On certain fitness apps, there is a “body battery” measurement that is supposed to track one’s daily energy level. This percentage is the result of an algorithm dependent on sleep, heart rate, stress, and blood oxygen levels among other things. This affirms the idea that the amount of energy one has throughout the day is affected by external factors. By altering these factors through behavior, one can attempt to consistently maintain high energy levels.
The reality is one cannot control all of the factors that affect the “body battery”. Inevitably, there will be days where stress or lack of restful sleep lowers the energy levels for the day. Unfortunately external demands, especially those related to work or school, don’t wait during those low energy days. The lower one’s “body battery”, the more difficult it is to respond to these external events that still require attention.
Limiting Lethargic Feelings
When I’m feeling unmotivated on my low energy days, it’s very tempting to find distractions that take away from the things that I need to accomplish. On those days, I’ve found the most productive tool I can utilize is a simple checklist of things to do. The checklist items need to be specific so that I can clearly differentiate if they are completed or not. On my low energy days, I sometimes need to break up check list items into smaller components. The smaller sub-tasks are easier for me to tackle mentally, and keep me moving through the day.
I find it beneficial to include my daily tasks on this checklist in order to build daily momentum. Small chores like making the bed, brushing teeth, showering, and eating breakfast get added to the list daily. By checking them off, I can mentally get the ball rolling to start with other items such as work or school responsibilities that can vary by day.
Improving My Strategies
My current drawback is getting these checklists created every day. I’m in the habit of using Apple’s Notes app to generate and manage these lists, but there’s a plethora of other applications with various additional features on top of simple checklists. I need to investigate these features, determine which seem beneficial, and integrate them into my day to day. Sounds like something to add to the checklist.
