feel less energized lately may be because you have too much to do. You may feel fatigued because you are working 24/7 and trying to be done with task after task. This may include personal, school, professional, or social issues.
To reduce your load, it helps to streamline your list of “must-do” activities. Set your priorities and first do the things that matter the most to you. If something is not as important to you, schedule it to do later or if it doesn’t even matter, don’t do it at all.
Along with this, remember that it is always okay to ask for help from another person, like your sibling, parent, co-worker, or teacher!
5. Manage your stress
Lightening your load and managing your stress kind of go hand-in-hand. If you have too much work on your hands, you may be stressed out. So, if you think that you are stressed because of the amount of work you have, I highly recommend setting priorities.
Besides that, it is very important that you manage your stress to gain energy throughout your day.
Stress-induced emotions consume huge amounts of energy.
Your stress can have a significant impact on your body and mind.
To help relieve your stress, you should start exercising, being more social, meditate, and do whatever works for you! Being more social and exercising are some of the tips listed below to help you have more energy, so keep reading!
6. Have some coffee
Disclaimer: You can use this as an excuse to go get Starbucks. (lol)
Some of us might love coffee, while others don’t. Well, if you do like coffee, you’re in luck. It can help you have more energy!
It contains caffeine, which will help you remain more alert and focused, while sharpening your brain.
However, as teenagers, it is important that we don’t get addicted to it that we end up having more difficulties. I like to have a nice cup of coffee once a week, so maybe you should start trying this as well. Be sure that you don’t intake large amounts of coffee after 2 p.m., as that might disturb your sleeping habits, which is the most important thing to fix to have more energy!
7. Get moving and exercise
If you want to have more energy, exercise and get moving!
You might think exercising would make you more tired, when in fact it does the opposite. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are hormones that cause you to become more energized. Endorphins contribute to your physical state and your mental state since these hormones are also known to improve cognitive function. Exercise can even help you to get a more restful night’s sleep, so you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go.
https://www.macspharmacy.com/blog/how-have-more-energy-during-the-day/
Check out my blog on the mental benefits of exercising!
You don’t have to go to the gym for 4 hours to have more energy. All it takes is a quick workout of your choice, or a walk/run around your neighborhood. This will also help with the next tip, which is being outdoors:
8. Go outside
Being outdoors and not in your room 24/7 is a great way to obtain more energy.
When you’re sitting down all day looking at the TV, computer, or phone, you’re bound to feel tired. That happens to me all the time. But, when I go take a walk with my family, I immediately feel energized.
Being outdoors, surrounded by fresh air, will help you feel more alive. There is literally no other way to put it, as nature is that powerful.
Being outdoors, surrounded by fresh air, will help you feel more alive. There is literally no other way to put it, as nature is that powerful.
And, what better way to feel more energized than to feel more alive?
Try it out! Go for a quick 20-minute walk and notice the difference in your energy levels.
9. Be social
You may think that talking to others has nothing to do with being energized, but it does. Whenever I talk to a friend or my family, my mood is positive, which, in a way, helps me get more energy.
Just like going outside helps people feel more alive, being social and talking to others does the same.
Studies show that people who are less social are generally less happy and get less sleep.
I have a challenge for you – call someone right now. Whether it is a friend, a sibling or a cousin, talk to someone and see how energized you feel during the call!
10. Do something you enjoy
Last but not least, do something you enjoy. Everyone feels energized doing something they love to do. For example, I love playing tennis, and while tennis is very tiring, I feel energized hitting shots and playing the game!
When you do something you enjoy, you’ll be fully interested and engaged in the activity, making you feel energized doing it and not bored!
The Takeaway:
Some days, we all will feel tired and have a lack of energy. That’s just how life is. However, if you are feeling less energized more often than you should be and the lack of energy is affecting your mood, productivity, and more, be sure to follow these tips:
- Fix your sleep habits
- Drink more water
- Eat healthy food
- Lighten your load
- Manage your stress
- . Have some coffee
- Get moving and exercising
- Go outside
- Be social
- Do something you enjoy
I recommend reading the book, “How to Be Healthy & Have More Energy: A Guide to Optimum Wellness. (Healthy Eating, Healthy Living, Health and Fitness, Healthy Habits, Lose Weight, Sleep Well)” if you are dedicated towards having more energy and living a healthier lifestyle. Along with this, be sure to check out this TED Talk on how to have more energy by Sean Hall.
Now, the reason why I told you remember that the whole universe consists of energy is because of this:
You are a part of the universe and not only do you make up for part of the energy, you also give out energy for other people to intake. Think about it like this, when one person makes a joke, you laugh. When one person smiles, you smile back. It’s up to you to determine what type of energy you want to give out.
Here are some quotes to make you think more deeply about it:
The more positive energy you throw into the universe, the more positive energy it gives you back.
Nitin Namdeo
Vibrate good energy into others soul; making them never forget the beauty of yours.
Your energy introduces you before you even speak.
Your energy is currency. Spend it well. Invest it wisely.
The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building the new.
Socrates
Hopefully, this blog not only helped you learn how to have more energy, but also use your energy in the best way. It is not just about having energy that makes you more energized, it is also about what you do with your energy. Do you waste it on social media or use it on resources to expand your knowledge? Do you waste it talking bad about others or use it so that people talk good about you?
That, my friends, is the choice I leave you with today. It’s up to you to make that decision on what you want to use your energy for.