by Mandy Green, CoachingProductivityStrategies
As coaches, we are paid to produce results with our teams.
To get the results we seek, we need to be prepared to perform as a coach at our best all day long. To perform at our creative and confident best, our best influence, our best strength, our best persuasion, our best judgment and decision making ability, we have to be at our optimum energy. Your coaching and recruiting performance throughout each day and week and ultimately being able to accomplish your big goals for the year personally, with recruiting, and with your team will be predicated upon how you better manage your energy during the day.
Here are 8 ideas for you that when you implement them, should help you to keep your energy up during the day.
Take mini-breaks
Sitting at your computer for long periods of time will lead to sleepiness and sluggishness, so get up every 60-90 minutes to refresh and recharge. Get up to go to the bathroom, go refill your water bottle, take a quick lap around the building, plan to run an errand or 2 during this time, get up to stretch your legs and back, or walk around and talk to your coaching colleagues…just do something that will take your mind off of the work that you were doing. You will be amazed at how much more energy and focus you will have, especially at the end of the day, just by taking a few short mini-breaks throughout the day.
Listen to tunes while you work.
There has been a lot of research done on how our brain’s pleasure centers light up when we hear music. Throwing on the headphones and listening to any music you like while working can give you a productivity boost.
Take deep cleansing breaths.
Take a deep breath through your nose, hold it, and let it out slowly and forcefully. Repeat several times. This will take 30 seconds and will be an instant fix. When you sit back down, you’ll have the clear head and fresh feeling needed to power through the task in front of you.
Go for a walk outside
Another great way to rejuvenate and be prepared to attack the rest of the day after lunch is to take a lunchtime stroll. A brisk walk outside will break up your day, get your blood pumping, and refresh your mind. This walk will help to clear your mind of clutter and distractions from earlier in the day and should recharge you for an even more productive second half of the day.
Workout
You should also make time to visit a gym daily for a more robust exercise regimen that will not only keep you energized throughout the day, but it will help build your stamina and patience, and alleviate any stress you may be under.
Nap
But do it in your chair. Don’t lie down on the sofa or you won’t get back up. Keep it short: 5-10 minutes max. Any longer and it will have the opposite effect of knocking you out for the rest of the day.
Drink lots of water during the day
I read somewhere that Dehydration is the number one performance killer for athletes. It is a sinister cause of fatigue because it slowly creeps up on you. If you consistently drink less than 8 cups of water a day, you may be sluggish all the time. Get a 32 oz (1 quart, 4 cups) water bottle. Your goal is to polish off 2 of those a day. Try it for a week and see if your general energy level increases.
Snack throughout the day.
By eating smaller but more frequent “meals”, you will maintain a steady dose of energy throughout the day. Remember, mood and energy follow blood sugar, so stay away from the sweets. Candy and sweets will give you a short 30 minute burst, but it’ll be quickly followed by a debilitating crash and will rob your vital energy so instead try: nuts and seeds, non-fat yogurt, dried fruit, eggs, nut butter on a cracker, or strips of cold turkey, chicken, and beef.
Every 90 days go on vacation
438 million is the amount of vacation days Americans failed to use according to Harris interactive research group. As a result, America ranks #1 in depression, mental health problems, we are experiencing burnout, reduced productivity, decreased creativity, failed relationships, stress or stress related ailments including depression, heart disease, or stomach ulcers at record levels.
To get our athletes to reach their potential, we need to have and maintain high levels of energy though out the day. If you are struggling to keep up with the day to day activities, Coach, take more control of the amount of energy you have and how you’re stewarding it. These 8 ideas are not the only things you can do. If you want more energy tips or other collegiate productivity advice, visit my website at www.mandygreencps.com and opt in to receive my weekly newsletter.