Here's my 5-min ritual to manage my energy as a solopreneur

Reading time: 3,2 MinutesWelcome to 10 new Subscribers since last week!

This is Refresh. Rethink. your Saturday morning refreshing cold shower right after you wake up.

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Today's issue:- The 4 kinds of energy you need for productivity - A 5-min ritual to raise your energy

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We’re rolling nicely into 2023 and by now you know whether you’re sticking to your New Year's resolutions or not.

I’ll be first one to confess that I’ve decided to ditch one of mine. In other words, my no-carb month didn’t even last two weeks.

A friend of mine and a fan of the ketogenic diet kept pushing me: "Come on, you’ll get fat-adapted in a matter of a few weeks".

Yeah right.

When I feel sluggish, I show up sluggish. My state influences the quality and speed of my work! Also, I don’t want my clients to work with a sluggish consultant.

My clients need a piece of my energy. But what if I don’t have any left to share?

So I went back binging on healthy carbs (sweet potato, fruit, quinoa), and my energy went through the roof instantly.

Let's talk more about energy.

4 kinds of energy

Over the years, with many wins and fails, I figured out that energy comes in 4 different forms. Imagine them like 4 buckets you fill up and empty as you go.

When one or more of those buckets are empty most of the time, Mr. Burn-out is probably  looming around the corner. And Mr. Burn-out's plans for you aren't pretty (I know this from having experienced two severe burn-outs myself).

Let’s look at those 4 energy buckets:

• Mental energy - In this bucket, we store the energy for our motivation, drive, and determination. It is our „show up energy”

• Physical energy - This is the bucket for bodily energy. An energized and fit body means an energized and fit mind. An energized body also has a high level of oxygen, which our brains love.

• Emotional energy - Positive emotions charge us with positive energy. When this bucket is full, we feel joy, excitement, and enthusiasm for what we do.

• Spiritual energy -  The last bucket contains the energy of our inner self. When it’s full, we feel gratefulness, and a sense of connection with ourselves and the world.

Are your buckets full? You'll be mega-productive! 

I plan and re-plan my work and activities around these 4 energy buckets. Focusing on raising energy gives the best results and satisfaction in all areas of my life, and I think this approach could benefit you too.

But…

I also fell sick twice in 2022. And when I connected the dots looking back, I could see that some of those buckets were obviously empty.  I was stressed out! Still, I pushed through and had to pay the price with a weakened immune system, which led to me getting sick.

No energy. No productivity. 

That’s why I want to help you rethink productivity, and show up better tomorrow by sharing my personal 5-step ritual with you. 

I call it BELMS, it takes just 5 minutes and I do it several times per day. Here’s how it works

BELMS: a simple 5-min ritual to instantly fill up your energy buckets

Breath:

or 1 min, breathe very deeply while making the exhales longer than the inhales. This calms down your central nervous system and raises your blood oxygen levels.

Exercise:

Hop 30 seconds on one leg and 30 seconds on the other leg. Our calf muscles are like a second heart, pumping oxygenated blood to the brain.

Light:

get 2 minutes of direct daylight. Open the window or go outside (this doesn’t work behind a window or if you're staring at your phone). Daylight keeps us awake and creates energy.

Meditate:

close your eyes for a minute and empty your mind. Bring up 1 thing you’re grateful for. Then mindfully set your intention for the next hour.

Stretch:

Stretch your back and neck muscles, as well as your hands, arms, and fingers.

Voila! You've added energy to all 4 of your buckets – mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. And if you do it regularly, you also become aware if any of the buckets are close to empty.

I do my BELMS after each Pomodoro time interval of 25 minutes. And after 4 hours of work, I do a longer, 15-20 minute version. I recommend you do the same!

You’ll see that your focus stays very deep for 3-4 hours straight, despite you taking breaks. You’re also more present with yourself, the moment, and the work you're doing.

Every new hour is a chance to show up renewed!

After all, how you show up affects how your business shows up. So, make sure you live an energized life.

Well, that's done and dusted! 

Hope this newsletter brought a Refreshing start to your Saturday morning.

See you next week,

Leon

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👋🏻 I reply to all emails myself, so drop me a line to share your thoughts.Last week I wrote about the 5 stages towards running your business on autopilot 

I'm holding a free online event on the 19th of January on  "how to run your business on autopilot".