3 All-Natural Energy Boosters for Crazy Busy Coaches
Mar 28, 2022Hi everyone,
When coaches that I am working with hear what my schedule is like these days, one of the most common questions I get is this…
“Mandy. How do you have such high energy levels with your crazy travel schedule and busy life?”
Over the past ten years, I developed an obsession with optimizing my performance and have tested a ton of different strategies to get more energy and make the most out of every hour of my day.
Along the way, I discovered that becoming a consistently high performing coach is a lot simpler than most people think.
You don’t need to take daily B-vitamin IVs, buy an expensive red-light therapy device, or ingest a cocktail of un-researched – and incredibly expensive – stimulants.
To get more energy and sustain peak performance during stressful times, you simply need to follow these 8 strategies. I am going to break this up into two parts to keep this newsletter on the shorter side.
- Use The #1 Sleep Hack to Double Your Energy Levels
When I was a first-time division 1 head coach and a new mom all within 10 days of each other, I hit a wall.
I was working crazy hours trying to dig out of the whole I inherited at one of the worst programs in the country at the time, I had no full-time help my first 3 years, I had no time to workout, and I was getting only a few hours of sleep a night because I was not blessed with a son who slept well.
And eventually, my hectic and radically misaligned lifestyle caught up with me.
I was exhausted. My creativity dropped, my output decreased, and my ability to GSD and tap into flow all but disappeared.
I remember reading an article from Early to Rise editor Mark Ford. In this article, he said, “You need to start waking up at the same time every single day…even on the weekends.”
I hated that advice because I thought that there was no way I could do it. In fact, I ignored that advice for seven (!) years. But when I finally gave in and took that advice, as simple as it was, it had a profound impact on my life and helped me bounce back from my burnout fast.
Listen…
This is the same top tip you’ll hear from Dr. Matthew Walker in his New York Times best-selling book, Why We Sleep. And as inconvenient as it might sound, your body craves routine and structure and will reward you with better sleep at night and better mental performance in the morning.
But when you have an erratic sleep schedule your circadian rhythm (which impacts your hormonal health, digestion, immune system, and neurochemistry) is thrown off, making low energy, insomnia, sleep deprivation, and burnout all but inevitable.
After taking Mark’s advice, I noticed an immediate improvement in my energy levels. I no longer felt like an “energy vampire” had visited me overnight, and I was more energetic and productive even first thing in the morning.
If you want to increase your energy and cognitive abilities quickly and naturally, start with this.
Wake up at the same time every day for the next 30 days and see how you feel.
If you stay out late or have a night of less than stellar sleep, wake up at the same time anyway. You can make up for your lost sleep with a short nap (more on those later) or by going to bed earlier the next day.
- Become an “Aquaholic”
Without a doubt, water (not coffee) is the best all-natural energy booster on the planet.
Studies have shown that even mild dehydration (less than 3%) can have severe negative impacts on mood, emotional regulation, and cognitive function.
To overcome this problem, I recommend that you immediately drink 1.5 liters of water after waking up, and consume another 1.5 liters throughout the day to prevent dehydration and ensure optimal performance.
I know this sounds like common sense.
But common sense isn’t always common practice and, as high-performing coaches, our gut reaction is often to ignore the basics while looking for “secrets”, “hacks”, and “weird tricks.”
But I can promise you, no weird supplement, biohacking gadget, or bizarre superfood will improve your mood and cognition as much as proper hydration.
So before you try anything else, commit to drinking at least 3-4 liters of water every day for at least 7 days and see how you feel.
For those of you can’t remember to drink water throughout the day, bite the bullet and invest in a “smart” water bottle (like this one) that will remind you to stay hydrated throughout the day.
If you haven’t already made a conscious effort to drink plenty of water and stay hyper hydrated, you’ll be amazed by how profound of an effect this simple habit will have.
- Get a Natural Energy Boost with the “Steve Jobs” Food Rule
We’ve all experienced the dreaded “afternoon slump.”
You know what I’m talking about…
You wake up full of energy, excited, and ready to take on the day. Things are
going great for a few hours…and then you get to lunchtime.
After your midday meal, you find yourself cranky, fatigued, and incapable of sustaining focus for more than a few minutes. And just like that…the rest of your day is ruined.
Luckily it doesn’t have to stay this way.
To beat the afternoon blues and maintain consistent energy levels throughout the day, I encourage you to do three things.
- Skip breakfast or opt for a meal that is high fat/protein low carb
- Eat a high protein and relatively low carb lunch
- And eat the same meals for breakfast and lunch every day
I know this might seem boring, but it’s one of the most effective strategies I’ve found to sustain high energy levels all day.
Just like Steve Jobs wore the same black-turtleneck-and-jeans outfit for every Apple event (because it eliminated decision fatigue and any unnecessary wardrobe malfunctions), having a go-to food routine for your workday delivers consistent high-performance.
By avoiding simple carbohydrates found in processed foods (which cause extreme fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and play havoc with your mental alertness) and eating the same thing every day, you will save time–because you don’t have to think about what to eat and can prepare your meals in bulk–and create consistent energy levels all day long.
Experiment with different options to find what works for you. But once you find it, stick to it.
Your life will be simpler, easier, and more energetic because of it.
P.S. If you have found this article helpful, please share it with your staff or other work colleagues! Studying time and energy management over these last 8 years and applying it to my coaching and recruiting has been a game changer for me. I am committed to helping coaches get more important work done in less time so more time can be spent with family and friends. Thanks!
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Hi everyone,
When coaches that I am working with hear what my schedule is like these days, one of the most common questions I get is this…
“Mandy. How do you have such high energy levels with your crazy travel schedule and busy life?”
Over the past ten years, I developed an obsession with optimizing my performance and have tested a ton of different strategies to get more energy and make the most out of every hour of my day.
Along the way, I discovered that becoming a consistently high performing coach is a lot simpler than most people think.
You don’t need to take daily B-vitamin IVs, buy an expensive red-light therapy device, or ingest a cocktail of un-researched – and incredibly expensive – stimulants.
To get more energy and sustain peak performance during stressful times, you simply need to follow these 8 strategies. I am going to break this up into two parts to keep this newsletter on the shorter side.
- Use The #1 Sleep Hack to Double Your Energy Levels
When I was a first-time division 1 head coach and a new mom all within 10 days of each other, I hit a wall.
I was working crazy hours trying to dig out of the whole I inherited at one of the worst programs in the country at the time, I had no full-time help my first 3 years, I had no time to workout, and I was getting only a few hours of sleep a night because I was not blessed with a son who slept well.
And eventually, my hectic and radically misaligned lifestyle caught up with me.
I was exhausted. My creativity dropped, my output decreased, and my ability to GSD and tap into flow all but disappeared.
I remember reading an article from Early to Rise editor Mark Ford. In this article, he said, “You need to start waking up at the same time every single day…even on the weekends.”
I hated that advice because I thought that there was no way I could do it. In fact, I ignored that advice for seven (!) years. But when I finally gave in and took that advice, as simple as it was, it had a profound impact on my life and helped me bounce back from my burnout fast.
Listen…
This is the same top tip you’ll hear from Dr. Matthew Walker in his New York Times best-selling book, Why We Sleep. And as inconvenient as it might sound, your body craves routine and structure and will reward you with better sleep at night and better mental performance in the morning.
But when you have an erratic sleep schedule your circadian rhythm (which impacts your hormonal health, digestion, immune system, and neurochemistry) is thrown off, making low energy, insomnia, sleep deprivation, and burnout all but inevitable.
After taking Mark’s advice, I noticed an immediate improvement in my energy levels. I no longer felt like an “energy vampire” had visited me overnight, and I was more energetic and productive even first thing in the morning.
If you want to increase your energy and cognitive abilities quickly and naturally, start with this.
Wake up at the same time every day for the next 30 days and see how you feel.
If you stay out late or have a night of less than stellar sleep, wake up at the same time anyway. You can make up for your lost sleep with a short nap (more on those later) or by going to bed earlier the next day.
- Become an “Aquaholic”
Without a doubt, water (not coffee) is the best all-natural energy booster on the planet.
Studies have shown that even mild dehydration (less than 3%) can have severe negative impacts on mood, emotional regulation, and cognitive function.
To overcome this problem, I recommend that you immediately drink 1.5 liters of water after waking up, and consume another 1.5 liters throughout the day to prevent dehydration and ensure optimal performance.
I know this sounds like common sense.
But common sense isn’t always common practice and, as high-performing coaches, our gut reaction is often to ignore the basics while looking for “secrets”, “hacks”, and “weird tricks.”
But I can promise you, no weird supplement, biohacking gadget, or bizarre superfood will improve your mood and cognition as much as proper hydration.
So before you try anything else, commit to drinking at least 3-4 liters of water every day for at least 7 days and see how you feel.
For those of you can’t remember to drink water throughout the day, bite the bullet and invest in a “smart” water bottle (like this one) that will remind you to stay hydrated throughout the day.
If you haven’t already made a conscious effort to drink plenty of water and stay hyper hydrated, you’ll be amazed by how profound of an effect this simple habit will have.
- Get a Natural Energy Boost with the “Steve Jobs” Food Rule
We’ve all experienced the dreaded “afternoon slump.”
You know what I’m talking about…
You wake up full of energy, excited, and ready to take on the day. Things are
going great for a few hours…and then you get to lunchtime.
After your midday meal, you find yourself cranky, fatigued, and incapable of sustaining focus for more than a few minutes. And just like that…the rest of your day is ruined.
Luckily it doesn’t have to stay this way.
To beat the afternoon blues and maintain consistent energy levels throughout the day, I encourage you to do three things.
- Skip breakfast or opt for a meal that is high fat/protein low carb
- Eat a high protein and relatively low carb lunch
- And eat the same meals for breakfast and lunch every day
I know this might seem boring, but it’s one of the most effective strategies I’ve found to sustain high energy levels all day.
Just like Steve Jobs wore the same black-turtleneck-and-jeans outfit for every Apple event (because it eliminated decision fatigue and any unnecessary wardrobe malfunctions), having a go-to food routine for your workday delivers consistent high-performance.
By avoiding simple carbohydrates found in processed foods (which cause extreme fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and play havoc with your mental alertness) and eating the same thing every day, you will save time–because you don’t have to think about what to eat and can prepare your meals in bulk–and create consistent energy levels all day long.
Experiment with different options to find what works for you. But once you find it, stick to it.
Your life will be simpler, easier, and more energetic because of it.
P.S. If you have found this article helpful, please share it with your staff or other work colleagues! Studying time and energy management over these last 8 years and applying it to my coaching and recruiting has been a game changer for me. I am committed to helping coaches get more important work done in less time so more time can be spent with family and friends. Thanks!
