Keep your energy levels up while you’re stuck at home! When confined to the comfort of your cozy living room, it might be hard to stay motivated. Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you can sit back and relax. There’s still work to be done, people! But, how can I possibly pull myself away from the next episode of All American, you wonder. Below are the simplest ways to boost your energy every day!
Following a routine is so important to keep you energetic and motivated. Since we’re all stuck at home, it’s easy to fall into vacation-mode. Sleeping in late, missing breakfast, saving all your assignments for after dinner, I’m sure we’re all victims of at least one of these. Forget that lifestyle! Set an alarm, get up out of bed, throw on clothes that aren’t your pajamas (yes, even though you’re not going anywhere), and set up an at-home workspace! Don’t forget to create a to-do list to make sure you accomplish everything you need to in a timely order. You will feel more motivated and full of so much more energy when you stick to a daily routine.
Food fuels your brain. Spend some of your free time creating healthy and delicious meals. There’s food for every meal that will boost your energy levels and leave your mind and body feeling great. Some great breakfast foods include eggs, yogurt, oranges, and chia seeds. Blending up a smoothie with bananas, yogurt chia seeds, etc is a perfect breakfast idea! For lunch or dinner, choose to eat foods such as avocados, sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, beans or spinach. There are so many options for you to get energy through foods, feel free to get creative!
One of the worst things you could do during your time at home is to plant yourself on the couch all day. The more you lay around doing nothing, the more tired you will feel. No matter how much you don’t want to, get up and get moving! Try following online yoga classes, bodyweight workout videos, or even dance to some music. Even if it just means walking up and down the stairs a few times every hour, do it. Your body will thank you!
Just because you’re staying at home doesn’t mean you have to skip out on your favorite part of the day! If you’re like me, you can’t make it through the day without a cup of joe. With my favorite coffee shop currently closed, I have to take it into my own hands to stir up my favorite form of energy. Usually, I brew a pot of coffee at night and leave it in the fridge overnight to cool, then mix it with my favorite creamer and some cinnamon and sugar in the morning. If you feel it’s safe enough, you can always curbside pick up a coffee from a local shop, if they’re open of course. Don’t try to take on your day without your needed caffeine intake!
Staying up too late and sleeping in ’till noon isn’t healthy and definitely won’t give you the energy you need throughout the day. It might be hard to put down your phone before bed when you don’t have anywhere to be the next morning, but it’s something you need to practice. Following a solid sleep schedule (meaning you go to bed and wake up around the same time every day), and getting around eight hours of sleep each night will leave you waking up feeling so refreshed. So are you ready for a productive week? Set those alarms, girls, because there’s no room for oversleeping in this schedule.
One thing that can bring down your energy, and your mood, is stress. You have a lot of responsibilities between schoolwork and internships, and finding the right time to complete your work is something many students struggle with. So, you’ve got to plan it out wisely, and what I really mean is to space it. Don’t wake up and cram your morning with all of your papers, exams, and readings. Break it up throughout the day, this way you’ll be way less stressed and will have the energy you need for each assignment. Try taking the exam in the morning, working on a paper in the afternoon, and finishing up your reading before bed. This way, you get everything done and don’t feel worn down from doing it all.
Water is so important to keep your energy up. When you’re not drinking enough water, you start to feel completely fatigued. Dehydration seriously affects the flow of oxygen to your brain, as well as makes your body work much harder to get oxygen to the rest of your body. Drinking about a half-gallon of water a day will keep you healthy, happy, and full of energy. Adding a few lemon wedges in creates a great taste that also benefits your skin!
Did you know using your phone too much can lead to depression, anxiety, and even insomnia? Almost everyone is a victim of over-using their phone. When you’re stuck at home, you might find the best way to pass the time is through scrolling through endless Tik Tok’s and Instagram posts, and though this might be true, it’s hardly beneficial for your energy levels. In fact, using your phone before bed makes it more difficult to fall asleep. So try to cut back on how much you’re staring at your phone. Try taking up a hobby, such as painting, reading, or exercising and see how much better you’ll feel. Try to spend one to two consistent hours off of your phone, and slowly increase that time each day. Soon, you’ll realize you don’t need it as much as you thought!
Your day will feel so much better if you shower in the morning. Taking a nice, long shower and taking care of yourself will make you so much more motivated and confident to move on with your day. Nobody can get work done in their wrinkled pajamas and their hair in a greasy bun! Shower and get ready (minus the makeup, you’re not going anywhere), as if you weren’t stuck at home and you’ll see you have much more energy throughout the day and are accomplishing way more. Not only will you feel great, but you’ll look and smell great too! It’s an all-around win.
You probably can’t go too far, but get out and get some fresh air! Fresh air and sunlight help to wake you up and is a super positive way to start the day. I start every morning home with a long walk with my dog, away from my cell phone (unless of course, I’m calling a friend I can’t see right now). Besides walking or running, you could simply eat breakfast outside, read a book in the sunlight, ride your bike or workout in your yard. A great way to spend time with your pup is to walk him down at a local beach, nature trail, or even just throw him some toys in your backyard. He’s sure to give you extra love for that.
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