Yawn…it’s one of those days that just seems to creep by and there isn’t enough caffeine on the planet to get you energized. You keep checking the clock but it seems to be standing still and the pile of work in front of you doesn’t seem to be shrinking. You’re tired, bored and completely unenthused.
Sound familiar? If so, don’t panic–this listless feeling is one that we all encounter from time to time but that doesn’t mean that we have to tolerate it nor does it mean that we can’t take proactive steps to turn things around.
The next time you find yourself in desperate need of a little enthusiasm and inspiration, try a few of the suggestions below to add a quick shot of FabYOUlousness to your day.
10 FabYOUlous Tips for Staying Inspired
1.) Drink some water. Wait–can something as simple as drinking a bottle of water really help to pull us out of a funk and set us back on the path to FAB? Absolutely, positively, without a doubt–YES. Dehydration can leave us feeling drained, sluggish and fatigued. Though it’s not always necessary to follow the “eight glasses a day” rule, it is vitally important that we drink enough water to keep our bodies well hydrated. Don’t just wait until you feel thirsty–if you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Instead, drink a bit of water regularly throughout your day. You’ll be able to tell if you are properly hydrated when you don’t feel thirsty and your urine is light colored. You can also add a little pizzazz and health benefit to your water by infusing it with fresh fruit or lemon essential oil. I also enjoy a splash of peppermint essential oil on the days that I really need an extra pick-me-up.
2.) Tidy your desk. I’m no feng shui expert, but I do know that seeing my desk all cluttered and a mess causes my energy levels to drop dramatically. Chances are that the same is true for you too. It has been said that our outer surroundings are a reflection of our inner state. If that’s true, is it any wonder that we are feeling exhausted and uninspired? Just think about how good it feels to walk into a neatly organized and clean room–is that the feeling that you get when you look at your desk? If not, take five minutes and give your desk a quickie tidying up. By clearing some space on your desk you’ll also be clearing some mental space in your psyche and making more room for creativity and inspiration.
3.) Get some sleep. Could it be possible that the reason you’re feeling exhausted is because you are in fact… exhausted? I am constantly amazed at what a huge difference a good night’s sleep can make in my life. It restores my sanity, ups my energy and makes me a much more pleasant person to be around. A good, restorative sleep can also get my brain back firing on all cylinders which allows me to think clearly, access my creativity and remain inspired.
4.) List and tackle your top three tasks. Sometimes the biggest culprit that is zapping our energy and leaving us uninspired is our to-do list. It’s hard to feel good when we’re faced with tasks that we simply don’t want to do or don’t have the energy to do. Unfortunately–sometimes the only way through something is to do something. Try making a list of your three most urgent, stress inducing tasks and then knuckle down and do them. Will it be fun? Probably not. The good news however is that having those tasks completed and off your plate will immediately give you an energetic boost and feeling of accomplishment that will leave you feeling inspired and ready to dive into something a little more fun.
5.) Break it up. Nothing can sap your energy faster than non-stop work. Yes–I know you’re on a deadline and that your project is incredibly important. We’re all in that boat. Studies show however; that human beings are actually more productive and do better work if/when they schedule breaks throughout the day. It might seem counter-intuitive to think that you can accomplish more by taking a break but it is absolutely true. Short breaks give us the opportunity to stretch, get a drink (see item #1) and rest our brains for a short while. This then allows us to come back to our task feeling more refreshed and invigorated which in turn leads us to work more effectively and efficiently, thus accomplishing more. My rule for myself is that for every 90 minutes I work, I take a ten minute break but I’m working to get myself into a routine of taking a 10 minute break for every 50 minutes of work. I’ve experienced first hand the difference that incorporating breaks in to my day makes and the results really are amazing.
6.) Express gratitude. When we are feeling drained and uninspired, it can be difficult to recognize just how truly blessed we are. For example…do you realize that if you made $1500 (yes, that’s only two zeros) last year, you are among the top 20% of the world’s income earners. When I read that statistic I had to really take a step back and reevaluate my situation because I realized that this means that my teenage son who works part time helping his step-dad paint, is among the top 20% of the world’s richest people. That being the case; why on earth am I whining because I need to wait until payday before I can buy the cute new handbag that I’ve had my eye on? We all have so much to be thankful for. Even in our hardest, most difficult times, there is always something to be grateful for. Expressing our gratitude not only helps us to put things into perspective, it can also help to lighten our mood and leave us feeling inspired and blessed. Additionally, I’ve learned that when I take the time to thank the universe for the many blessings that I enjoy, it responds by sending me more things to be thankful for. So, whether you take a few moments each day to lift your eyes and give a silent “thanks” or do like I do and write down a gratitude list every night before going to bed; be sure to make gratitude a regular part of your day.
7.) Get sweaty. Not only is physical activity good for our bodies–it’s good for our psyches as well. When we get moving and take part in any kind of physical activity our body reacts by increasing our serotonin levels. These levels are a vital part of mood regulation and increasing our serotonin production can help to make us feel better emotionally while the resistance and cardio workouts help us to feel better physically. Plus–as a runner, I’ve learned that going for a run is one of the most effective ways I have of clearing my mind, focusing my energy and releasing my stress. I suppose it should be no surprise that some of my most inspired ideas come when I’m out pounding the pavement. So, whether you like to run (like me) or swim, bike, lift weights etc.– get out there and do it. Your body and your emotional state will thank you.
8.) Browse. Are you on Pinterest? If not…WHY on earth not?!? There are so many inspiring ideas about every subject under the sun on Pinterest. When I am feeling lethargic and uninspired all I have to do is log in to my Pinterest account and within five minutes my brain is buzzing with inspiration and creative ideas. Even if you’re not ready to join the masses on Pinterest, there are plenty of other websites out there offering an abundance of inspiration and all it takes to find this information is a few minutes of internet browsing. The one bad thing about sites like Pinterest, Stumbleupon, Instagram etc. is that they can become total time-sucks if not enjoyed in moderation, and like anything else–not all information found online is reliable or even worthwhile so you must be selective as you do your browsing. Still…Pinterest is one of my favorite ways to beat the blahs and find some inspiration. If you’d like to check out my Pinterest boards click here.
9.) Do a brain-dump. Sometimes our lack of inspiration comes not from having nothing in our brains, but rather from having too much in our brains. We get overwhelmed and end up feeling paralyzed. One quick way to combat this problem is to grab a pen and paper and then take five minutes to write down everything that you’re thinking/obsessing/worrying about. This exercise is beneficial because it forces us to acknowledge the issues that we are struggling with and sometimes the simple act of getting them out of our brain and onto our paper is enough to put things into perspective–it’s like venting but with a pen on paper instead of our voice to another human being. Once the five minutes is up, rip up the paper and throw it away. This won’t eliminate your concerns but it will help you to keep them in their proper place and allow you to focus on more important and more inspiring things.
10.) Let the music move you. While I tend to find inspiration more from visual images (hence my obsession with Pinterest), there are many people who find inspiration through music. Try playing some pretty, up tempo music while you are working on a challenging project or some soft, soothing music if you are struggling to relax. I find that this strategy works best for me with music that has no vocals–otherwise I find myself singing along and losing focus. Try putting together a CD of some of your favorite inspirational tunes and then use your CD as a motivational soundtrack whenever you are needing a little extra lift.
Implementing just a few of these FabYOUlous strategies can help you to ditch the drab and get back on the track to FAB in no time.
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