Getting back to a normal routine after a lovely summer break can be tough, but there are things you can do to maintain that happy holiday energy. Aspria’s Monica Schettino explains.
Here we are, back from holidays, refreshed and full of energy. But as our lives quickly resume the frenzied rhythms that characterize our modern lives, we risk rapidly losing the benefits of our holiday break.
Yet with some wellbeing tips and good eating habits, we have every chance to better manage our energy capital.
But what energy are we talking about, and how do we fuel it properly? In fact, we’re talking about three different types of energy: physical energy, mental energy and emotional energy.
Physical energy is first cultivated through regular physical activity. The type of activity is not very important, so choose what you like the most, but regularity is essential.
The quality of what we eat also plays a very important role. The key is to avoid ‘empty calories’ wherever possible – that is to say foods that contain no, or almost no, nutrients essential to the proper functioning of our body. Keeping your blood sugar stable by focusing on low GI foods will help you avoid slumps in energy after meals, as well as the need for caffeine shots.
Mental energy, meanwhile, is essential if we want to be efficient, organised and focused in our lives. On a professional level, it’s important to organise oneself so as not to ‘waste’ this energy. For example: forget the multi-tasking which generally proves inefficient and energy-consuming. Instead, work on one task at a time, limiting as far as possible the usual continuous interruption by email, Messenger, SMS and so on.
Emotional energy, which allows us to remain positive and optimistic, is directly linked to our stress management and our second brain: our intestine. Don’t wait for the first signs of fatigue. Put strategies in place now to regulate your stress: address the quality and quantity of your sleep, reduce your hyper-connectivity, plan relaxing moments into the diary, take walks in nature or experiment with meditation. You might also like to take magnesium supplements if you do a lot of sport or if you work at a very fast pace.
Additionally, with different studies suggesting that our intestinal microbiota influence both behaviour and emotions, it’s important to take care of your intestinal bacteria through a diet rich in fibre and low in sugars, not to mention taking the time to chew your food properly, and checking for possible food intolerances.
For more great energy-boosting advice – tips on nutrition, exercise and other lifestyle changes to keep you on top form as the autumn sets in – read here
