1/5/12
Here’s something you may not have realized before: in order to effectively manage your time, you must manage your energy.
Think about it… what good is a schedule or a routine or a to-do list if you don’t have the energy to follow through on your plans? And when you have ADHD, managing and regulating your energy can be a challenge in and of itself.
Here’s a few quick tips for managing your energy on a daily basis:
Tip #1. Make Sleep a Priority.
Starting your day with a lack of sleep from the previous night is like taking a long road trip with half a tank of gas. Your body and mind need time to rest and recharge.
Starting your day with a lack of sleep from the previous night is like taking a long road trip with half a tank of gas. Your body and mind need time to rest and recharge.
How to make it happen: Remove stimulation an hour or two before your optimal bedtime. Turn off the computer. Don’t read or watch anything too stimulating or engaging. Avoid having serious conversations. Allow yourself time to wind down and get sleepy beforeyour head hits the pillow!
Tip #2. Eat Nutritious Foods that Boost Your Energy Long Term.
Lots of people with ADHD rely on coffee and sugary foods and drinks to keep them going throughout the day. While caffeine and sugar give you a short term boost, they also cause your energy to crash afterward. Rather than loading up on caffeine and sugar, choose foods that help sustain your energy, like protein, complex carbohydrates, and Healthy Fats.
Lots of people with ADHD rely on coffee and sugary foods and drinks to keep them going throughout the day. While caffeine and sugar give you a short term boost, they also cause your energy to crash afterward. Rather than loading up on caffeine and sugar, choose foods that help sustain your energy, like protein, complex carbohydrates, and Healthy Fats.
How to make it happen:Include protein source (meat, dairy, nuts, legumes) with every meal and snack to help keep your energy stable throughout the day. Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.
Tip #3. Know and Honor Your Natural Biorhythms.
Everyone has their own natural biorhythms in which energy ebbs and flows throughout the day. Observe your natural patterns and work with them make the most of your day. Are you sleepy and slow after lunch? Are you super productive in the morning? Pay attention to your natural energy flow during the day, and plan accordingly.
How to make it happen: Determine your most and least productive times of day. Assign yourself the harder tasks when you tend to be more productive, and allow yourself to do the easier stuff during those times when you tend to be more sluggish.
Making these small changes will allow you to better manage your energy, which will help you better manage your time. And, of course, you’ll also be helping to manage your ADHD in the process!
How do you manage your energy during the day? Share your tips in the comments