8 Habits for (Almost) Limitless Energy

Summary

This video offers eight evidence-based strategies to boost daily energy levels. Starting with morning sunlight and a mindful caffeine intake, the speaker emphasizes the importance of a distraction-free environment and a balanced breakfast. She also suggests post-meal walks to regulate glucose levels, a workday shutdown ritual for better sleep, and temptation bundling to tackle difficult tasks. Lastly, optimizing the sleep environment and taking cold showers when energy is low are highlighted as key to maintaining consistent energy throughout the day.

Takeaways

• 🌞 Start your day with morning sunlight to improve mood, energy, and sleep patterns.
• 🚶‍♀️ Incorporate a morning walk for increased creativity and excitement to start the day.
• ☕️ Consume caffeine consciously, avoiding late-afternoon intake to prevent sleep disruption.
• 🛏️ Wait an hour or two after waking to consume caffeine to avoid interfering with the body's natural adenosine levels, reducing the risk of an afternoon energy crash.
• 📵 Remove major distractions, such as cell phones, from your work environment to enhance focus and productivity.
• 🔒 Use timed lock boxes or apps like Freedom to manage digital distractions during work hours.
• 🍞 Avoid sugary breakfasts to prevent glucose spikes and crashes that can lead to low energy levels.
• 🚶‍♂️ Take a short walk after meals to help regulate digestion and glucose levels, preventing the afternoon slump.
• 📝 Develop a workday shutdown ritual to prepare for the next day and clear your mind of work-related thoughts, aiding in better sleep and energy levels.
• 🔄 Use temptation bundling to pair enjoyable activities with those that are difficult but beneficial for long-term goals.
• 💤 Optimize your sleep environment with a cool, dark room and white noise to ensure quality sleep, which is crucial for daily energy levels.
• 🚿 Take a cold shower when all else fails to boost dopamine levels and energize for several hours.

Q & A

What are the eight simple practices mentioned in the video that can boost energy levels?

The video outlines practices such as getting morning sunlight, consuming caffeine consciously, removing distractions from the work environment, avoiding sugary breakfasts, taking a walk after meals, implementing a workday shutdown ritual, using temptation bundling, and optimizing the sleep environment.

Why is it beneficial to go outside and get morning sunlight after waking up?

Morning sunlight improves mood and energy, and helps regulate the circadian rhythm, which is important for better sleep at night.

How does the timing of caffeine consumption affect energy levels throughout the day?

Consuming caffeine too late in the day can interfere with sleep, while consuming it too early can disrupt the body's natural adenosine levels, potentially leading to an afternoon energy crash.

What is the recommended time to consume caffeine after waking up to avoid interfering with the body's natural sleepiness regulation?

It is recommended to wait an hour and a half to two hours after waking up before having the first cup of caffeine.

Why is it suggested to remove cell phones from the workspace to improve focus and energy?

Cell phones are a major distraction that can lead to a loss of focus and productivity. Removing them from sight can help maintain concentration on the task at hand.

What is the impact of eating a sugary breakfast on energy levels throughout the day?

Sugary breakfasts can cause a spike and subsequent crash in glucose levels, leading to feelings of sluggishness and low energy.

What is the concept of 'temptation bundling' and how can it be used to motivate oneself to do difficult tasks?

Temptation bundling involves pairing an enjoyable activity with one that is difficult but beneficial in the long term, using the enjoyment as a reward for completing the difficult task.

How does the speaker suggest optimizing the sleep environment for better quality sleep?

The speaker suggests keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and using a white noise machine to create an optimal sleep environment.

What is the last technique the speaker mentions for boosting energy when all else fails?

The last technique mentioned is taking a cold shower, which has been shown to boost dopamine levels and provide a burst of energy.

What is the role of a post-meal walk in regulating digestion and glucose levels?

A short walk after a meal can help regulate digestion and prevent spikes in glucose levels, which can contribute to sustained energy levels and prevent afternoon slumps.

How does the speaker describe the benefits of having a workday shutdown ritual?

The workday shutdown ritual helps to clear the mind of work-related thoughts, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up energized, and also helps in planning the next day's tasks more effectively.

Outlines

00:00

🌞 Boosting Energy with Morning Sunlight and Conscious Caffeine Consumption

The video starts with the host sharing personal energy-boosting habits, promising to reveal a fail-proof technique at the end. The first tip is to embrace morning sunlight to improve mood and energy, aligning circadian rhythms for better sleep. The host contrasts their previous anxious mornings with the benefits of a morning walk. Scientific backing is provided for sunlight's mood and energy benefits. Even brief exposure is beneficial, and alternatives like desk lamps are suggested for lack of sunlight. The second tip is to consume caffeine mindfully, avoiding late-day consumption to prevent sleep disruption and early-day consumption to avoid interfering with the body's natural adenosine levels, which contribute to sleepiness. The host recommends waiting 1.5 to 2 hours after waking to drink caffeine and shares a personal shift from high caffeine dependence to a more balanced intake of matcha.

05:02

📵 Eliminating Distractions and Mindful Eating for Sustained Energy

The host continues with tips on productivity and energy maintenance. The third tip is to remove distractions, particularly cell phones, from the workspace to prevent the constant switching between tasks that leads to fatigue and reduced productivity. Strategies such as using a timed lock box or the Freedom app are suggested to manage phone usage. The fourth tip addresses the consumption of sugary breakfasts, which can lead to energy crashes. The recommendation is to opt for savory breakfasts rich in protein, fat, and fiber for sustained energy. The host acknowledges their own challenges with this advice due to their profession as a food blogger but suggests walking after meals to regulate glucose levels and prevent afternoon slumps, with alternatives for those unable to walk provided.

10:06

🌙 Creating Workday Rituals and Optimizing Sleep for Peak Energy

The fifth tip is to develop a workday shutdown ritual to transition from work to personal life, inspired by 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport. This involves writing down tasks for the next day and scheduling them into specific time slots, known as time blocking, which helps to clear the mind before sleep. The sixth tip is to use temptation bundling, a strategy to combine enjoyable activities with necessary but less appealing tasks, to increase consistency in completing those tasks. The final tip focuses on optimizing sleep environment for better rest, which is crucial for energy levels. The host shares personal strategies such as keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and using a white noise machine for a more natural sleep cycle. As a last resort for days when energy is low despite good habits, the host recommends taking a cold shower to boost dopamine levels and refresh oneself.

Keywords

💡Energy Boost

Energy Boost refers to the process of increasing one's vitality and vigor. In the video, the theme revolves around practices that can help individuals feel more energized throughout the day. The script mentions eight simple practices that the speaker has incorporated into their daily routine to build a successful business, highlighting the importance of energy in achieving personal and professional goals.

💡Morning Sunlight

Morning Sunlight is a natural source of light that has significant benefits for mood, energy, and circadian rhythm regulation. The video emphasizes the importance of starting the day with exposure to sunlight, suggesting a morning walk or even just a few minutes outside to reap the benefits. This concept is linked to the video's theme by providing a simple yet effective way to boost energy levels.

💡Caffeine Consciousness

Caffeine Consciousness is the mindful consumption of caffeine to optimize its effects on energy levels without causing negative impacts. The script explains the science behind caffeine's half-life and the importance of timing caffeine intake to avoid disrupting natural sleep patterns or causing an afternoon energy crash. This concept is integral to the video's message on maintaining consistent energy throughout the day.

💡Adenosine

Adenosine is a molecule in the body that increases sleepiness. The video script uses adenosine to explain why consuming caffeine immediately after waking can interfere with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, leading to increased sleepiness later in the day. Understanding adenosine helps viewers make informed decisions about when to consume caffeine for optimal energy.

💡Distractions

Distractions are stimuli that divert attention away from the task at hand, leading to decreased productivity and energy. The video discusses the negative impact of multitasking and the importance of removing distractions, such as cell phones, from the work environment. This concept is crucial to the video's theme, as it provides strategies for maintaining focus and energy during work.

💡Sugary Breakfast

A Sugary Breakfast refers to the consumption of high-sugar foods in the morning, which can cause a spike and subsequent crash in blood sugar levels, leading to low energy. The script advises against sugary breakfasts and instead promotes savory options rich in protein, fat, and fiber for sustained energy throughout the day. This concept is directly related to the video's theme of energy management.

💡Workday Shutdown Ritual

A Workday Shutdown Ritual is a set of activities performed at the end of the workday to prepare for the next day and separate work from personal life. The video mentions this concept as a way to clear the mind of work-related thoughts, leading to better sleep and higher energy levels the next morning. This ritual is a key component of the video's message on energy optimization.

💡Temptation Bundling

Temptation Bundling is a technique that pairs an enjoyable activity with an undesirable but beneficial task to increase motivation. The video script illustrates this by combining watching TV with doing physical therapy exercises, making the latter more appealing. This concept is used in the video to show how to overcome the lack of willpower and energy to complete important tasks.

💡Sleep Environment

Sleep Environment refers to the conditions of one's sleeping space, which can significantly affect the quality of sleep and, consequently, energy levels. The video discusses optimizing the sleep environment by keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and using a white noise machine. These factors are essential to the video's theme, as they contribute to waking up energized and ready for the day.

💡Cold Shower

A Cold Shower is a practice mentioned in the video as a method to boost energy and motivation through cold water immersion, which is said to increase dopamine levels. Despite the initial discomfort, the script describes it as an effective strategy for feeling refreshed and energized, especially on days when energy levels are low.

Highlights

Morning sunlight exposure after waking up can boost mood, energy, and improve circadian rhythm for better sleep.

A morning walk outside can increase creativity and excitement for the day ahead.

Even two minutes of sunlight on a sunny day has significant benefits.

Using a desk lamp for 30-60 minutes in the morning can substitute for natural sunlight.

Caffeine consumption should be timed consciously to avoid negative effects on energy levels and sleep.

Waiting 1.5 to 2 hours after waking up to consume caffeine can prevent an afternoon energy crash.

Matcha provides a balanced energy source with caffeine and l-theanine.

Removing distractions like cell phones from the workspace can increase focus and productivity.

Using a timed lock box or apps like Freedom can help manage phone addiction and improve work concentration.

Avoiding sugary breakfasts can prevent glucose level spikes and crashes, leading to sustained energy.

A savory breakfast with protein, fat, and fiber can maintain higher and more consistent energy levels.

Walking after a meal can regulate digestion and glucose levels, preventing the afternoon slump.

Developing a workday shutdown ritual can help separate work and personal life, improving sleep and energy.

Time blocking in a planner can provide structure and reduce stress about work tasks.

Temptation bundling pairs enjoyable activities with necessary but disliked tasks to increase willpower.

Optimizing the sleep environment with a cool, dark room and white noise can improve sleep quality and energy.

Taking a cold shower can boost dopamine levels, providing a quick energy and motivation boost.

Transcripts

Okay, so chances are in the last few days, you have felt tired or depleted, but there

are a few simple habits that almost anyone can do that are proven to boost your energy.

And in today's video I'm going to walk you through the eight simple practices I've personally

incorporated into my daily routine that have given me the energy to build a successful

business.

Oh, and at the end of the video, I'll share the one technique I use when everything else

fails.

Let's get to it.

My first tip is to go outside and get some morning sunlight as soon as you can after

waking up.

Let me just say, this is not how I used to start my day.

I used to start my day in the way I think a lot of people do, scrolling Instagram, checking

email until I eventually rolled out of bed feeling pretty anxious.

But a few years ago, I decided to swap my morning screen time for a morning walk outside.

And honestly, it has had huge benefits for my energy and focus, not just in the morning,

but throughout the entire day.

And apparently, scientists agree.

They say that when we view sunlight first thing in the morning, we get so many benefits

out of it.

It improves our mood, as well as our energy, and it sinks our circadian rhythm, so it primes

us for better sleep at night.

I like to combine my sunlight time with a 20 to 30 minute walk in the morning, get my

body moving.

I find that I have more creative juices flowing that way, and I'm just more excited to start

the day.

But if you're thinking, "Listen lady, I've got three crazy kids.

I have to get ready for school in the morning," that's fine because even two minutes on a

sunny day has been shown to have lots of benefits.

Oh, and you don't want to look directly into the sunlight, just kind of in the direction

of the sunlight, although it is pretty early right now, so the sun isn't too strong.

But if your eyes start hurting, definitely look in a different direction.

On the extremely rare, rainy or foggy days we have here in Southern California, I can't

get my morning sunlight.

I will instead take this desk lamp and shine it at my face while I work for 30 to 60 minutes

in the morning.

It's not the same as sunlight, but it's better than nothing.

Tip number two is to consume caffeine consciously.

There are two parts to this.

Let's talk about the more obvious one first.

Don't consume your caffeine too late in the day.

I think most of us know that intuitively, but the science behind it is pretty interesting.

So, caffeine on average has a half-life of five hours, sometimes six hours.

And what that means is let's say you have a cup of coffee at 4:00 PM every day.

It's going to peak in your system around 4:30 or 5pm PM, which is great if you want to go to the

gym and feel energized.

But five hours later at 9:00 PM, when you're maybe trying to wind down and get ready for

bed, you still have half of that caffeine left in your system.

So, don't drink your coffee too late in the day.

Now for the not so obvious part, drinking caffeine too early in the day, just like drinking

it too late in the day, can also negatively affect your energy levels.

This is something I learned from an excellent podcast, The Huberman Lab.

That's because there's a molecule in our body called adenosine.

I'm not a neuroscientist like Dr. Huberman, so I'm absolutely going to oversimplify this,

but basically adenosine makes us feel sleepy.

So when we wake up in the morning after a good night of sleep, our adenosine levels

are naturally low and they continue to get even lower.

But if you drink caffeine as soon as you wake up, it's going to interfere with that natural

process.

So by the time your coffee wears off at let's say one or 2:00 PM, you have more adenosine,

i.e. more sleepiness in your system than you ordinarily would.

So, what Dr. Huberman recommends and what I've been doing for the last year or two is

to wait an hour and a half to two hours after you wake up to have your first cup of caffeine.

In sciencey terms, that means your body is able to naturally clear those adenosine levels.

And in non-science terms that everyone can understand, that basically means you're so

much less likely to have that afternoon crash.

Now I know some of you're going to be like, "This crazy energizer bunny lady doesn't get

it.

I need my coffee in the morning," but I do get it.

When I was in law school, I used to start every morning with a 16 ounce Americano.

I'd have another one after lunch, and then another one at 5:00 PM.

I basically was having nine shots of espresso every day and I was a caffeine fiend.

So I do get your plight, but I know there's a better way for you.

As to the type of caffeine, I think it's a pretty personal decision.

These days, I'm not as caffeine dependent, so I find that coffee makes me feel a little

racy, not that kind of racy.

So instead, I drink matcha every morning.

It has enough caffeine to make me feel energized, but also has l-theanine, which makes our bodies

feel relaxed, so I get that calm, steady energy.

Tip number three is to remove the biggest distractions from your work environment.

One of the greatest lies we've been told is that we humans can multitask.

We cannot.

What we think of as multitasking is really just us very quickly switching back and forth

between different tasks.

This not only makes us more tired and less energized than if we were to work on a single

task at a time, but it also makes us less productive.

It can take upwards of 20 minutes to get back into the flow of things once we've been disrupted.

Now multiply that 20 minutes by every time we get distracted, and honestly, I have no

idea how anyone gets anything done.

One of the ways I try to prevent this energy drain is to start my workday by removing the

biggest distraction from my workspace, the cell phone, this little thing.

I find that I have so much more energy and focus and get more work done when this thing

is out of my office, ideally in another room, tuck away in her drawer, so I don't see it

even when I take a break.

And the reason I do this is that even if my phone is face down or completely turned off

on my desk, it's still implicitly distracts me.

It's like it's saying, "Hello, open me."

There are so many fun surprises in here that are more interesting than whatever you're

doing right now.

So out of sight, out of mind.

But if you are really addicted to your cell phone, you might need to take a more aggressive

option.

I recommend getting one of these timed lock boxes.

Basically, you put your cell phone on the box, set a timer for let's say 25 minutes,

and then you cannot access your phone for those 25 minutes.

There's no emergency valve.

You are stuck with your decision.

I feel like these days, I no longer need to use that for my cell phone, but I do use it

when my favorite dark chocolate goes on sale and I don't want to eat it all in one day.

Can also download the app Freedom.

You put in the websites and apps you find distracting.

Set a timer, and then Freedom will block you from using those apps during that time period.

It can be just for 30 minutes, or it can be every day from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

If you try to access that app or website during the window, Freedom will remind you that's

time to get back to work.

Tip number four for improved energy is to avoid eating a sugary breakfast.

Look, as a kid who grew up in the nineties, I ate a very standard American diet for breakfast,

sugary cereals of all kinds, poptarts of all kinds, and of course Eggo waffles.

Luckily though, as a kid, you have pretty limitless energy.

But as with most things in life, as you get older, as you become an adult, it gets a little

more complicated.

As we age, when we eat really sugary foods, especially on an empty stomach like we do

when we break our fast in the morning, it causes our glucose levels to spike and then

to inevitably crash, and that leaves us with that sluggish low energy state.

So, what I try to do at least 90% of the time is to eat a savory breakfast, ideally one

with a good amount of protein, fat and fiber, something like seeded whole grain toast with

avocado and smashed chickpeas and hemp seed, or just leftovers from last night's tofu curry.

I find that when I do this, my energy levels are higher and more sustained throughout the

entire day.

And I am by no means saying that donuts are pastries are bad foods you have to avoid.

I like them and I eat them, but I try to eat them as dessert after a meal instead of on

an empty stomach like for breakfast.

But I'm definitely not perfect when it comes to this because I am a food blogger and my

job is to test and taste recipes basically all day long.

So if we are testing my pancake recipe for the 20th time because I want to get it right,

I'm just going to go ahead and have some pancakes.

But on those days, I tried to do this next technique to make sure that my glucose levels

don't spike, which is to go for a walk after a big meal.

Studies show that going for a walk after a meal for as little as two to five minutes

can help regulate your digestion and your glucose levels.

For me personally, going for a walk after lunch, again, even for five minutes, has been

huge in helping me avoid that afternoon slump.

If you can't take a walk after a meal, maybe because you don't have time or it's winter

in Minnesota and that sounds miserable, there are a couple other things you can do.

So instead of taking the elevator to your next meeting, you could take the stairs after

lunch, or if you have a Zoom call coming up and you have some wireless headphones, just

pace back and forth at your desk.

It's not the same as walking, but it's definitely better than sitting still.

Tip number six is to develop and implement a workday shutdown ritual.

I learned about this concept from the book Deep Work by Cal Newport, and the basic gist

is that you take five to 10 minutes at the end of your workday to prepare for the next

workday, to get all of your to-dos and work worries out of your head and onto paper.

My personal workday shutdown ritual is to write all the things I want to get done tomorrow

in this planner, including things I didn't get to today.

Once I have that list, I then start to schedule specific tasks into specific time slots.

This is known as time blocking.

And while it might sound rigid to some people to schedule every hour of the day, including

when you exercise or eat lunch, I personally find that it's liberating and actually gives

me energy back, because once I started doing this ritual, I stopped thinking about all

my work to-dos at night when I was trying to unwind and go to sleep because I had already

written them down.

So now I fall asleep quicker, which obviously leaves me more energized in the morning.

Another benefit is that I don't have to spend the time or energy in the morning thinking

about what's the biggest thing I want to accomplish today?

When am I going to get it done?

How am I going to fit it around my meetings?

Because I've already done all that work for myself the night before.

And when I skip this ritual, which sometimes happens, I just find that I have less energy

in the morning, I'm more distracted, and it takes me a little longer to get into the flow.

Whatever your specific shutdown ritual is, I think it's really helpful for folks who

work from home because it creates this nice structured separation between your work life

and your after work life.

Tip number seven is to use temptation bundling to get yourself to do hard things.

I think everyone has experienced that end of the day feeling where you really need to

do something important, whether it's folding the laundry or getting on the old exercise

bike, but you feel like you just don't have the energy.

In reality, most of us, at least those of us who don't do manual labor during the day,

we do have the energy.

What we lack though is willpower.

And what I've found to be really helpful in these situations, which I struggle with all

the time, is to do temptation bundling.

This is a term invented by the researcher Katy Milkman in this book, and the basic concept

is that you bundle or pair an activity you really like that gives you immediate benefits

with an activity you really don't want to do but that provides long-term benefits.

In my own life, I need to do physical therapy exercises on a regular basis because I just

have some old injuries, but usually I don't have time to do them during the day.

By the time 8:00 PM rolls around, I have a million excuses to not do them.

Nisha, this is your reminder to get your (beep) off the couch and exercise.

Alexa, stop.

However, a few months ago I started using temptation bundling to get myself to do my

physical therapy.

What that means is, at night, I can't watch a TV show, it's an activity I like doing,

it's an easy way for me to unwind with my partner, unless I start by doing my physical

therapy exercises.

It's gotten me to be so much more consistent with it, and I honestly kind of look forward

to my exercises now because I know that I'm doing something I also enjoy.

Obviously, not all difficult activities can be paired with watching TV, but try to think

about how this applies to your own life.

Maybe you can only listen to your favorite podcast if you're also tidying up the house,

or if you really want to go to that fancy coffee shop that sells $9 adaptogenic mushroom

lattes, maybe you can only do that if you also spend some time there clearing out your

email inbox.

In a minute, I'll share the strategy I use for more energy when all else fails.

But for now, let's talk about tip number eight, optimizing your sleep environment.

Possibly the best thing you can do for more energy that no pill or energy drink or even

workday routine can do is to get enough good quality sleep on a consistent basis.

Remember when I told you back in law school, I used to drink nine shots of espresso every

day?

I had a terrible time sleeping then no surprise.

These days, I get seven and a half to eight hours of sleep each night, I fall asleep easily,

and I wake up super energized.

There are lots of things I do to achieve that, including, if I'm being honest, not having

children.

But today, I'm going to talk about just three of them.

If you're interested in a full sleep routine video, let us know when the comments below.

The first thing I do to optimize my sleep environment is to keep the bedroom as cold

as comfortably possible.

For our house, that's about 68 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes cooler.

In the summer, we use the AC to make that happen.

And in the winter, our house is very poorly insulated, so it's already freezing cold.

The second thing is to keep our bedroom as dark as possible.

We're renting our house, so we didn't want to invest in a pricey blackout blind system.,

So we opted for the super, super, super budget option, which still works pretty well.

We hang a black curtain on our curtain rod, and we take it down every morning so that

it doesn't look like vampires live there.

Raise your fangs all who agree.

Well, Max does all of this.

I'm too short to reach the curtain.

Third, we sleep with a white noise machine.

Maybe it's because I lived in New York today for eight years, but I find it very difficult

to fall asleep in a super quiet environment.

It's eerie.

It's like I'm in a horror movie waiting to be murdered.

So instead, we sleep with a white noise machine.

It helps us fall asleep faster.

We recently upgraded to the Hatch restore alarm, I believe it's called, and it has lots

of different sounds you can fall asleep to, nature sounds, white noise, very calming,

and it also acts as a natural sunrise simulator in the morning, so it wakes you up more calmly

and gently than an alarm clock.

If you're interested in one of these, I've got a link in the description box below the

video.

Okay, so despite my best efforts, sometimes I just have one of those days.

Maybe I didn't sleep well or I'm distracted by my never ending thoughts.

If I need to be productive or energized on those days, I will do something that I absolutely

hate.

I will take a cold shower.

Oh boy.

And I hate it because I'm already always cold all the time, so why would I want to get a

cold shower?

Well, it's because cold water immersion has been shown to dramatically boost your dopamine

levels, which gives you more energy and motivation.

In the moment though, it's mostly painful and I hate everything and everyone around

me.

But I know that if I can suffer through two minutes of a cold shower, I will feel so refreshed

and have energy for several hours.

All right, those are my tips for improved energy.

If you have any strategies or tips, let us know in the comments below.

Thanks for watching.

Bye!