Are you Feeling Drained? Start Conserving your Mental Energy

 

Here are 7 Ways you can start saving your mental energy.

 

Do you often decide to finish a task, and then the whole day passes by and the thing you decided to do in the morning is still undone?

 

Have you ever felt mentally drained, struggling to focus or wondering where all the time went?

 

In our chaotic and fast-paced world, where demands seem endless and distractions abundant, mental energy conservation has become an important skill.

 

It's the key to sustained focus, creativity, happiness, and overall well-being.

 

Accomplishing any task requires mental energy and will-power.

 

Both of which are limited resources.

 

When I wrote my book, I struggled to get a routine going for a good 1 year.

 

I had written hardly 20 pages, and I had spent 365 days on them.

 

At first, I thought I lacked motivation.

 

I meditated over it and realized that it's not that I lacked the will, I simply had no energy left.

So I started to create more energy, by eating better, by exercising more.

 

However, I quickly realized that even that did not have the impact I desired.

 

Energy is like the rays of the sun.

 

Scattered, they don’t have much power.

 

But concentrate them, and now they can start a fire.

 

You don’t need more sun to burn a hole through paper.

 

All you need is a magnifying glass.

 

Mental Energy is the same.

 

Creating more energy is not the solution, focusing the energy we already have, is.

 

 

It was only when I started sleeping and waking up early, did I start making some progress.

 

Within 7 months, the book was complete, and I wrote 300 more pages.

Understanding Mental Energy:

 

Your mental energy is your most valuable resource. Every decision, interaction, or task consumes a portion of it. 

 

When drained, your cognitive abilities, creativity, and emotional resilience suffer. 

 

The goal is not to eliminate energy expenditure (which is impossible) but to use it wisely.

 

Here are seven strategies to help you conserve your mental energy:

 

 

1. Sleep Early and Wake Up Early:

 

Starting your day early allows you to harness the quiet hours of the morning when your mental energy is at its peak, and when everyone in the house is asleep.

 

It provides uninterrupted time for focused work or deep-thinking.

 

As I write this email, it is 6:30 am.

 

Especially, if you do creative thinking or work, early morning is the best time to do so.

 

 

2. Beware of Who You Engage With:

 

Surrounding yourself with people who do not support you can quickly sap your mental energy. 

 

Be mindful of your social interactions.

 

Invest your time and energy in relationships that uplift and inspire you.

 

Don’t wait for their love, time or approval if it only makes your life miserable.

 

You are wasting precious energy on those who do not know or care.

 

Don’t let anyone occupy more than their fair share of your headspace.

3. Let go of Trying to Impress the Wrong People:

 

Seeking validation from those who don't easily give it can be mentally exhausting. 

 

Focus on your own values and goals. Trust your own journey.

 

We are sometimes too eager to tell our friends how we accomplished something, only to realize that they don’t care that much.

 

This drains our mental energy and wastes a lot of time thinking about why our friend respond this way.

 

The truth is, some things don’t need to be shared, only lived.

 

4. Listen with every ounce of energy you have:

 

It may sound counterintuitive, but giving your best effort when you’re listening, saves energy in the long run.

 

When we are distracted, we are like a boat that leaks water.

 

It is sinking, and needs more energy to get across the river.

 

Don’t be a leaky boat.

 

Conserve your energy by focusing it while listening.

 

You will solve the relationship challenges that arise in real-time, and not waste time revising and repeating conversations for months after they have happened.

 

That saves a LOT of mental energy.

 

 

5. Learn to rest and pace yourself:

 

A lot of the time we want to make quick progress when we begin something new.

 

We start learning a new skill, or an art, and we want to be the best at it in one week.

 

My son just started training in martial arts, and after 2 weeks, he says he wants the next belt.

 

This is human nature.

 

We give 100% of our energy at the beginning and demand quick results.

 

As difficulties arise, which they always do, we get discouraged and lose momentum.

 

Sometimes we even burn out.

 

This is because we don't know how to pace ourselves.

 

Treat any project like a long-distance run.

 

Conserve your energy for the long haul.

 

Rest when you need to.

 

Take that break, get that extra sleep in, go on a relaxing vacation.

6. Reduce Distractions and Cell Phone Usage:

 

Constant notifications, and endless scrolling can fragment your mental energy throughout the day.

 

Dedicate specific times for checking emails or messages, and limit social media usage.

 

Stop Replying to all the clever memes, and waiting to check if others have responded to yours.

 

Someone once asked me, "If I am looking at the cellphone when I am in the bathroom, is that okay?"

 

The thing is, probably not.

 

Because thats the time when your brain wants to rest, ponder, and engage in easy thinking.

 

If that's when you are fully engaged in the cellphone, you are tiring yourself out.

 

Cellphone usage needs to be a conscious activity, not an unconscious one.

 

Check 'Digital Wellbeing and Parental Control' in your Android phone, or ' Screen time on your iOS device.

 

You'll see how much time you are spending on the phone.

 

Conserve your energy.

 

 

7. Practice Meditation & Journaling:

 

Meditation is a powerful tool to boost mental energy. Regular practice enhances your ability to stay present and resist mental clutter. It sharpens your focus and reduces your cognitive load.

 

Don’t forget to Journal right after you meditate either.

 

You may feel like it's a waste of time, but every great thinker in modern history has done it.

 

From Einstein, to Charles Dawin, to Marcus Aureius, to Virgina Woolf, everyone has journaled.

 

Why shouldn't you?

 

Journaling will ensure that you stay on track during your day, and not waste too much energy on things that don’t matter to your well-being.

 

Do it. You won’t regret it.

 

By integrating these strategies into your daily routine, you can become a master of mental energy conservation.

 

This skill will not only make success more likely, but also enhance your overall quality of life.

 

Remember, conserving mental energy is not always about having more energy, it's using the energy you already have, wisely.

 

Start implementing these techniques today, and you'll notice a remarkable difference in your mental clarity, creativity, and overall happiness.

 

If you have any questions or need further guidance on this topic, please feel free to reach out. I'm here to support your journey towards a more energized and fulfilling life.