5 Strategies to Reclaim Your Mental Energy

Ugh. It’s 2:30p.m. and you still have another three hours of work to do. You are mentally drained and not sure how you are going to muster enough energy finish the tasks you still need to complete.

One of the keys to reclaiming (or maintaining) your mental energy is remaining calm so that you don’t drain it as quickly. However, there will be times when your mental energy is just zapped.

Managing your mental energy means knowing when you are getting low and it is time to replenish it naturally, without caffeine or a burst of adrenaline.

Low mental energy disrupts your focus and concentration, which can lead to less productivity or a lower quality of work.

Five Strategies to Reclaim Your Mental Energy

If you are feeling tired or unmotivated try these five strategies to reclaim your mental energy:

1. Do something that makes you feel positive.
   Activities that can give you a positive mental boost:
   – Laughing or watching/listening to something funny
   – Prayer
   – Taking a quiet walk without your phone
   – Looking at pictures of your loved ones or pets
   – Perform a random act of kindness for someone you know
2. Turn something you are doing into something you want to be doing
   Any activity you do will require effort on your part. But, when you love to do something, it doesn’t require as much energy or tire you out. People have plenty of energy for the things they want to do, not have to do. (No matter how tired I am, I will spring to life to watch Iowa Hawkeye football.)
3. Disconnect from work
   If you leave work and go home thinking about work – you are still working. When you don’t completely mentally detach from your job, you tire and stress out more easily. This can mean turning off your phone, not checking email, or keeping your computer out of easy reach. Studies have shown that mentally detaching from work makes you more productive because you are giving your brain a full rest.
4. Give your daily habits a tune-up
   Your daily routine can have a big impact on your energy levels – mentally and physically. The habits to inspect first:
   – Your diet
   – Your sleep
   – Your exercise

   These three habits play a critical role in how your mind and body operate at any given time. For example, if you don’t get enough sleep, your mental abilities slow down, you have a harder time making decisions, and a tougher time managing your emotions and stress.

   Screen time, social media intake, and stress management are other habits that can impact your mental energy levels.

5. Negative self-talk
   We all have some kind of “chatter” taking place in our heads, but negative self-talk drains your mental energy quickly. Negative self-talk is stressful, feeds anxiety, and lowers your self-esteem. Build an awareness of what triggers your negativity so you can learn to manage or avoid them.