5 Rules to navigate life as a low energy person
5 am club is not for everyone, some of us need more sleep and more rest! There I said it don’t come at me!
I spent my twenties thinking there was something wrong with me. All my friends would go party until 5 am, go back home, get a few hours of sleep and go to work and function properly at work. I on the other hand was the party pooper, I could not function unless I got my 8 hours of sleep. If I had to go to work the next day I would be the Cinderella of the party, rushing back home by midnight to get the much needed sleep. I certainly did not have the energy of a young 20 something year old and people always made fun of me. So I pushed my body, I wanted to be like a normal young person, partying and all.
It took me years and years to accept that I might have lower energy than the average Jane and it was fine. I just had to design my life accordingly.
By trial and error I came up with a system that helps me honor what my body needs while still having a full life. So here it is:
1-If you have low energy the first thing you need to do is to stop blaming yourself and more importantly turn down the inner voice that whispers lazy ass.
2- Once you take the inner voice under control it is time to plan. If you have a job that requires waking up very early you might start looking for another job or negotiate your hours. It might not be easy, it might not happen right away but believe me it is so worth it. Having a job that supports you and your needs is essential.
3- The next step is to write down your priorities. As a low energy person you may not be able to squeeze in so much in your day. Define your priorities and rediscover your limits.
4- Incorporate micronaps (a 15 to 20 min nap) into your daily routine if possible. A 15 minute nap in the afternoon does wonders for me, give it a try to see if it’s your cup of tea. You may push yourself to do a little more than your body could handle as life requires it but know your limits and slow down when necessary.
5- Last but not least don’t put your social life in the back burner just because your job sucks out all the energy you have. If you’re too tired to meet or call a friend after a long work day trying sending a voice message. Don’t take friends for granted, friendships require time and energy and they are one of the biggest joys of life.
Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
