Jackie Stanley

As the job market becomes more competitive because of corporate restructuring and outsourcing, it will take ever increasing amounts of energy to do what needs to be done to succeed in both your career and other areas of your life. Most people would agree that good health is synonymous with high energy and low energy is considered to be a symptom of poor health. That is why adopting a healthy lifestyle is the key to maintaining your energy at optimal levels. The three habits discussed in this article, if practiced on a daily basis, can ensure that you have the energy you need to soar straight to the top of your chosen career ladder.

Habit One: Drink More Water
Your body is 75% water. Your brain is 85% water. Your body needs lots of water to function properly. It is important to remember that your water supply must be replenished on a daily basis. It is a mistake to believe that you can fill up on Monday and then bypass the water cooler for the remainder of the week. Ideally, each day you should drink 8 ounces of water for every 25 pounds of body weight. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks can not be substituted for water. While it is true that these beverages have a high water content, they also contain caffeine and other chemicals that dehydrate your body. If you regularly consume large quantities of these beverages, you should drink an additional 8 ounces of water for every 8 ounces of these beverages that you consume each day.

Habit Two: Eat Lots of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Take a few minutes and make a list of everything you ate today that was not processed and that did not come out of a bag, box, or can. Most people are surprised at how few items appear on their list. That’s because we live in a fast-food nation and our diets consist primarily of highly processed, prepackaged foods. The problem with eating large quantities of these foods is that, unlike fresh fruits and vegetables, processed foods are the foods we tend to overeat. When was the last time you heard yourself say “I wish I had stopped with that first bowl of broccoli” or “I really didn’t need that second helping of artichokes?” Your answer is probably never. But, it’s an all too common refrain to say “I didn’t need that second helping of ice cream or slice of cake.”

Overeating is a major energy zapper. Think about it: what is the first thing you think about doing after you eat a big meal? If you are like most people, your answer has something to do with lying down on a couch. It takes more energy for your body to digest food than any other function it performs on a daily basis. That’s why if you want to keep your energy level high, fresh fruits and vegetables should be the mainstay of your diet. They are 75% water, which means they are extremely easy to digest and they are jam-packed with energy-enhancing minerals and nutrients.

Habit Three: Exercise Every Day
Energy can only come from energy and a body at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by some force. These two laws of physics are the key to understanding the importance of developing the habit of exercising every day. Lack of energy is one of the most common excuses people use to justify not exercising every day. Does this sound familiar? You go to bed with the best intention of getting up early and going to the gym, and then the alarm clock sounds, and you don’t get out of bed because you just don’t have the energy to get going.

The only place we are going to get the energy we need to exercise is by exercising. That’s why the more we exercise, the more energy we have to exercise, and the more energy we will have to do all of the other things we need to do. Admittedly, this may be one of the most difficult habits to practice because of another law of physics called “inertia.” Inertia is the disinclination to move, act, or change. It is a force that resists acceleration or action. An effective way to overcome inertia or the resistance to exercise is to tell yourself that you only have to start exercising each day. Sometimes, trying to contemplate where you are going to find the time and energy to exercise for 30 or 60 minutes can be overwhelming. But, if you can make a commitment to start exercising every day, there is an excellent chance you will summon the energy to keep exercising for a much longer period.

Following this simple 3-step plan can give you the energy you need to advance in your career and transform your life.