10 Subtle habits that are draining your energy
Feeling drained has become the norm, leading us to rely on energy boosters. However, it’s crucial to also identify and eliminate daily energy drainers.
Imagine your energy as water in a cup with a hole. You can either add more water or make the hole smaller. Boosting energy is like filling the cup; reducing drain is like making the hole smaller. Both are vital, yet we often overlook what saps our stamina.
Keep up with energy-boosting habits (healthy eating, exercise, sleep, boundaries) and also tackle subtle energy thieves.
Here are 10 overlooked habits that are draining your energy and how to fix them:
01. Watching emotionally charged TV shows
Binge-watching emotionally charged TV shows can lead to mental exhaustion through trait identification, where viewers imagine themselves experiencing the characters’ emotions.
This process allows new emotional experiences but can cause overstimulation. Both positive and negative emotions activate similar brain pathways, leading to mental fatigue and low energy.
The Fix: Be mindful of your entertainment. Note how it affects you and avoid particularly triggering themes. Set weekly limits, balance with neutral shows, or reserve intense TV for days off to manage emotional load.
02. Waiting too long between meals
The body relies on a steady supply of energy from food, with carbs being the primary fuel. Some body parts, like the brain, only use carbs for energy. The liver stores carbs as a reserve, but this lasts only three to six hours.
Going too long without food depletes this reserve, leading to cravings for high-glycemic foods. As we eat more carbs, our insulin levels climb. After insulin peaks, blood sugar crashes, causing a drained feeling.
The Fix: Eat every three to five hours to avoid draining your energy. Keep shelf-stable snacks like protein bars, trail mix, nuts, or peanut butter packets handy. Choose snacks that tide you over without spoiling your next meal.
03. Working at a messy desk
A cluttered workspace can increase distractibility and inattentiveness, making tasks take longer while draining your energy.
The Fix: Keep a tidy, organized workspace to reduce this energy drain. Spend 10-15 minutes daily tidying your work area while listening to calming music. This can create a positive pattern of behavior.
04. Planning too far in advance
While planning helps manage time and avoid double-booking, overplanning reduces flexibility and increases anticipatory anxiety. This can negatively impact working memory and processing speed, leading to poor motivation and draining your energy.
The Fix: Plan mandatory tasks (work deadlines, meetings, family activities) but leave other time open. Leaving time for hobbies, relaxation, and spontaneity provides a sense of freedom and control. Set limits on how far in advance you plan to allow more flexibility.
05. Having too many tabs open
Having 25 tabs open not only drains your laptop’s battery but also overwhelms your brain. Switching between tabs gives the illusion of productivity. In reality, you’re not fully processing anything. This leads to draining your energy.
The Fix: Periodically ask yourself: What do I actually need right now? What purpose is this tab serving? Bookmark or close tabs that aren’t immediately relevant.
06. Slouching can be draining your energy
Poor posture can be draining your energy by putting extra strain on muscles, joints, and ligaments. This requires more energy from your body, leading to fatigue.
The Fix: Use posture-correcting products like ergonomic chairs, cushions, braces, or RockTape to help maintain proper alignment. Incorporate shoulder-straightening and core-strengthening exercises into your workouts.
07. Shallow Breathing
Stress-induced shallow breathing reduces oxygen intake, impacting body function and increasing anxiety and fatigue.
The Fix: Combat shallow breathing by taking deep breaths when feeling tense. Schedule diaphragmatic breathing exercises during work breaks or morning and evening routines to balance your nervous system and avoid the possibility of draining your energy.
How To: Place one hand on your chest and the other below your rib cage. Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise while keeping your chest still. Exhale through pursed lips, tightening your stomach muscles as your abdomen falls inward.
08. Letting small tasks pile up
Handling texts, changing lightbulbs, scheduling pet check-ups—the mental load of accumulating these tasks can be draining your energy a lot. Even small tasks can feel overwhelming when they pile up. Constantly thinking about unfinished tasks can lead to feelings of shame and anxiety.
The Fix: Immediately tackle any task under five minutes to conserve mental energy. If that’s not possible, jot it down on a to-do list right away.
Recording tasks gives peace of mind that they won’t be forgotten. Dedicate 30 to 60 minutes weekly to clearing these tasks. This helps manage stress and fatigue associated with a growing to-do list. It shifts from feeling overwhelmed to feeling accomplished, turning the draining your energy experience into an energizing one.
09. Not Dimming Lights at Night
Bright lights at night disrupt melatonin production, affecting sleep quality.
The Fix: Dim or turn off lights as evening approaches. Smart bulbs that adjust brightness automatically can also help. Using warmer colors or red light at night mimics natural darkness, promoting better sleep quality.
10. Customizing advice for your personality and lifestyle
While using someone else’s advice as a starting point can be beneficial, neglecting to personalize it to your own needs can hinder your progress. This approach can waste time and will be draining your energy, leading to feelings of frustration, disappointment, and resentment.
The Fix: When receiving advice, assess its relevance to your circumstances. Consider how well it fits your context and any differences.
For instance, advice against working in bed may not apply to those with chronic illness, pain, or severe anxiety, for whom working in bed might be necessary. Blindly following such advice could be draining your energy.
Recognize that achieving similar outcomes may require a different approach. Before adopting advice, clarify your starting point and goals. Experiment with applying it and adjust as needed. Regularly evaluate your progress and document outcomes to make informed adjustments.
