My spring renewal plan, after a busy winter, is to make more time for energy refuelling.  I’ve been so busy at work that I haven’t had much time to focus on anything else, let alone enough time to focus on refuelling myself.  My life didn’t fit me.

What about you: when was the last time you felt refuelled with great energy?  For some of my clients, the answer is ‘when I woke up today’ – great.  For others, they go back months or years, some as far back as high school.  Not so great.

When was the last time you focused on refuelling your energy?  Most people would answer ‘Huh??’  If I asked you when you last refuelled your car, you’d know; a car needs gas to run.  But refuelling you – what does that mean?

Refuelling yourself is simple: as simple as getting enough sleep most nights, not only on weekends; as simple as eating healthy most days, not only when you need to lose weight;  as simple as making time to move and walk every day.  Thing is: it has to be most days.  The effect doesn’t last: you can’t store sleep or nutrients for weeks at a time.

Here is what I learned for myself: unless I focus on refuelling my energy in the same way I refuel my car, it won’t happen by miracle. The fuel I need to keep going is not as simple as gas, but the fact is that I can’t make something out of nothing.

I can’t make something out of nothing: to refuel energy, I need enough sleep, healthy food, and whatever my body (and brain) need to be fully functional.  Water, fresh air, exercise.  Evenings for relaxation. And a little every day works better than a lot once in a blue moon.  I can’t fuel once and expect it to last a year.  Getting enough sleep last night goes a long way in restoring energy for today – I can’t ‘store’ sleep.

When I take care of myself, I feel better, I think better, I work better. I have more energy for family, work, friends and fun. I feel that life is worth it.  I take care of myself, and it gives me courage, hope and motivation.  It makes life beautiful.

It’s time to make your life fit you: make time to take care of you and refuel your life energy, every single day.  Start small, make it easy and do it often enough: here are a few ideas to get you started

• Start the day with fresh fruit: a real orange instead of juice, or a bowl of plump berries or grapes
• Take a 15-minute walk at lunch: leave your desk, get outside and walk. Every minute counts… And have more fresh fruit – it tastes great and it’s good for you.
• Delete one task off your day, something that’s not as important…
• …So you create time to take care of what matters more
• Plan something fun for an evening this week: reserve energy and time for your personal life.  Life is not an unending to-do list of chores.
• Get enough sleep; go to bed an hour earlier tonight and see how this feels for you.  Aim for 8 hours in bed – no electronics.
• Stop believing in the fairy tale that you’ll have more time, after this next deadline…

Read my next post: a Light Day Structure for M.E.E.: Maximum Energy & Effectiveness

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