Most people consciously register the daily stimuli that either tires or excites them, some even differentiate themselves between an introvert or an extrovert. Not all personalities fit into the previously mentioned boxes, but people naturally learn which environments can exhaust them. Occasionally, people ignore the stimuli that drain their energy to fit societal norms, such as staying at an event later than your bedtime to continue socializing when you are already burnt out or pulling an all-nighter to catch up on homework. Sometimes, people’s work or home lives force them to spend 24/7 amongst others, which emotionally drains people. Finding a healthy balance in how much time you spend with others is crucial; however, there are alternate ways of boosting your positive energy and deflecting the negative.
If you ever feel overwhelmed by your surroundings and busy schedule and need a way of re-charging your battery to continue with your day, there are many ways of incorporating energy givers into your routine. On the other hand, there are also multiple energy takers people unconsciously experience in their daily lives without realizing the effect. If people work to notice these energy takers, then people have the power to eliminate them from their lives.
Below is a list of energy givers and takers to note:
Energy Givers
- Giving compliments to people
- Outdoor time for at least 30 minutes a day
- Exercise
- Watching your favourite TV show
- Drinking tea (or coffee)
- Petting animals (if allergies permit)
- Music
- Face masks
- Wearing an outfit that makes you feel confident
- Waking up early for sunrise or late for sunset
- Eating your guilty-pleasure snack
- Turning the lights off and watching a movie
- Walks for fresh air
- Grabbing a coffee at a café even if you own a coffee maker
- Writing a card for someone
- Dancing
- Listening to an old song
- Hugs
- Fuzzy blankets
- Picking out your outfit the night before
- Complimenting yourself in the mirror once a day
- Taking care of plants
- Eating a home-cooked meal
Energy Takers
- Spending time with people who put you down
- Spending too much time on social media
- Excessive screen time
- Comparing yourself to others
- Speaking negatively on repeat
- Not eating enough food or drinking enough water
- Neglecting self-care
- Not sleeping enough
- Oversleeping
- Sitting in one spot for too long
- Not changing scenery/environment
- Trying to please everyone
- Overworking yourself
- Wearing uncomfortable clothes
- Not seeing enough sunlight
- Not setting a routine
- Not setting aside me-time
- Eating unhealthy study snacks only or too many sugary energy drinks
- Rushing to get ready instead of giving yourself time
Now that you have a list of general energy givers versus takers, feel free to combine your favourite ones into a list of your own. Experiment with new activities that you learn from slowly adopting the above energy givers. As for energy takers, be mindful that not everyone feels drained from the same negative stimuli (the same goes for positive), so feel free to make a list that better pertains to your needs and reflects the activities that bring down your mood.