7 Habits For (Almost) Limitless Energy

Simon Alexander Ong
26 Feb 202412:23

Summary

TLDRThis script provides insightful tips to boost energy levels and maximize productivity. It highlights the importance of planning ahead, developing efficient routines, and making conscious choices that prioritize well-being. Key habits discussed include meal planning, exercise, creating an energizing environment, and striking a balance between work and rest. The script also emphasizes the power of gratitude, suggesting a three-step exercise to express appreciation and elevate one's energy immediately, even during challenging times. Overall, the video aims to equip viewers with practical strategies to cultivate sustainable energy and live their best lives.

Takeaways

  • 😃 Plan your day the night before to prioritize tasks and allocate your energy effectively.
  • 👕 Simplify your outfit choices to save mental energy for more important decisions.
  • 🥗 Meal planning helps avoid impulsive unhealthy eating and ensures proper nutrition for sustained energy.
  • 🏃‍♀️ Consistent exercise, even in small doses, is crucial for boosting energy levels and longevity.
  • 🛌 Establish a bedtime routine and avoid procrastination to ensure good quality sleep.
  • 🌱 Cultivate an environment that promotes positive energy and inspires you.
  • 🧘‍♀️ Make time to disconnect and be present, as work and rest are partners for long-term thriving.
  • 🙏 Express gratitude to others through voice or in-person, as it elevates your energy and happiness.
  • ⚡ Consistency beats intensity when it comes to building habits that energize your life.
  • 🔋 Small daily practices can have a significant impact on your overall energy levels and well-being.

Q & A

  • What are the main habits discussed to energize your day?

    -The main habits discussed are: 1) Plan your day the night before, 2) Have a work uniform or a small collection of outfits, 3) Meal plan, 4) Move your body through exercise, 5) Have a bedtime routine and avoid bedtime procrastination, 6) Create an environment that promotes energy, 7) Make time to disconnect and be present, and 8) Express gratitude to others.

  • Why is planning your day the night before important?

    -Planning your day the night before allows you to have focus and understand your priorities, so you don't waste energy in the morning trying to figure out what to do. It helps you start your day productively.

  • What is the reasoning behind having a work uniform or a small collection of outfits?

    -Having a work uniform or a small collection of outfits helps you avoid spending mental energy deciding what to wear every morning, allowing you to channel that energy towards more important decisions.

  • What are the benefits of meal planning?

    -Meal planning helps you decide ahead of time what you will eat and why, preventing you from ordering unhealthy takeout or binge eating junk food when hunger strikes. It allows you to incorporate more variety, fruits, vegetables, and water into your diet.

  • Why is exercise important for energy?

    -Exercise is one of the most powerful ways to energize your body and mind immediately. Regular exercise, even in small doses, can provide energy and promote longevity and health.

  • What is bedtime procrastination, and how can you avoid it?

    -Bedtime procrastination is the inability to detach from habits like binge-watching TV, scrolling social media, or working when you're already tired. To avoid it, follow a 3-2-1 routine: 3 hours before bed, log off work; 2 hours before bed, stop eating; 1 hour before bed, escort devices out of the bedroom and ease into sleep with relaxing activities.

  • How can your environment impact your energy levels?

    -Your environment, including the people you spend time with, the media you consume, and your physical and digital spaces, can shape your thinking and energy levels. Surrounding yourself with positive energy and inputs can energize you, while negative energy can drain you.

  • Why is it important to make time to disconnect and be present?

    -Making time to disconnect and be present allows you to rest and rejuvenate, which is necessary for long-term productivity and energy. It provides a balance between work and rest, enabling you to come back to work feeling refreshed.

  • What is the bonus habit for energizing your day, and why is it powerful?

    -The bonus habit is expressing gratitude to others by calling or sending a voice note to someone who has positively impacted your life, explaining why you are grateful for them. This is powerful because it elevates your energy immediately through the emotion conveyed by your voice, and gratitude is the path to abundance and happiness.

  • How can the 3-step gratitude exercise help elevate your energy, especially during tough times?

    -The 3-step gratitude exercise (1. Write the name of someone you're grateful for, 2. Write why you're grateful in detail, 3. Call or send a voice note expressing your gratitude) can help elevate your energy immediately, especially during tough times. Expressing gratitude through your voice carries emotion, which is energy in motion, and can provide an instant energy boost.

Outlines

00:00

💡 Strategies for Boosting Daily Energy

The paragraph introduces the topic of feeling chronically tired and the impact it has on decision-making, frustration levels, and overall potential. It highlights the importance of being energized and promises to share seven simple habits that can energize the day. The habits mentioned are planning the day the night before, having a work uniform, meal planning, moving the body, having a bedtime routine, creating an energizing environment, and making time to disconnect. A bonus habit of expressing gratitude is also teased.

05:01

🏃‍♂️ The Power of Movement and Sleep Routines

This paragraph elaborates on two key habits for boosting energy: moving the body and having a bedtime routine. It emphasizes the importance of consistent exercise, even if it's short bursts on busy days, and cites the example of Ernestine Shepherd, a nonagenarian who maintains an active lifestyle. The paragraph also introduces the '3-2-1' bedtime routine, which involves logging off work 3 hours before bed, stopping food consumption 2 hours before bed, and escorting digital devices out of the bedroom 1 hour before bed. It suggests activities like journaling, reading, and meditation to ease into sleep, and recommends treating the bedroom like a hotel room for better sleep quality.

10:02

🙏 Cultivating Gratitude and Presence

The final paragraph introduces the bonus habit of expressing gratitude to others. It outlines a three-step exercise involving writing down the name of someone to be grateful for, detailing why they are appreciated, and then calling or sending a voice note to that person to express the gratitude directly. The paragraph emphasizes the power of gratitude in elevating energy and emotion, and how happiness begins with gratitude. It also touches on the importance of being present and disconnecting from the fast-paced world through examples like Thomas Edison's fishing routine and Marina Abramovic's performance art exhibition.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Energy

Energy refers to the vitality, vigor, and liveliness that allows us to function optimally and tackle daily tasks effectively. The video emphasizes the importance of maintaining high energy levels, as it enables better decision-making, increased productivity, and a positive mindset to overcome challenges. Phrases like 'feeling energized' and 'lack of energy' are used to highlight the contrast between a state of vitality and lethargy.

💡Habits

Habits are the recurring behaviors or practices that shape our daily routines and lifestyle. The video suggests incorporating specific habits to boost energy levels, such as planning the day ahead, simplifying decisions about clothing and meals, exercising regularly, establishing a bedtime routine, curating an energizing environment, and practicing mindfulness. Developing these habits is presented as a key strategy for sustaining high energy throughout the day.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficient and effective use of time and resources to accomplish goals and tasks. The video highlights that having high energy levels is crucial for productivity, as it allows individuals to focus on their priorities and make the most of their day. The quote 'Productivity is less about doing more and more about doing less, and also the right things' underscores the importance of channeling energy towards the most important tasks.

💡Environment

Environment encompasses the physical, social, and digital spaces that surround an individual and influence their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The video emphasizes the importance of curating an environment that promotes positivity, inspiration, and energy. This includes the people we interact with, the media we consume, and the physical spaces we occupy. The quote 'Our environment is this invisible force that shapes our thinking, and also what we see as possible in our lives' highlights the significant impact of our surroundings on our energy levels.

💡Mindfulness

Mindfulness refers to the practice of being present in the moment and fully engaged with one's thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. The video recommends taking time to disconnect from distractions and engage in activities that promote mindfulness, such as meditation, journaling, or simply being present. The examples of Thomas Edison fishing and Marina Abramovic's performance art illustrate the power of mindfulness in cultivating energy and living intentionally.

💡Balance

Balance refers to the harmonious integration of different aspects of life, such as work and rest. The video emphasizes the importance of striking a balance between periods of focused work and intentional rest or disconnection. The quote 'Work and rest are partners of the same team' highlights the symbiotic relationship between these two elements, suggesting that true energy and productivity can only be achieved through a balanced approach.

💡Gratitude

Gratitude is the practice of expressing appreciation and thankfulness for the positive influences and support received from others. The video presents gratitude as a powerful habit for elevating energy levels, particularly during challenging times. The three-step exercise of identifying someone to be grateful for, articulating the reasons for gratitude, and expressing it through voice or in person is described as a means to experience happiness and abundance.

💡Consistency

Consistency refers to the persistent and regular practice of a behavior or habit over time. The video emphasizes the importance of consistency, particularly in the context of exercise, stating that 'consistency always beats intensity.' The example of Ernestine Shepherd, who exercises consistently at an advanced age, illustrates the profound impact of consistent habits on energy levels and overall well-being.

💡Planning

Planning involves organizing and preparing for future actions or events in advance. The video recommends planning the day's priorities the night before, as it allows individuals to start their morning with focus and clarity, rather than wasting energy on decision-making or distractions. The quote 'Every battle is won before it has been fought' highlights the significance of proactive planning for productivity and energy management.

💡Nutrition

Nutrition encompasses the intake of food and nutrients necessary for maintaining good health and energy levels. The video suggests meal planning as a habit to ensure a balanced and varied diet, including more fruits, vegetables, and water. The emphasis on proper nutrition underscores the direct link between what we consume and our overall vitality and well-being.

Highlights

Plan your day the night before to have focus and understand your priorities for the next day.

Have a work uniform or a small collection of items that you can easily mix and match to create a decent outfit to save mental energy for important decisions.

Meal planning helps you decide ahead of time what you are going to eat and avoid consuming unhealthy food when hunger strikes.

Moving your body through exercise is one of the most powerful ways to energize your body and mind immediately.

Consistency in exercise always beats intensity, so find time to move your body even on busy days.

Have a bedtime routine and avoid bedtime procrastination like binge-watching TV or scrolling through social media when you're already tired.

The 3-2-1 technique: 3 hours before bed, log off work; 2 hours before bed, stop consuming food; 1 hour before bed, escort digital devices out of the bedroom.

Create a bedroom environment that feels like checking into a hotel room every night to promote better quality sleep.

Your environment, including the people you spend time with, social media, and physical spaces, shapes your thinking and energy levels.

Make time in your day to disconnect and just be, as work and rest are partners of the same team.

Thomas Edison and Marina Abramovic disconnected and lived in the present moment to reflect and experience life.

Express gratitude to others through a three-step exercise: write down someone you're grateful for, write down why, and call or voice message them to share your gratitude.

Expressing gratitude to others not only benefits the recipient but also elevates your own energy and happiness.

Happiness ultimately begins with gratitude, and gratitude is the path to abundance.

Share any additional tips that have personally worked for you to energize your life in the comments.

Transcripts

play00:00

Chances are that in the last few days, you have felt tired or depleted of energy.

play00:04

One of the problems I hear a lot about is this feeling of being chronically tired.

play00:09

When you lack energy, you make poor decisions, get easily

play00:13

frustrated over the most trivial of issues,

play00:16

and operate significantly below your potential.

play00:19

When feeling energized, however, you become the chief

play00:22

architect of your day and there's nothing you feel you can't overcome.

play00:26

As the bestselling author of Energize, I want to share with you a few simple

play00:29

habits that almost anyone can do that are proven to energize your day.

play00:34

In today's video, I'm going to walk you through seven simple practices

play00:37

that I personally incorporate into my daily routine

play00:41

to give me the energy to focus on what matters most.

play00:44

And at the end of the video, I'm going to share with you a bonus habit

play00:49

that will energize your day immediately,

play00:51

especially if you're going through a particularly tough time at the moment.

play00:55

Let's get to it.

play00:56

And if you enjoy this video, make sure to hit that subscribe button Habit One:

play01:00

Plan your day the night before For many of us, the period of our day

play01:04

when we have the highest level of energy is in the morning.

play01:08

Yet we waste it because we don't know what our priorities are for the day ahead.

play01:12

So we're using up that brainpower to think about what we should focus on

play01:17

or aimlessly scrolling through our phones and social media or doing something

play01:21

that isn't really going to help us tick off the things on our to do list.

play01:26

However, when you ask yourself the question, the night before, “How

play01:30

will I know that tomorrow

play01:32

will have been a productive day?” It allows you to have focus.

play01:36

It allows you to understand what your priorities are, because as Sun

play01:39

Tzu said, “Every battle is won before it has been fought.”

play01:44

Productivity is less about doing more and more about doing less.

play01:48

And also the right things Habit 2: Have a work uniform or a small collection

play01:53

of items that you can easily mix and match to create a decent outfit.

play01:58

There's a reason why

play01:59

Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs wear the same thing every single day.

play02:03

This is because it creates the mental capacity for you to focus

play02:07

on the more important decisions for your day

play02:10

when you do not have to decide every morning what you are going to wear,

play02:14

you can channel that energy towards

play02:16

the decisions that are going to have the greater impact on your life.

play02:20

Habit 3 is meal plan.

play02:23

There are lots of videos here on YouTube that talk about the right diet

play02:26

and the right nutrition.

play02:28

I'm going to add to this because I feel that the right plan

play02:31

is different for each of us.

play02:33

We have different factors, constraints and lifestyles

play02:36

that would drive a different nutrition plan for each of us.

play02:38

However, at a macro level, what is important to understand

play02:41

is that many of us can benefit from eating less, eating more fruits,

play02:45

vegetables and plants, having more fun with our diet by including greater variety

play02:50

of foods on our plate and becoming a water holic, drinking more water in our day.

play02:57

Which is why I have a bottle at hand wherever I am, whether it's

play03:00

traveling in the office or home, can give us the energy we need

play03:04

and also be beneficial for our skin.

play03:06

Most of our bodies consists of water, so getting enough of this

play03:10

in our body can have a significant impact on our energy.

play03:13

And when you meal plan,

play03:15

it means you have already decided ahead of time

play03:17

what you are going to eat and why, and so you won't find yourself.

play03:21

As hunger strikes you ordering from a takeaway

play03:24

or walking to your closest restaurant to consume and binge on junk food.

play03:28

Habit 4 is moving your body.

play03:31

I often get asked Simon, why do you have so much energy?

play03:35

How can I increase the level of my energy in my day to day life?

play03:39

And I always share this habit

play03:42

moving your body, because exercise is one

play03:45

of the most powerful ways to energize your body and your mind immediately.

play03:49

Ernestine Shepherd, who runs 10-K every single day,

play03:54

works out in the gym four times a week with weight training,

play03:57

has won nine muffins, has written multiple bestselling books,

play04:01

and is a personal trainer and model at the age of nearly 90

play04:05

demonstrates the power of exercise.

play04:08

Not only does it help her have energy

play04:10

more than those half of age,

play04:13

but it's allowed her to live her healthiest and to live to an age

play04:17

that is greater than the life expectancy of many American women.

play04:22

The thing about exercise is that consistency always beats intensity.

play04:27

It is why many of us will start the year going strong

play04:31

by signing up to the gym or a series of gym classes.

play04:34

And then by the time we hit February or March,

play04:38

we don't go as often.

play04:40

We drop out because we think

play04:43

that in order to get exercise, in order to move our body,

play04:46

we've got to be moving it for a certain amount of time.

play04:49

The fact is, you aren't always going to have

play04:52

the same amount of time each day to dedicate to moving your body.

play04:56

And this is why consistency is always better than intensity.

play05:01

When you have days where you have more time, of course

play05:03

you can hit the gym or go outside and run or cycle and swim for longer.

play05:08

But on the days where you are busier or you have a deadline to hit,

play05:12

you can still do some form of exercise by moving your body.

play05:16

It's about scheduling time in your diary for what matters most.

play05:20

If living long, living healthy and having energy

play05:23

to bring into to each day is important to you.

play05:26

You will find the time to do so.

play05:27

Habit five Having a bedtime routine

play05:30

and avoiding bedtime Procrastination.

play05:33

So what is bedtime Procrastination?

play05:36

Well, bedtime procrastination is this idea of being unable

play05:40

to detach yourself from avoidable habits that are not great for your energy.

play05:46

things such as binge watching television

play05:48

aimlessly scrolling through your social media, continuing

play05:51

to work despite the fact that you already feel tired.

play05:54

So one of the ways that we can create a healthy bedtime

play05:57

routine is food is principle called the free two.

play06:00

One technique.

play06:02

The three, two, one technique works like this 3 hours before bed.

play06:07

You want to log off from your work, finish work

play06:11

so you can begin the transition to sleeping to hours before bedtime.

play06:15

You want to stop consuming any more food one hour before bedtime.

play06:20

You want to escort your digital devices outside of the bedroom

play06:23

and begin easing into sleep.

play06:26

This may include activities such as journaling, reading,

play06:30

having a nice warm bath or meditation.

play06:33

For me, I enjoy meditating to calm and soothing

play06:36

music, to relax my mind as I get ready to bed.

play06:39

Another powerful insight that I learnt by asking people: “When was the last time

play06:45

you had your best sleep?” It is the fact that we can make

play06:48

our bedrooms feel like we are checking into a hotel room every night.

play06:52

If we are spending a large portion of our lives

play06:56

sleeping, it makes sense to invest in our bed environment.

play06:59

When you do so, You make the place more inviting to sleep in.

play07:02

And what this contributes to is deeper, better quality sleep.

play07:06

Habit 6: Create an environment that makes it impossible

play07:11

not to feel energized.

play07:12

James Clear talks in his book Atomic Habits

play07:15

that our environment is this invisible force that shapes our thinking

play07:19

and also what we see as possible in our lives.

play07:22

When we think about our environment, it's not just the people we spend time with.

play07:26

It is also who we follow in social media, what we listen to, what we read.

play07:30

Our physical spaces and our digital spaces.

play07:33

Your inputs affect your level of energy.

play07:36

Here's a way to think about this.

play07:38

The more negative energy you spend time around,

play07:41

The quicker of a negative person you become.

play07:44

The more positive energy that you spend time around.,

play07:47

the quicker the positive person you become.

play07:50

This is how powerful our environment can be in shaping

play07:53

the way we feel and our level of energy.

play07:56

So when you think about creating an environment

play07:57

that makes it impossible not to feel energized, you want to think

play08:01

of what habits can you promote that would make this easy for you?

play08:05

One of the things I do as an example is carry a book wherever I go.

play08:09

So when I have those micro moments of being delayed or being stuck

play08:14

in a queue, I can pick up my book, dive into that and feel energized and inspired

play08:20

and perhaps get an idea that can help me move

play08:22

forwards in a particular area that I'm working on in my life.

play08:25

Habit 7 is making time in your day to disconnect and to just be.

play08:31

Many of us think work and rest are opposites.

play08:34

If I rest, I'm not productive.

play08:36

If I work, then I'm hustling to make things happen.

play08:39

The fact is to thrive in the long term, to feel energized over

play08:43

the long term, there must be a balance between work and rest.

play08:47

Work and rest are partners of the same team.

play08:50

Just as you need periods of deep work.

play08:53

You also need periods of intentional rest.

play08:56

Those periods of rest will be where you not only disconnect,

play09:00

but where you are able to do activities that will help you come back to work.

play09:04

Feeling rejuvenated.

play09:06

Here are two examples of the power of making time to disconnect.

play09:11

When Thomas Edison spent an hour

play09:13

each day to go to the lake and fish, what he was actually doing

play09:18

was crafting time out in his calendar

play09:21

in order to reflect and to be with his thoughts.

play09:24

Despite fishing every day for that time, he did not catch a single fish.

play09:29

When asked: “How come you have not caught a single fish

play09:32

in all of your time fishing?” Edison replied, “Because I didn't use bait.”

play09:37

He didn't use bait so that no one, not even the fish, would disturb him.

play09:41

Marina Abramovic,

play09:42

when she did this performance exhibition, called The Artist is Present -

play09:47

she invited guests in the auditorium to sit opposite her in silence.

play09:52

It was a private, yet public affair.

play09:55

But what she was teaching the participants

play09:57

was to educate them on the power of the present moment,

play10:01

not dwelling on the past or thinking about the future,

play10:04

but being absolutely here now in the present.

play10:07

By disconnecting and living in the present moment, what we are doing

play10:10

is giving ourself the experience of living instead of just existing.

play10:15

Slowing down in a world that is only getting faster

play10:19

is a superpower Habit eight which is the bonus habit for this

play10:22

video is taking time to express your gratitude to others.

play10:26

A three step exercise that I'm going to share with you

play10:29

will elevate your energy immediately,

play10:32

especially if you're going through a particularly tough time at this moment.

play10:37

The first step is to write down

play10:40

the name of somebody that you can be truly grateful for.

play10:44

Somebody who has helped to shape you into the person that you are today.

play10:49

The second step is to write down why.

play10:52

Write down why in as much detail as possible.

play10:56

How have they helped you?

play10:57

How has your life changed because of them?

play11:00

In what ways have they brought out the best in you?

play11:03

How have they supported you?

play11:05

The key here is to get as specific as you can.

play11:08

Step three And this for me is where the magic happens.

play11:12

Step three is you want to pick up the phone,

play11:16

call that person and tell them everything that you wrote in step two.

play11:21

Now, if this is a little uncomfortable for you,

play11:23

then at a minimum, what you want to do is to send them a voice note.

play11:27

The reason I'm encouraging you to use voice is because voice carries emotion,

play11:33

and emotion is nothing more than energy in motion.

play11:37

The recipient will get to feel your energy and emotion through your voice,

play11:42

something you can't really get when you read a text message or an email.

play11:46

This is one of the most powerful ways to elevate your energy immediately.

play11:50

The reason I'm emphasizing gratitude as the bonus habit

play11:53

is because happiness ultimately begins with gratitude.

play11:56

And gratitude is the path to abundance.

play11:58

When you express your gratitude to others in ways like this, it

play12:02

not only benefits the recipient, but it benefits you as well.

play12:06

So those are my tips to help energize your life.

play12:08

If you have any that have personally worked for you,

play12:11

let us know in the comments and I look forward to reading them.

play12:14

Thank you so much for watching

play12:16

and I'll see you in the next video and if you enjoyed this video,

play12:19

make sure to hit the subscribe button to get more videos like this in future.

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