Running on an empty tank? How to Up your Mental Energy?

Do you feel like you are running on an empty fuel tank?

However much you try, you feel exhausted and depleted?

You try all means to stay energetic, but to no avail?

Is this YOU?

Don’t worry, you are not alone – the energy epidemic is a real one in today’s era of hustle and hop. It may feel like you don’t have enough time to “do it all” and “have it all”. But in reality, today’s core currency is energy, not just time. Energy Debt may accumulate over time, resulting in chronic fatigue and even translating to chronic ailments.

If you are in this bucket, you can begin by conducting an Energy Audit - Identifying Your Energy Zappers and Boosters. We already covered why we often feel exhaustion and burnout – exploring some of the key energy depleters. Physical energy depleters are often evident and “seen”, and often talked about, be it right nutrition, sleep, exercise, and so on; but mental energy depleters and emotional energy depleters may often go unnoticed by us, because of their intangible element. Hence it is important to understand your Energy Landscape from a Mental and Emotional standpoint as well.

Here is a peep into Mental Energy Depleters and how to manage them:

What is Mental Energy?

Mental energy refers to the capacity to carry out cognitive activities.  

Our brain is only 2% of our body weight, but consumes 20 – 25% of our metabolic energy. And that’s just on idle, the energy cost to keep our 86 billion neurons and give-or-take 164 trillion synapses on stand-by. Once the brain is activated, energy demands quickly multiply.*1

Different paradigms of mental energy are seen floating around – some call it out as mood, some as motivation levels. But however we define mental energy is, it plays a role in shaping personality and accomplishment over the life span.

The late behavioural geneticist David Lykken saw mental energy as the companion ingredient that catapults talent into genius.*1

So…unleash your genius by adopting some of these conscious lifestyle-changes to uphold your mental energy…

How to Up your Mental Energy?

1.     Declutter Your Mind

Our minds can become overwhelmed with unfinished thoughts, worries, and a constant stream of information, leading to mental fatigue and difficulty focusing. Mental clutter acts like background noise, draining our cognitive resources. Take a Pause and use these strategies to help declutter…

·      Mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness, even for a few minutes daily, helps bring awareness to your thoughts without judgment. This can reduce rumination and allow you to observe thoughts rather than being consumed by them, creating mental space.

·      Journaling: Writing down thoughts, worries, and plans can externalize them, freeing up mental RAM. It's a powerful way to process emotions, organize ideas, and get clarity on overwhelming situations.

·      Digital Detox: The constant notifications, emails, and social media feeds are major sources of mental clutter. Regularly unplugging for specific periods, doing nothing, (e.g., an hour before bed, a full day on the weekend) can significantly reduce mental overload and allow your brain to rest and reset.

2.     Practice Deep Work

"Deep work" (a term coined by author Cal Newport) refers to highly focused, distraction-free work that pushes your cognitive capabilities. "Shallow work" includes administrative tasks, emails, and routine activities that don't demand intense concentration. Trying to do deep work amidst constant interruptions is highly draining.

·      Optimize Your Mental Focus for High-Energy Tasks: Allocate your peak mental energy hours (e.g., mornings for many people) to deep work tasks that require intense focus and creative problem-solving. Relegate shallow work to times when your mental energy might be lower, or schedule it in blocks between deep work sessions. This strategic allocation ensures you maximize your mental resources for what truly matters.

3.     Minimize Decision Fatigue

Move over information overload, we are now subject to choice-overload - at every moment, we are faced with a hundred choices.  The more choices we have to make throughout the day, the more fatigued our decision-making capacity becomes, leading to poorer choices or procrastination.

·      Automate Minor Decisions: Reduce the number of trivial decisions you make (e.g., wear the same outfit style daily, plan meals in advance, create daily routines).

·      Prioritize Important Decisions: Tackle crucial decisions when your mental energy is fresh i.e. at your peak energy time.

·      Set Defaults: Have default choices and settings for recurring tasks or choices.

4.     Cultivate Focus

In our hyper-connected world, constant distractions fragment our attention, making it harder to complete tasks efficiently and increasing mental strain. Some ways to reduce distractions…

·      Time Blocking: Dedicate specific blocks of time to a single task and commit to working on it without interruption.

·      Pomodoro Technique: Work in focused 25-minute intervals followed by short breaks, training your brain for sustained concentration.

·      Eliminate Notifications: Turn off all non-essential notifications on your devices.

·      Create a Conducive Environment: Designate a workspace that minimizes visual and auditory distractions.

·      Single-Tasking: Resist the urge to multitask. Slow down, focus on one thing at a time to maximize efficiency and reduce cognitive load.

5.     Continuous Learning for Mental Vitality

We often talk about the importance of physical exercise. Similarly, the brain benefits from exercise, thanks to a phenomenon called neuroplasticity. Engaging in continuous learning keeps neural pathways active, improving cognitive function. However, one should refrain from the new-age concept of “learning” – continuous cramming without a breather or break. Balanced learning is the key to feeding and nourishing our cognitive capabilities.

·      Vary Learning Methods: Read diverse topics, listen to podcasts, watch documentaries, learn a new skill or language, solve puzzles.

·      Curiosity-Driven Learning: Focus on subjects you genuinely find interesting, as this makes the learning process energizing rather than draining.

·      Breaks and Integration: Ensure you take breaks and allow time for information to be processed and integrated, preventing mental overload. The goal is stimulating growth, not overwhelming your system.

 In a Nutshell…

Many conscious calls must be taken to enhance and maintain our mental energy levels. It is not just a tactical effort, but a larger attitude towards living. An important element to keep this going is connecting to Spiritual / Purpose Energy i.e. “Finding Your Why”. Finding and Living our Mojo is an ongoing exploration that results from conscious callouts and Mindful Living.

Are you feeling exhausted, burnt out, overwhelmed?

Are you RUNNING ON EMPTY?

Connect with us @ mojomantra.coaching@gmail.com or 9819890485, we can help you unlock more happiness, peace, fulfilment, purpose and fulfilment in life !

* 1 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/202307/the-making-of-mental-energy

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