| “I’m so tired. “I’m knackered. “I’m pooped!” That’s how I talk to myself. Eyes heavy. Burden weighing on my shoulders. It’s a struggle to sit up and pay attention at a meeting or even to read & respond to email. That’s how I often feel throughout the day. In meetings I’d hold my head in my hands trying to look stylish when I’m actually just sapped of energy. On Zoom calls, I’d turn the camera off and attend the meeting with my head resting on my table. I’ve had energy and fatigue issues for the longest time now – 10 years or so. We all have battered down low energy days and moments in a day where we are hit by waves of fatigue. But to have this constant and acute sense of tiredness all throughout the day. It’s just crushing. What have I done about it? I’ve seen many doctors in the past and my blood work was always sound. Nothing could be pinned as the cause of this chronic fatigue. It’s super frustrating because there’s so much I want to do and get done. And the thing is no matter how much you want to do things you can’t if you’re constantly tired. I have to fix this first, for me to focus on anything else. Over time it got better. The brutal exhaustion seasons came and went. And each time it ended I thought this must finally be the end and that I’m FREE! Until I wasn’t…Again. The bug came back again last month in January. This time I was determined to get to the crux of it. With research from the internet and listening to the cues from my body, I got some pretty solid fixes. It’s been a few weeks since I started implementing basic hygiene steps and now I’m not tired all day. Just some parts of the day, and I can live with that. I’m still working at it and I’m definitely getting stronger each day. Here are the list of things that have worked for me: A sense of purpose: My tiredness may not have been a physical issue alone, but a lack of motivation at work. When I started digging into some exciting projects, I was motivated, I was driven! Fatigue just didn’t show up. A week later I would notice, hey my fatigue issue was resolved. If this feels relatable, consider checking in and reevaluating your projects. Do you look forward to making meaningful progress on them? Cultivating interest, changing things up, collaborating to create meaning and purpose will go a LONG way to help you feel energised. (On that note, journaling regularly has helped a lot too!) My beliefs: Habits quickly become crutches. For example, I believed that I needed coffee made in a certain way and at a certain time, or I would be tired and fatigued all day. This video by Alex Hormozi gave me a swift kick where I need it. These beliefs are superstitions and damn crutches. There are things you can do to give you a pickup during the day, give you more energy, and help you perform better, but don’t be dependent on them. Don’t be superstitious about it. Be ready to engage, get to work even with discomfort of less sleep. Try to power through a day and reset for the next. And remind yourself it’s okay if your favourite coffee isn’t available. *slurp* (Sipping from my cappuccino as I move to the next point.) This shift in mindset has been instrumental in overcoming my psychological limitations and improving my energy levels. Diet: My diet is fabulous. I consume 1500-1600 calories a day. High protein and low carb. Along with my diet, I make sure to intake plenty of water, around two and a half litres a day. This helps me stay awake, alert, and energetic throughout the day. I also enjoy having this multivitamin with it. It adds a bit of flavour to my water and I find myself having balanced energy throughout the day when I do, (but of course can do without it too). Morning Workouts: On the days I do my morning workout, I start off strong and continue strong. My morning workout is really important to me. I prefer outdoor workouts but my current routine doesn’t allow for it, so indoor workouts it is. Cold Showers: I then take a cold shower. If there’s one thing to implement from this list, it’s cold shower…cold shower….COLD SHOWER! Oh My Gosh, I LOVE IT. It is chilling at first, but you will be surprised at how soon you get used to it. Hell, you begin to even miss it. Consider it the nuclear option to begin the day on a high! Walks: Ah! These are so blissful, relaxing and yet, productive! I get so much thinking done, reading done (via Audible) because I allow myself to go for a walk. When I feel particularly low. Unable to stand the glare from my laptop screen anymore, I shove myself to step out of the office and go for a walk. It is such a drag to begin with. But as I begin listening to my latest Audible book. Begin appreciating the magnificent trees, I’ve already got a spring in my step. After 30 or 40 minutes or so, my mind is racing with thoughts, ideas, aha’s I hadn’t considered. I’m relaxed and yet energised at the same time. |
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| Sleep: Sleeping at a fixed time every day. I’m pretty good at waking up at a fixed time (if you don’t, that’s the first thing to fix.) But now I also attempt to sleep at a fixed time. I sleep when my first wave of sleepiness hits, around 9:30 to 10:30 PM. If I skip this wave and try to escape it, it takes me much longer to fall asleep. So, I try to go to bed as soon as that first wave hits. This ensures I get better sleep and better energy throughout the day. So here’s an energetic me writing to you about my chronic exhaustion and what I did to improve it. If by any chance you have some version of chronic fatigue, see which of the above fits your style and do try them out. Need more tips, watch this video by Rainbow Plant Life or this one by Alex Hormozi on Sleep. Whatever you do…Don’t give up! It is possible to be energetic and it’s like having a new lease of life! Hope it helps your tired and wired folks like me. If it does, let me know. And if you’ve any MD tips or hacks, I would love to hear back from you! From one tired soul to another. Also folks, the GTD workshop will be in full swing. Sign up for it here: https://lnkd.in/gEniydc3 . Take care! Love, Arif |
