Feeling lethargic and run down? Need a pick me up and an instant energy boost? Getting your energy back could be simpler than you think. Try these science-backed tips and get your energy back stat.
- Color therapy
Color can actually influence our mood. Warm colors, such as orange, red and yellow, are often associated with vibrance and energy, helping you to feel more energized than any other color on the color wheel. This is because, according to the Eiseman Center for Color Information & Training, these striking colors activate and stimulate the brain’s circuitry. The best color to spice up your mood and dreary office attire then is orange. It’s a combination of red, which suggests vigor, and yellow, which reminds us of the sun and exuberance, says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.
Add a splash of orange into your wardrobe by wearing orange jewelry, hairpins, scarves or socks. Stock your office with orange sticky notes, notepads, pen holders and file folders.
- Let go of regrets or mistakes
Still beating yourself up for that little blunder in the office the other week? Are you still thinking of the spat you had with your neighbor the other day? It’s not easy to forget when things like this happen. But remember, clinging and beating yourself up for the past does not change it nor does it help you. It only zaps your energy and makes you feel even worse.
Feelings of regret are often experienced as a major loss, driving us to shut down physiologically and emotionally, according to Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, department of psychology Chair at Yale University. This leads to feelings of despondency, lack of motivation and overall weariness and exhaustion.
Be kind to yourself. Put your regrets in context. A study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin in 2011 showed that people who compared themselves with those who seem to live a harder life than their own were reported to be happier and showed fewer symptoms of being sick or worn out.
- Chill with cold water
Have you ever splashed cold water on your face and felt the tension and weariness ebb away? This should be no surprise as cold water can invigorate the mind. Researchers at the University of Chicago found out that people exposed to ice water perform better on alertness tests. This is because our body releases noradrenaline, an energizing hormone when we are stressed.
As the skin is covered in nerve endings, running cold water over your wrists for a few minutes or splashing your face with cold water will send the invigorating signals to the brain.
- Jump up, do a jig and move about
Jump up and down, break the monotony of the day, allow yourself to be a little silly and stir up childhood enthusiasm—all these things don’t just boost your energy by raising your heart beat, quickening your breath, and pumping oxygen throughout your body. They also help elicit the release of endorphins, feel-good hormones which have been associated with vitality, energy and a better state of mind.
So go ahead, put a little spring to your step, skip to the pantry or water cooler, do a little dance when your favorite song plays on your iPod. You may feel silly, you may feel goofy, but chances are, it’ll also make you feel great.
- Mint it
Minty aromas make us more alert, thereby leading to more energy, according to research scientist Dr. Pamela Dalton at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. Studies also show that minty scents motivate people to exercise longer and accomplish clerical tasks faster and with better accuracy.
Invigorate yourself: keep a packet of mints or gum in your drawer, use a minty lotion, take mint tea on your break or keep some fresh mint on hand and use it as garnish in your salad. If you’ve got a green thumb, try keeping a spearmint plant in your office. Just brush your fingers through the leaves and release its invigorating scent.
