Tips for preserving your energy

Have you ever felt that you’re being pulled in so many different directions that you can’t keep up? Work demands, family commitments, peer pressure and even the pressures of social media can all have a huge influence on your life without you even realising how much they’re draining you of your life energy.

When you’re being deprived of your inner strength and natural spark, it’s time to re-evaluate your life and flick the off switch. We have some much-needed tips for preserving your energy and reclaiming your life.

What drains you?

First and foremost, it’s important to take some time out to sit down and assess your current situation. What gives you the most beneficial return for the energy you spend and what do you need to eliminate from your life?

You might find that the most common stressor in your life is the demands of other people, or perhaps you get too caught up in 'keeping up with the Joneses', but whatever it is that’s draining you, you need to reverse the effects.

Avoid negative people

Often, one of the greatest drains on our energy reserves is people. Maybe they expect too much of us or pass their negativity on to us.

However, it's not possible to avoid all people all the time, but there are ways that we can reduce the impact they have on our lives. If a chat with a friend or colleague turns into gossip, make an excuse to leave the conversation and don’t get drawn in. Not only can negative talk of others cause an unwelcome atmosphere, it can also cause a lot of upset to the person being talked about.

You’ll also probably meet the types of people who are all too quick to point out your flaws or are critical of your lifestyle choices. Remember that how you conduct your life isn’t the business of anyone else. Try to avoid sharing any personal information with this type of person and don’t get into an argument with them.

How to say no

It can be easy to fall into the trap of being a people-pleaser, especially at work or with close friends and family, but if you are making too many sacrifices that ultimately leave you feeling unhappy, you need to learn to say no.

This can be quite difficult and can make us feel uncomfortable but once you realise that self-care is important to your wellbeing, the easier it becomes to say no.

• Don’t feel the need to give reasons behind your decision
• Remain polite yet assertive at the same time
• Don’t give into pressure

If the person who is asking something of you has a negative response, all the more reason to stay firm. Do you really want to sacrifice your happiness for someone who doesn’t respect your decision?

Stop competing with everyone else

With social media playing such a huge part in many people's lives these days, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself and trying to live up to others’ ‘perfect lives’. Remember, what is portrayed on social media is often a false perception and people only let you see what they want you to see.

A study by the Royal Society for Public Health examining the effects of social media, shows that in the last 25 years, anxiety and depression in children has increased by 70%. There is so much pressure to look or live life a certain way, that we forget to appreciate our positive qualities and instead, focus on the negative.

Try replacing scrolling with something more meaningful, such as a country walk among nature. The less time you spend online and the more time you spend outside or doing something that makes you feel good, the less you will feel drained. These ongoing negative feelings can leave us stressed, anxious and depressed so it’s vital to step away and remind ourselves of what’s really important.