Better Living
Subtopic
Health & Wellness
PUBLISHED BY:
THE GREAT COURSES
Corporate Headquarters
4840 Westfields Boulevard, Suite 500
Chantilly, Virginia 20151-2299
Phone: 1-800-832-2412
Fax: 703-378-3819
www.thegreatcourses.com
ii
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
Professor Biography ............................................................................i
Course Scope .....................................................................................1
LECTURE GUIDES
LECTURE 1
Facing the Day with Energy................................................................4
LECTURE 2
Sleep: Your Energy 401(k)................................................................ 11
LECTURE 3
Boost Your Energy with Breath .........................................................18
LECTURE 4
Energy Give-and-Take at Work ........................................................25
LECTURE 5
Energy Give-and-Take in Relationships ...........................................33
LECTURE 6
Awareness of Energy with Mindfulness ............................................40
LECTURE 7
Conserving Energy with Deliberate Choice ......................................47
LECTURE 8
Nurturing Your Energy with Diet .......................................................55
LECTURE 9
Boost Your Energy with Happiness and Play ...................................62
LECTURE 10
Energy, Emotion, and Loving-Kindness............................................69
iii
Table of Contents
LECTURE 11
Your Energy Baseline .......................................................................77
LECTURE 12
The Energetic Life You Choose ........................................................85
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
Bibliography ......................................................................................92
iv
Disclaimer
7KLV VHULHV RI OHFWXUHV LV LQWHQGHG WR FRQYH\ JHQHUDO KHDOWK WQHVV DQG
nutritional information and is for educational purposes only. It is not a
substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or
treatment of health conditions. Please consult your physician or other healthFDUH SURIHVVLRQDO EHIRUH EHJLQQLQJ RU FKDQJLQJ DQ\ WQHVV RU QXWULWLRQ
program to make sure that it is appropriate for your needs.
If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always
consult a physician or other health-care professional. Do not disregard,
avoid, or delay obtaining medical or health-related advice from your healthcare professional because of something you may have seen or heard in these
OHFWXUHV&XUUHQWKHDOWKDQGWQHVVUHVHDUFKPD\H[LVWWKDWFRXOGDIIHFWWKH
educational information provided in these lectures, and advice found herein
PD\QRWEHEDVHGRQWKHPRVWUHFHQWQGLQJVRUGHYHORSPHQWV7KHUHIRUH
the use of any information provided in these lectures is solely at your own
risk. By continuing with the programs, exercises, advice, information,
or diets discussed in these lectures, you recognize that there are risks of
injury or illness that can occur because of your use of the aforementioned
information, and you expressly assume such risks and waive, relinquish, and
release any claim that you may have against The Teaching Company as a
result of any future physical injury or illness incurred in connection with, or
as a result of, use or misuse of the programs, exercises, advice, diets, and/or
information discussed in these lectures. The opinions and positions provided
LQ WKHVH OHFWXUHV UHHFW WKH RSLQLRQV DQG SRVLWLRQV RI WKH UHOHYDQW OHFWXUHU
DQG GR QRW QHFHVVDULO\ UHHFW WKH RSLQLRQV RU SRVLWLRQV RI 7KH 7HDFKLQJ
&RPSDQ\RULWVDIOLDWHV
The Teaching Company expressly DISCLAIMS LIABILITY for any
DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS that result directly or indirectly from the
use of these lectures. In states that do not allow some or all of the above
limitations of liability, liability shall be limited to the greatest extent allowed
by law.
vi
Scope:
hy am I so tired?
If only I had more energy
Unfortunately, for too many people, these are almost daily refrains. We go
WKURXJKRXUGD\VXQGHUDFRQVWDQWHQHUJ\GHFLWDQGDUHFHQWVWXG\VKRZHG
that baby boomers are the fastest-growing consumers of energy drinks. What
can be done to restore our vitality? In this course, we are introduced to the
EHQHWVRIPLQGIXOQHVVDQGPHGLWDWLRQVHHPLQJO\VLPSOHVHOIFDUHPHDVXUHV
that can make a profound difference. The underlying message throughout
these lessons is that self-care is not a luxury; its a matter of self-preservation.
7KHUHDUHQRTXLFN[HVWRXQGRWKHEHQHWVRIVOHHSGHSULYDWLRQ7RWUXO\
be energetic and perform your best now, and to support health and wellness
for the long term, you have to prioritize sleep. You will not have energy if
\RXGRQRWJHWVXIFLHQWVOHHS,Q/HFWXUHZHUHYLHZWKHUHVHDUFKRQWKH
EHQHWVRIVOHHSGLVFXVVKRZVOHHSLPSURYHVHQHUJ\DQGSHUIRUPDQFHDQG
discuss strategies for improving sleep quality and making sleep a greater
priority. Sleep serves as the foundation for an energetic life.
There is no such thing as energy without breath, and most of us live our lives
with shallow, compromised breath that we dont even realize depletes our
energy. Breath and energy are intimately connected. When your quality of
breath is compromised, so are your energy levels. In Lecture 3, we discuss
the connection between sleep and exercise, and practice several breathing
exercises to provide a toolkit of breathing activities that you can use to
improve energy and facilitate relaxation in your daily life.
We spend close to 50 hours per week at work, and the quality of our work
lives has an impact on the quality of the rest of our lives, including our
energy. In Lecture 4, we will discuss the relationship between work and
1
energy, and how our work lives can both facilitate and drain our energy
levels. We will discuss strategies for effectively protecting and managing
energy at work.
The people in your life affect your energy levels. Relationships matter, and
VFLHQWLF UHVHDUFK KDV GHPRQVWUDWHG WKH SRZHU RI FRQQHFWLRQ WR SURPRWH
KHDOWKDQGORQJHYLW\+RZHYHUQRWDOOUHODWLRQVKLSVKDYHWKHVDPHEHQHWV
It is important to know yourself and your own needs for connection versus
VHOIQXUWXULQJ DQG WR UHHFW RQ WKH UHODWLRQVKLSV WKDW SURPRWH \RXU ZHOO
being versus those which may actually reduce your well-being. In Lecture 5,
we discuss the relationship between energy and our social lives, and how our
interactions with others both nurture and drain our energy levels.
At its most basic, mindfulness is the concept of fully living in the present
moment. Learning mindfulness can be a powerful strategy for energy
management, by helping us to focus on the moment and activity at hand. In
Lecture 6, we will practice four mindfulness activities to help you learn how
to implement mindfulness in daily life.
Scope
While happiness may seem intangible, research shows that happiness has a
direct impact on our quality of life and our performance. Likewise, play is
DQLPSRUWDQWSDUWRIOLIHDQGQGLQJWLPHWRSOD\UHOD[DQGHQMR\OLIHFDQ
be a vital part of enhancing our energy levels. In Lecture 9, a variety of play
strategies are reviewed, including the use of exercise as a form of adult play.
Just as our relationships with others affect our energy for life, our internal
relationship has a profound impact on our energy to engage with the world.
When we deal authentically with our emotions, it may take immediate energy
to process sorrow, fear, and grief, but this is less than the ongoing energy it
takes to stuff and avoid our emotions. In Lecture 10, we will discuss how we
can better use our emotional perspective to support energy in our lives. We
will learn loving-kindness meditation as a healing activity.
Your personal life circumstances and constraints will affect your energy, and
provide a framework within which you should build realistic expectations
for your energy level. For instance, your age, your health status, and
whether you are a parent or caregiver may affect your sleep, your free time,
and your overall energy levels. In Lecture 11, we will discuss various life
circumstances that affect energy levels, and review strategies for boosting
energy when you are fatigued.
Overall, an energetic life exists within a framework of a life that is meaningful
to you. Key is to choose the activities on which you want to spend your energy,
so that you are making choices that matter to you and improve your overall
quality of life. We will end the course with guidelines and a framework for
EXLOGLQJDQHQHUJHWLFOLIHWKDWLVPRVWPHDQLQJIXOWR\RX
Thats the big-picture view of energy that will form the framework
for this course: vitality. Engagement with life. The recognition that
you have the power to have one sort of attitude or another.
Work and Energy
<RXUIHHOLQJVDERXW\RXUZRUNLQXHQFHKRZHQHUJHWLF\RXDUH$
Gallup survey indicates that 70 percent of working Americans are
either unengaged or actively disengaged with their jobs. According
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average working adult spends
7.6 hours per day working. Parents who work full time spend even
more time working, about 8.8 hours per day.
There are lessons we can learn from the 30 percent who really want
to go to work in the mornings. Maybe we cant change our jobs or
careers, but we can still identify strategies to make the best of our
work situations in order to improve our work satisfaction and our
work-life balance.
2.
Are you doing what you love at work, in hobbies, with your
KRPHDQGLQ\RXUOLIH"$UHWKHWKLQJV\RXOO\RXUGD\ZLWK
things that make you happy? How much of your time each day
is stuff you dont enjoy? For those things, where can you make
changes to either streamline and eliminate, or shift perspective
WR QG WKH VLOYHU OLQLQJ RU QG D QHZ DSSURDFK WR PDNH LW
something you enjoy?
3.
4.
Are you interacting with people you care about (and who care
about you)? Do you have friends who, when their name pops
up on caller ID, you dont want to answer the phone? What
about the friends who, if your caller ID says their name, you
drop everything and run across the room to take the call? Are
you spending your time on the people who make you feel good
and valued?
5.
Are you valuing your own life and self-worth with self-care?
Are you too busy to exercise? Are you too busy to eat
healthfully? Do you prioritize the things you have to do
over your own health and wellness? Are you making mindful
decisions to say yes to things you value and no to things
you dont?
)RUQRZUHHFWRQZKHUH\RXFXUUHQWO\DUHVRWKDW\RXDUHDEOHWR
see the opportunities for change and improvement.
Two-Minute Meditation
0DQ\PHGLWDWLRQWHDFKHUVUHFRPPHQGPHGLWDWLRQUVWWKLQJLQWKH
morning. It is a good way to focus your energyto set yourself in
a space of calm, of feeling centered, of feeling in control. Many
traditions will encourage you to meditate for an hour, very early
in the day, beginning at 4:00 or 4:30 am, when the world is still
dark and quiet, as a way
to help you more deeply
connect with your own
inner quiet.
Suggested Reading
Hohlbaum, The Power of Slow.
Teitelbaum, From Fatigued to Fantastic!
Questions to Consider
1. What does energy mean to you? Why are you trying to boost it? What is
it that you really want to achieve?
3. Are you valuing your own life and self-worth with self-care?
10
11
The authors of the study concluded that the brain does adapt
to chronic sleep restriction, but we adapt at a reduced level of
SHUIRUPDQFH,I\RXDUHJHWWLQJE\RQYHVL[RUVHYHQKRXUVRI
sleep, you probably have adapted, but still wont perform as well as
if you were truly rested.
Sleep Deprivations Effects
Sleep deprivation reduces your ability to make good decisions
about sleep. People who consistently get six hours of sleep a night
report that they have adapted to function on less sleep, but actual
investigations of their mental alertness and mental performance
show that they are suffering the effects of sleep deprivation.
,QWHUPVRIHIFLHQF\JHWWLQJVXIFLHQWVOHHSLVDOVRRQHRIWKHEHVW
health-promoting decisions you can make. Consider the common
cold. Adults who sleep fewer than seven hours per night are almost
three times more likely to get sick when exposed to a cold virus than
adults who sleep eight or more hours a night. Prioritizing eight hours
of sleep per night can save you days of productivity lost to sickness.
stokkete/iStock/Thinkstock.
Sleep deprivation can also make you lose larger chunks of time to
far more dangerous threats. For instance, postmenopausal women
with breast cancer who routinely sleep less than six hours per night
Adults who sleep fewer than seven hours per night are almost three times more
likely to get sick when exposed to a cold virus than adults who sleep eight or
more hours a night.
12
Sleep also keeps you safe. Consider that a blood alcohol level of
0.08 is considered legally drunk. By 18 hours awake, your alertness
level is comparable to someone with a 0.05 alcohol levelnot
legally drunk, but certainly tipsy. By 24 hours awake, your alertness
OHYHO DQG UHH[ DUH FRPSDUDEOH WR VRPHRQH ZKR KDV D EORRG
alcohol level, which is drunk past the legal limit.
Among kids who have had two or more injuries in the past year,
91 percent of them got less than nine hours of sleep per night.
Whatever your age, when you are sleep deprived, you are clumsier,
your attention span is less, your memory is less effective, your
GHFLVLRQPDNLQJFDSDFLW\LVLPSDFWHGDQG\RXUUHH[HVDUHVORZHU
There are other ways that sleep can affect our health and energy
levels. Consider the value that we place on appearance. Sleep can be
part of feeling good about how we look. Research from University
Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland shows that people who
slept less had more visible signs of aging. Getting enough sleep
may make you feel better about what you see in the mirrorand
thats going to give you more energy.
Getting More Rest
Naps can be a good way to boost your energy. Different naps have
different purposes, and you should choose a nap based on what you
need. A 90-minute nap clears the brains short-term memory storage
and helps make room for you to learn new information. A 20-minute
power nap primarily helps to boost alertness. If you only have a few
minutes and need a quick boost, a German study has found that a
micro-nap as short as six minutes may help boost your memory.
Some people try to make up for limited sleep during the week
by sleeping in on the weekends. That strategy has downsides.
For instance, one research study found that the greater your
average daily variation in wake-up time, the higher your body-fat
percentage. People who have less than 30 minutes variation in their
wake-up time have, on average, 6 percent less body fat than people
who have 2 hours or more difference in their wake-up time.
14
If you just try to clear your schedule and go to bed early one night,
WKDWFDQDOVREDFNUH,QIDFWVRPHVOHHSUHVHDUFKHUVDVVHUWWKDWLWLV
easier to stay up an hour past your bedtime than it is to go to bed 15
minutes before your normal bedtime. If you are trying to get more
sleep, you may need to move your bedtime up. Move your bedtime
gradually, in 15-minute increments. That gives your body time to
adjust and build a habit of rest.
While you cant really catch up on missed sleep, you might be able
to bank it occasionally. If you have a work project coming up or a
social outing that will require you to skimp on shut-eye, stock your
sleep bank in advanceby getting more sleep than normalso that
you still perform at a higher level even on limited sleep. Use this
approach as a sleep emergency fund. It shouldnt be your regular
approach to sleep, but its good to know you can save up rest and
have enough energy when you need it.
IPGGutenbergUKLtd/iStock/Thinkstock.
If you only have a few minutes and need a quick boost, a German study has
found that a micro-nap as short as six minutes may help boost your memory.
15
The lack of a consistent sleep routine can also disrupt sleep. The
simplest way to improve your sleep quality is to build a consistent
routine, both for life in general and for sleep in particular. It works
for kids, and research shows that it works for adults.
In terms of your schedule, be aware of the effect of light of your
sleep. Light in the day is good for your sleep. Light at bedtime and
during the night is bad for your sleep. A study in the journal of Sleep
Medicine reported that nighttime light exposure led to shallower
sleep and more mini-arousals.
Another common barrier to sleep is stress about sleep itself. For
instance, you may have anxiety about waking up during the night.
It can help to learn that waking up at night is completely normal. In
16
Suggested Reading
Breus, Good Night.
Lockley & Foster, Sleep.
Maas, Power Sleep.
Questions to Consider
1. Are you getting enough sleep? How many hours of sleep do you get
per night? Do you truly feel rested or have you learned to get by on
LQVXIFLHQWVOHHS"
2. What are the excuses you use about why you cant sleep? What are
the environmental factors that may be interfering with both your
sleep quality and your sleep quantity? How can you improve your
environment to better facilitate sleep?
17
f sleep is the foundation of energy, and good self-care is the frame of the
building, then your breath is everything else that it takes to build a home.
There is no such thing as energy without breath, and many of us live our
lives with shallow, compromised breath that we dont even realize depletes
our energy. Spending a little bit of time on something as simple and easy as
your breath seems too easy, but it can have a powerful impact on your health,
your sense of vitality, and your sense of energy.
Breath and Energy
Breath and energy are intimately connected. If you breathe
incorrectly, it affects your sleeping quality and your overall health
and well-being. It affects your performance in life, work, and
personal relationships. Deliberately focusing on the breath can
improve your energy level and help you to feel better overall.
18
RusN/iStock/Thinkstock.
19
Belly Breathing
Belly breathing is the foundation for most breathing practices,
including yoga, Tai Chi and Qigong, and the martial arts. Breath
training starts with learning how to breathe through your belly. You
are not so much learning how to breathe through your belly as unlearning years of sucking in your stomach and re-learning how to
let your breath be soft and natural.
Ideally, as you become more and more comfortable with belly
breathing, it will become your normal form of breath, which will
improve your energy overall. This happens slowly, over time. At
UVW\RXZLOORQO\EUHDWKHLQWRWKHEHOO\ZKHQ\RXIRFXVRQ\RXU
breathits a lot like working on your posture. Additional practice
and deliberate focus will eventually lead to good posture or good
breathing as your natural behavior.
You may one day become suddenly aware of your back moving
against the furniture behind you, or of the expanse of your rib cage,
because the deep breath will have become ingrained as the natural
way to breathe.
Belly breathing supports both improved energy and a sense of
UHOD[DWLRQ EHFDXVH LW SURYLGHV EHWWHU DLURZ DQG R[\JHQDWLRQ WR
boost your energy during the day, and helps you to calm and quiet
your mind to facilitate deeper sleep at night.
After a belly breathing exercise, you may feel like you are
recharged and ready to do something, or you may feel like you need
a nap. Either is possible because belly breathing helps you to better
connect with how you are really feeling.
Square Breathing
Square breathing comes from Qigong, and is intended to help you
feel how qi, or energy, enters and leaves your body. According to
Qigong principles, we inhale and exhale qi, just as we inhale and
exhale oxygen.
20
21
22
23
Suggested Reading
Brown & Gerbarg, The Healing Power of the Breath.
Rosen, The Yoga of Breath.
Stenudd, Qi.
Weil, Breathing.
Activity
Select one or two of the breathing exercises and do them at least three or four
days a week to develop a solid habit of good breathing.
24
25
company you work for has to have goals that focus on staying
in business. You need to have goals that focus on your own
sustainability and your own bottom line.
Multitasking
We overestimate our ability
to multitask. When you think
you are multitasking, you
arent doing both tasks at
once; instead, you are shifting
focus back and forth between
the different tasks, and it takes
some time and effort to focus
every time you shift.
kid on spelling words while washing the dishes, folding the laundry
while listening to a book on tape, organizing business receipts
while you are on hold on the phone, or going out for a walk with a
colleague to brainstorm ideas for a new project.
Physical Environments
The next time you are trying to identify a solution to a problem at
work, rather than piling everyone into a stuffy conference room,
go out for a walk in a small group and see if you can come up with
more creative solutions by being active together.
7KH SK\VLFDO HQYLURQPHQW RI \RXU RIFH KDV D SK\VLFDO HIIHFW RQ
your health and well-being. Many workers are in open-space
RIFHV7KHRSHQVSDFHRIFHZDVGHYHORSHGDVDZD\WRVXSSRUW
communication and collaboration, but research shows they actually
reduce employee satisfaction across the board
Whether you are in an open space or a cube farm, if you can hear
your coworkers, that ongoing noise of typing, talking, chewing,
stapling, and pen tapping can get to you. The effects of the noise
and music seem to negatively affect performance for introverted
employees more.
7KHOLJKWLQWKHRIFHDOVRPDWWHUV$ODFNRIQDWXUDOOLJKWUHGXFHV
VOHHS TXDOLW\ DQG TXDQWLW\ %ULJKW RYHUKHDG DUWLFLDO OLJKW DOVR
LQWHQVLHVDJJUHVVLRQDQGFRQLFW
<RXPD\QRWKDYHH[LELOLW\WRFUHDWH\RXUGUHDPRIFHEXW\RX
can do the best you can to boost your energy and effectiveness in
the space youve got.
If noise bothers use, try simple steps like headphones that cut
out background noise. Use them when you really need to focus
RQDSURMHFWRUDVSHFLFWDVN
If you dont have a window near your desk, get a natural
spectrum light. In particular, blue-toned white lights can help
boost alertness and productivity.
27
,I\RXDUHLQDFXEHRUDQRSHQVSDFHJXUHRXWVRPHZD\VWKDW
\RXFDQQGDVHQVHRISHUVRQDOVSDFHZKHQ\RXQHHGLWIRU
instance, a bench in a nearby park may serve.
Energy Rhythms
Be aware of your own circadian rhythm. We really do have a clock
gene, or chronotype, which controls natural sleep preferences.
On average, early birds wake up one to a few hours earlier than
night owls.
When you have a choice in activities at work, think about your own
QDWXUDOF\FOH$UH\RXVSRWRQZLWKSHUIRUPDQFHUVWWKLQJLQWKH
morning, or do you take a few hours to warm up? Whenever you
can, schedule your most important tasks for the times when you
DUH DW \RXU SHUVRQDO EHVW ,I \RXU RIFH RIIHUV H[LEOH VFKHGXOHV
plan your workday based on the schedule that best matches your
personal energy cycle.
In the afternoon, its normal to experience a drop in energy. Even if
you are getting enough sleep, due to natural circadian rhythms, the
afternoon slump is normal. If you can, a brief 10- to 20-minute power
nap can decrease fatigue and improve alertness. If you dont have a
private space to nap, fresh air and a brisk walk offer a good alternative.
Mid-afternoon is also a good time for an energy tea, like ginger,
peppermint, or lemon balm, since all three scents serve as a pickme-up. While caffeine seems like a logical go-to for the midafternoon dip, remember that caffeine later in the day will reduce
your sleep quality that night.
Bad Bosses
According to Gallup, the top reason people quit their jobs isnt the
pay, the location, or even that all-elusive engagement with work.
The number one reason people quit their jobs is a bad immediate
supervisor. The person you work directly for has a powerful impact
on how you feel at work, how you feel about work, and whether
you stay at work.
28
Fuse/Thinkstock.
However you handle it, the reality is that the person directly above
you affects your energy. Having an awareness of who your boss
is, and how he or she affects you, can be a powerful shift. Once
you identify the source of your occupational fatigue, it is easier to
QGVWUDWHJLHVWRGHDOZLWKLWDQGHDVLHUWRFRSHZLWKWKHWKLQJV\RX
cant change.
Sometimes, as leaders, when we think we are just checking in, we may actually
be interfering with how our employees experience the project, and their sense
of engagement and connection to it.
29
If you are the boss, be aware of what you are bringing to the people
ZKR ZRUN IRU \RX DQG KRZ \RX DUH LQXHQFLQJ WKHLU HQHUJ\ DQG
their engagement throughout the day. Sometimes, as leaders, when
we think we are just checking in, we may actually be interfering
with how our employees experience the project, and their sense of
engagement and connection to it. This has profound implications
for leaders who are prone to micro-manage.
Time Management
The average worker spends one and a half to three hours a day
ORDQJ RQ WKH MRE GRLQJ WKLQJV OLNH FKHFNLQJ SHUVRQDO HPDLO
catching up with friends on social media, shopping online, or
browsing headlines.
30
Suggested Reading
Hirshberg, For Better or for Work.
Paulsen, Empty Labor.
Peter, The Peter Principle.
Pink, Drive.
31
Questions to Consider
1. 5HHFWRQ\RXUFXUUHQWZRUNHQYLURQPHQWDQGZRUNVDWLVIDFWLRQ
a. :KDWDUHWKHWRSYHWKLQJV\RXOLNHDERXW\RXUMRE"
b. How can you improve your focus on them, and increase their role in
your work life?
2. 5HHFWRQ\RXUFXUUHQWZRUNHQYLURQPHQWDQGZRUNVDWLVIDFWLRQ
a. :KDWDUHWKHWRSYHWKLQJV\RXGRQRWOLNHDERXW\RXUMRE"
b. What are short-term strategies and small changes you can make to
decrease their impact on your quality of work life?
c.
32
33
9LQJHUDQL6WRFN7KLQNVWRFN
,I\RXDUHVROGRQWKHEHQHWVRIVRFLDOUHODWLRQVKLSVDQG\RXZDQW
to put energy into making new relationships and strengthening old
ones, then consider these two
key concepts.
First, remember to have
fun. Research indicates that
laughter is the best way
to secure a relationship.
This is due to the spillover
effect: When we share a
laugh and have fun with
someone, we connect that
person with feeling good
about ourselves.
Second, remember to be
yourself. When people
believe they are behaving authentically, they have higher selfesteem and experience less distress. Authenticity matters in
personal relationships in particular, and feeling inauthentic in
how you relate to others is correlated with depression.
Social Media
Social media can be either a drain or a boost to our energy and
sense of well-being, depending on how we use it.
A study of college-age women found that more time on Facebook
was associated with higher levels of disordered eating. The worst
effects were for those who use social media for validation from
others. The women who placed greater importance on receiving
comments and likes on their status updates from friends had
higher levels of disordered eating.
When people lurk and stalk and passively attend, they experience
a greater sense of feeling lonely and isolated. Its like looking at a
party through a glass window but not being inside. However, when
34
35
Setting Boundaries
Sometimes, the key to improving our relationships is learning how
to set boundaries. That can be hard, because setting boundaries
often means saying no to others.
But boundaries happen whether we choose then or not. If we are
afraid of disappointing others, and we say yes to everything, we
end up pulled in so many directions, that we end up frazzled, angry,
and not really helpful to anyone. Then we end up setting boundaries
reactively, because we are worn down and just cant do anything.
Its better to set boundaries proactively: choosing the things you
ZDQWWRIRFXVRQDQGQGLQJSROLWHZD\VWRVD\QRWRWKHWKLQJV\RX
cant take on. The brief discomfort of saying no can happen quickly
and we can move on.
It is helpful to rehearse a simple but polite way to say no. You can
try something simple like my plate is full or I cant take that on.
Perception and Happiness
Much of any relationship is about perception. Researchers who
VWXG\ PDUULDJH KDYH LGHQWLHG WKDW ZKHQ D PDUULDJH LV JRRG WKH
partners tend to view each others behaviors with good intention.
When a marriage is not doing well, the partners tend to view each
others behaviors with poor intentions.
36
How we are personally feeling and doing in the rest of our lives can
affect how we perceive the world around us. When we are tired,
worn down, and stressed, we tend to perceive others with more
negativity, which makes us feel worse about the relationships we
have, which creates greater stress and more energy depletion. Its a
downward spiral.
Comstock/Stockbyte/Thinkstock.
37
38
Suggested Reading
Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection.
Carter, The Sweet Spot.
Christakis & Fowler, Connected.
Covey, The SPEED of Trust.
Lyubomirsky, The How of Happiness.
Pinker, The Village Effect.
Questions to Consider
1. Consider your social relationships to identify two or three primary
ways that:
a. Your social relationships drain your energy. How can you address
the relevant issues in order to eliminate them, if possible, or at least
mitigate their effects?
b. Your social relationships boost your energy and facilitate
your well-being. Are there things you can learn from the
energy-boosting aspects of your life, that you could apply to
others areas?
39
40
41
42
7KHUVWWLPH\RXWU\WKLVLWPD\QRWFKDQJH\RXUIRFXV%XWZLWK
regular mindfulness practice, you can do a simple STOP scan in just
a minute or two, when you are in the midst of stress.
If you feel your energy drained in 10 different directions, then try
STOP. Use the moment of observation to identify what is most
important right here, right now. That is where you should focus your
energy, and that is where you can proceed with your new awareness
to accomplish something in a purposeful way.
Stress Loops
Some mindfulness-based teachers talk about stress loops. Think
about it like this: Something happens and you have a thought
about that and that thought creates emotions, like anxiety or
anger or fear and those emotions lead to more thoughts which
lead to more emotions. Its very likely that none of those thoughts
RUHPRWLRQVDUHWUXO\UHHFWLYHRIZKDWLVULJKWKHUHULJKWQRZEXW
there you are, spinning away in a continuous stress loop.
Mindfulness-based stress-reduction teachers suggest stopping and
dropping. You use awareness of the body, right here, right now, to
stop the stress loop, and you do it by dropping your awareness to
the physical sensation of your body right here, right now.
Mindfulness is like any skill. If you are going to use it when you are
stressed, you have to practice it when you are not stressed. Its like
CPR: The more you practice, the more likely you are to have the
skills when you need them in an emergency.
Heart Rhythm Meditation
Heart rhythm meditation is a nice way to increase a sense of
internal awareness. That internal awareness can have profound
effects. In fact, in a study at Royal Holloway, University of London,
researchers asked female subjects to silently count their own
heartbeats without feeling their pulse. Some participants judged
more accurately; they were determined to have interoceptive
awareness, or a sense of their own physiology.
43
Alex Bramwell/iStock/Thinkstock.
44
Walking Meditation
Walking meditation is another way to increase mindfulness, and its
steps are simple.
Carve out 30 minutes, and go for a mindful walk. If the weather
allows it, outside. If you have a space that will support it, like
a sandy beach, or a clean grassy area, then the ideal situation is
to walk barefoot. Set an alarm for 30 minutes so that you dont
lose focus by checking your watch or phone
While you are walking, focus on being right there, in the walk.
Not planning your day tomorrow, not rehashing an argument
you had at work, not thinking about your grocery list or your
kids or your spouse or anythingjust being there in the walk.
Feel the earth beneath you. Feel the air on your skin. Smell the
air. Hear the noises around youcars and people and hustle
and bustle if you are in the city, birds and animals and the wind
rustling leaves if you are in a greener space.
Notice colors. Notice the sky and clouds. Pay attention to the
details that physically surround you and the sensations within
your own body. Fully be in the walk, in that moment. When
\RXUHGRQHVWRSDQGUHHFWLI\RXYHHYHUWUXO\ZDONHGEHIRUH
Suggested Reading
Anh-Huong and Hanh, Walking Meditation.
Brach, True Refuge.
Harris, The Happiness Trap.
Kabat Zinn, Coming to Our Senses.
Nghiem, Mindfulness as Medicine.
Stahl and Goldstein, A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook.
45
Activity
Select one or two of the mindfulness exercises and perform them at least
three or four days a week to develop a solid habit of present-moment
awareness and present moment centering.
46
47
Online Choices
Perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is permission
to do what is best for us and worry less about what others are doing.
But this can be challenging because we are perpetually connected
to what others are doing. Thirty-nine percent of adults spend more
than 11 hours per day outside of work using electronic media.
One-third of millennial generation mothers say that they text their
partner more regularly than they speak in person.
According to MIT professor Sherry Turkle, our constant online
presence allows us to stay connected to everyone and to always have
the possibility of engagement, but it prevents us from having the
time and space to truly, meaningfully connect with others. So our
environment promotes a frantic, rushed, do-more-with-more-people
HQYLURQPHQWDQGZHVWUXJJOHWRQGWKHWLPHIRUWKHGHHSHUPRUH
engaged, more meaningful interactions that nurture our energy.
Its helpful to have asynchronous interaction as a way to pass on
messages, share calendars and photos, and arrange details, but
meaningful conversations and connections happen when we make
WLPHIRU WKHSHRSOHZH FDUHDERXWUDWKHUWKDQMXVWWWLQJWKHP LQ
between other things.
Some strategies for effective technology use: Use Facebook to
check in with a friend and set a date to get together. Text your
spouse a quick note about the errands of the day so that you can
actually talk over dinner rather than just exchanging to-do lists.
(PDLOJUDQGPDDQGJUDQGSDSKRWRVRIWKHOLWWOHRQHVDQGWKHQQG
time to visit and share hugs. Technology can facilitate the details of
our relationships, but it shouldnt replace them.
Energy and Finances
Another aspect of our environment that affects our energy and
ZHOOEHLQJLVWKHQDQFLDOHQYLURQPHQW%RWKWKHEURDGHUQDQFLDO
HQYLURQPHQW DQG RXU SHUVRQDO QDQFLDO VWDWXV FDQ DIIHFW RXU
energy and the capacity we have for engagement with the world
around us.
49
Debt has a strong impact on quality of life. When people are in debt,
their mental focus continually goes back to the debt and how they
ZLOOQDQFLDOO\PDNHLWDOOZRUN7KHVDPHSHUVRQLQDVLWXDWLRQRI
debt, has less mental capacity and capability. In one study people
short on cash scored lower on a standardized test of cognitive
functioning and took longer to solve the problems. They worked
harder and did worse.
If you are struggling with your energy and feel pulled in a hundred
directions, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get out of debt.
Getting out of debt will free up a great deal of your psychological
energy so that you can more effectively function in every other
aspect of your life.
It feels hard to save, though, even if it does improve our quality
of life. Saving money is often hard because we have a scarcity of
attention: We have urgent priorities to deal with right now, and we
dont have the energy or bandwidth to also deal with less pressing
things that feel farther off.
You can set up a healthy chunk of saving via automatic
contributions. Then you dont have to think about it, and it doesnt
require any further psychological energy.
When we have money and feel abundance, we often go overboard,
which can make things worse later. Research has shown that when
people get a windfallsay, $10,000 from an inheritance or an
50
52
0LFKDHO%ODQQ'LJLWDO9LVLRQ7KLQNVWRFN
Suggested Reading
Buettner, The Blue Zones, 2nd Edition.
Dunn and Norton, Happy Money.
Iyengar, The Art of Choosing.
0XOODLQDWKDQDQG6KDU Scarcity.
Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice.
Turkle, Alone Together.
Questions to Consider
1. Consider your environment to identify two or three primary ways that:
a.
Your environment can drain your energy. How can you address
those environmental issues in order to eliminate them, if possible,
or at least mitigate their effects?
53
2. Identify two or three choices that you have to make every single day that
draw on your energy, for instance, clothing, food, and driving. Are there
decisions that you can make to eliminate the number of non-essential
choices you must make? For instance, can you organize your wardrobe
LQWR D VSHFLF QXPEHU RI RXWWV ZKLFK \RX WKHQ URWDWH WKURXJK WR
reduce the decisions you must make around clothing? Can you plan a
weeks worth of menus on Sunday, to make decisions about food easier
during the week when you are hectic? Identify the non-essential choices
that take the most time and energy as your priorities for setting new
strategies.
54
ood is literally the source of our energy: The calories we eat fuel our
bodies. But many people have trouble eating healthily and without
regret, leading to cycles of energy-draining stress. Worries over how
much we eat and what we eat can be tiresome and counterproductive. This
lecture discusses the key nutritional strategies you should follow so that you
FDQERRVW\RXUHQHUJ\ZLWKRXWUHVRUWLQJWRSRWHQWLDOO\GDQJHURXVTXLFN[HV
Then it looks at ways to complement a healthy diet with guilt-reduction
strategies, exercise, and mindful eating.
What and When to Eat
The same nutritional principles that will promote your overall
KHDOWKDQGZHOOEHLQJZLOODOVRERRVW\RXUHQHUJ\<RXVKRXOGOO
your diet with fruits and vegetables, whole-grains, and lean sources
of protein.
When were tired, we tend to head for the donuts and the soda. The
sugary stuff gives us a boost to keep going. Unfortunately, soon
DIWHU\RXZLOOJHWDQHQHUJ\FUDVK(YHQLI\RXNHHSHDWLQJUHQHG
carbohydrates in general and sugar in particular to get boost after
boost, there is a growing body of research that shows the downside
of too much sugar.
Too much sugar breaks down collagen in the skin and can lead
WR LQDPPDWLRQ LQ WKH ERG\ ,Q \RXU VNLQ WKDW LQDPPDWLRQ
accelerates the appearance of aging. In the rest of your body,
LQDPPDWLRQH[DFHUEDWHVSDLQDQGRWKHUFKURQLFFRQGLWLRQV
5HQHG VXJDU LQWHUIHUHV ZLWK WKH KHDOWK\ EDFWHULD LQ \RXU
gut and can breed unhealthy bacteria that negatively affect
your hormones. High blood sugar can damage vessels in the
EUDLQDQGFRQVWULFWWKHRZRIQHHGHGQXWULHQWVWR\RXUEUDLQ
Furthermore, consuming too much sugar makes it harder for
you to learn and remember information.
55
Most people eat the bulk of their protein at dinner, but a study in the
Journal of Nutrition found that people who ate about 30 grams of
protein at each meal had a 25 percent higher rate of muscle protein
synthesis than people who ate 90 grams at dinner. Because muscle
protein synthesis is related to how your muscles recover and grow,
its important and may affect how you feel overall. Focus on lean
protein, early in the day, to provide sustained energy.
Healthy fats are also important. For instance, eating a small snack
of nuts or other healthy fats decreases appetite and reduces hunger
throughout the day. You will feel like you have more energy from
the same calories when you include high-quality fats in your diet.
Surprisingly, because healthy fats affect neural transmission in our
body, they affect how we process chronic pain. On a really lowIDWGLHW\RXPD\DFWXDOO\QG\RXUSDLQLVZRUVHDQGVR\RXZLOO
spend more time and psychological energy coping with pain.
rja/iStock/Thinkstock.
Steve Hix/Fuse/Thinkstock.
One study showed that overweight people who did yoga at least once a week
for 4 or more years lost an average of 5 pounds, and those who didnt gained an
average of 13.5 pounds.
58
There are two key emotional aspects to eating that yoga can help.
First, you learn to deal with your emotions through your breath and
through awareness of the present moment. This can keep you from
VWXIQJ \RXU IHHOLQJV LQWR D ERZO RI LFH FUHDP RU D EDJ RI FKLSV
Second, you learn self-forgiveness, so that if you do eat something
that isnt perfect or healthy or what you meant, you can breathe,
forgive, and move on.
Guilt and Food
We attach emotional weight to food, and that impacts how we feel,
the stress hormones in our bodies, and the choices we make.
In a study from the University of Canterbury, 27 percent of
participants associated chocolate cake with guilt. The people who
felt bad about eating sweets were less likely to maintain their
weight over a year and half than were the people who associated
desert with celebrationin other words, with joy, not guilt.
Research published in the journal Health Psychology indicates
that when you think a food is healthy, your body requires fewer
calories to process it. In the study, when people drank a milkshake
that they were told was high calorie, their metabolisms sped up.
When subjects drank the milkshake and were told it was low in
calories, their metabolism did not speed up. The levels of ghrelin,
a hormone that signals your brain to eat, reacted differently in the
two conditions and affected the metabolic rate. When they thought
the milk shake was a high-calorie treat, they used more calories to
process it.
Another study from Finland found that most people naturally
XFWXDWH LQ ZHLJKW WKURXJKRXW WKH ZHHN 3HRSOH DWH OHVV 0RQGD\
through Friday, had the lowest weight on Friday early in the day,
and then ate more and gained weight over the weekend, with their
highest weight on Sunday or Monday.
59
If you really are mindful and truly enjoy the food, you can have a
WUHDWDQG\RXPD\DFWXDOO\HDWOHVVRILWDQGQGLWPRUHUHZDUGLQJ
If you want an ice cream sundae, eat an ice cream sundae, but make
sure you actually taste it. That only happens when you are mindful
about your eating.
Some dieticians recommend that you start eating only until you feel
three-quarters full because that will help you reach a healthy full
and stop before youre stuffed. You also have to remember that it
takes 20 minutes for your brain to recognize what you have eaten. If
you inhale your lunch in seven minutes at your desk, you will likely
overeat because you have not given your brain time to catch up
with your body. Plan 20 minutes for each meal, and force yourself
to eat slowly and mindfully.
60
Suggested Reading
Albers, Eating Mindfully.
Breus and Bruce, The Sleep Doctors Diet Plan.
Lasater, Relax and Renew.
May, Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat.
Wansink, Slim by Design.
Questions to Consider
1. What is your emotional relationship with food? Are you able to make
food-related decisions based on your hunger and your physical needs,
or do you have a tendency to eat your emotions, burying pain and
sorrow in comfort foods, and then feeling guilty for eating things you
SHUFHLYH DV XQKHDOWK\" 5HHFW RQ \RXU HPRWLRQDO UHODWLRQVKLS ZLWK
food, and consider changes you might make to develop a more nurturing
relationship with food.
61
62
63
Creativity has a biological side: When you have high levels of both
serotonin and dopamine, you become both calm and energized,
which sets the foundation for creativity. To achieve this blissful
FUHDWLYH VWDWH ZH QHHG WR GR WKLQJV WKDW VSHFLFDOO\ IRVWHU D ORZ
stress, high-engagement environment. Reducing stress is key, since
stress hormones like cortisol interfere with the effects of serotonin.
Stress makes humans and other primates more likely to stick to
what they know and close down to new ideas or adventures.
Sleep is also important in achieving this creative, low-stress, highengagement environment, because its during deep sleep that the
brain restores our levels of serotonin. Keep in mind that serotonin is
highest in the morning, so we can do our best creative work in the
mornings. Protein is key in the production of the neurotransmitters,
so early morning work fueled by a high-protein breakfast can be a
great combination to spark a creative environment.
Video Games, TV, and Movies
We have a tendency to think video games arent worthwhile.
But research shows that, in moderation, playing video games
can actually boost cognitive skills such as spatial navigation,
reasoning, memory, and perception. Some video games improve
a players ability to think about objects in three dimensions.
Strategic video games, such as role-playing games, can improve
problem-solving skills.
We tend to think of video games as isolating, but more than 70
percent of gamers play with at least one friend. A little bit of video
games appears to be the best amount: Those who play less than an
hour per day have the highest levels of sociability, the least social
and emotional problems, and the greatest levels of life satisfaction,
compared with those who dont play at all and those who play
more frequently.
/LNHYLGHRJDPHVZHVRPHWLPHVZULWHRII79DVDZDVWHRIWLPH
%XW 79 FDQ EH DQRWKHU SRVLWLYH IRUP RI SOD\$ JRRG ODXJK FDQ
lower stress hormones, boost immunities, and affect brain waves
64
Fuse/Thinkstock.
Watching television can be another positive form of play; a good laugh can
lower stress hormones, boost immunities, and affect brain waves in the same
way as meditation.
66
Suggested Reading
Biali, Live a Life You Love.
%URZQDQG9DXJKDQPlay.
Carmona, Canyon Ranch 30 Days to a Better Brain.
Fredrickson, Positivity.
Grierson, What Makes Olga Run?
Metzl and Heffernan, The Exercise Cure.
Questions to Consider
1. What barriers are between you and play? Consider both physical barriers
(like time and environmental constraints) and psychological or social
constraints (like fear of embarrassment or a pressure to be consistently
productive and always achieve more). Consider strategies you can use
to insert small amounts of fun into your day, and how you can gradually
increase your opportunities for play.
2. How can you make exercise playful and fun? What have been your
experiences with exercisehave you enjoyed them or dreaded them?
What are some types of exercise you might actually enjoy that you
could try? What are some environmental strategies you can use to
make exercise more fun, like joining friends, using music, or putting a
WUHDGPLOOLQIURQWRIWKH79WRZDWFKZLWK\RXUIDYRULWHVKRZV"
68
69
This also holds a lot of truth for us as adults. Most of us, trying to
be polite and get along with others, stuff a lot of feeling into our
backpacks as we go through the day. If your boss shuts down your
idea, you bite your tongue and get back to work. If someone steals
your parking space, maybe you curse under your breath but you
dont ram the back of the other car.
Crying
Tears have both an individual and a social function. Researchers
have found that people with physical conditions that prevent tears
DFWXDOO\ KDYH D PRUH GLIFXOW WLPH LGHQWLI\LQJ WKHLU RZQ IHHOLQJV
and emotions. Being able to cry
may be interconnected with how
we understand our own emotions.
Whether or not we experience
a cry as a good cry that actually
makes us feel better depends on
a lot of variables. Only about 30
percent of crying episodes actually
leading to mood improvement.
Crying when you are either
alone or with one other person
who provides emotional support,
crying because of a positive
event, and crying that leads to a
resolution and new understanding
of the situation that triggered the
tears can all make you feel better.
70
George Doyle/Stockbyte/Thinkstock.
&RQVLGHU :KDW DUH \RX VWXIQJ LQVLGH DQG KRZ FDQ \RX JLYH
yourself space to metaphorically deal with your own backpack?
How can you clean out the fear, the anxiety, and the junk? Are
you giving yourself a safe space of love and support to get those
emotions out, either through a good laugh or a good cry?
Anxiety
Anxiety is another emotion which we perceive as negative, and
which we may try to avoid by sticking to comfortable routines
and situations which are familiar and which dont provoke stress.
Research suggests that rather than avoiding anxiety, it can be
helpful to shift how we
perceive it. How we perceive
anxiety, and how we deal with
it, based on that perception,
actually impacts how the
anxiety affects us.
How do we shift that
perspective?
This
may
help: In a study at Harvard
University, participants were
asked to prepare a speech
in
an
anxiety-provoking
situation. One group of When we perceive stress itself as
excitement, we can actually channel
participants was asked to tell the stress reaction into helping us
themselves, I am excited. perform more effectively.
The other group was asked to
say, I am calm. The participants who focused on excitement gave
longer speeches and were perceived by others as more persuasive,
competent, and relaxed than those who focused on being calm. The
72
Randy Faris/Fuse/Thinkstock.
73
74
Further Steps
If you are truly, deeply weary, then consider that you may need help,
and seek counseling. Emotional strife leads to insomnia and makes
exercise and healthy diet that much harder. Even if you are doing
everything right in terms of self-care, if you are feeling emotionally
wounded, self-care wont be enough to boost your energy.
If you are suffering from clinical anxiety and depression, a mental
health professional can provide a road ahead, using appropriate
psychological strategies. Potentially, they can use interventions like
medication, talk therapy, diet, and exercise to help lift the fog.
Not all stress is equal. Good stress gives you a spark and boosts
your energy. Bad stress drains you, wears you down, and depletes
your energy. When you perpetually cycle through negative
emotions, you never get a chance to rest, recover, and heal. You
need psychological space to calm the storm within, so that you can
recharge your energy.
We need more than just stress management; we need life
management. We need self-care and effective strategies that support
our emotional well-being. Your energy for life is, fundamentally, a
UHHFWLRQRIWKHVWDWHRI\RXUKHDUWDQGVRXO<RXUHPRWLRQDOKHDOWK
determines your energy levels. So, above all, treat yourself with
loving-kindness.
Suggested Reading
Cox, Bruckner, and Stabb, The Anger Advantage.
Kashdan and Biswas-Diener, The Upside of Your Dark Side.
McGonigal, The Upside of Stress.
Seligman, Learned Optimism.
75
Questions to Consider
1. Are there emotions stuffed in your backpack which are affecting your
energy levels? Grab a pad and jot down all of the hurts, pains, wounds,
fears, anxieties, and guilts that you are carrying around. Once you have
written them all down, use some sort of symbolic clearing exercise to
get rid of them; for instance, you can send the sheet of paper through
D VKUHGGHU WKURZ LW LQ \RXU UHSODFH ZLWK D QLFH URDULQJ UH RU EXU\
it in the ground. Do something to physically clear and discharge the
emotions you are carrying so that you can free that space up for more
productive pursuits.
a way to cultivate a sense of love for self, others, and the universe,
which will help you to prevent the accumulation of emotional hurts in
your backpack.
76
KHUHDUHQRTXLFN[HVWRDPRUHHQHUJHWLFOLIHEXWWKHUHDUHZD\VWR
make the path there easier to follow. The formula for feeling energetic
EULQJVWRJHWKHUWKHFRQVLVWHQWXVHRIVHOIFDUHVWUDWHJLHVOLNHVXIFLHQW
sleep, effective stress management, a balanced diet, and a moderate exercise
routine, all complemented by social networks and a sense of purpose. In this
lecture, youll learn some strategies and tools for maintaining a baseline
level of energy, including exercise, healthy energy-boosting substance, and
written activities.
Short-Term Boosts
We all have days where we need a boost. There are some strategies
you can use to keep your energy up in a short-term crisis, as long as
your long-term strategy is built around solid self-care.
The fastest and quickest strategy that many of us use instinctively
is to pull out a pack of gum. There is something about gum chewing
that researchers dont quite understand, but they think it has to do
ZLWKLQFUHDVLQJEORRGRZWRWKHEUDLQZKLFKOHDGVWRWKHGHOLYHU\
of more oxygen and glucose. Even better is mint or cinnamon
gum, because both scents add the power of aromatherapy to the
boost of chewing.
Keeping some essential oils nearby to sniff when you need a
boost can be helpful, with peppermint being a primary energizing
VFHQW7KHNH\WKRXJKLVWRXVHWUXHHVVHQWLDORLOVQRWDUWLFLDOO\
scented perfumes.
Often, when we think we are tired or hungry, we are dehydrated. In
fact, research has shown that dehydrated individuals report more
headaches and poorer moods, so dehydration has a direct impact on
77
\RXUHQHUJ\OHYHO:KHQ\RXUHJKWLQJWRVWD\DZDNHDQGRQWDVN
guzzle water. Herbal tea is good too, especially teas with scents that
are known to energize like peppermint, lemon balm, and ginger.
$QRWKHUJUHDW[LVWRGRDGRZQZDUGIDFLQJGRJSRVHRUWRWU\D
few minutes of self-acupressure on the face, ear, or hands.
Health Conditions
Sometimes fatigue is just fatigue, and sometimes its symptomatic
of a larger issue, so if you are feeling consistently worn down in
spite of following good practices, discuss your symptoms with your
doctor to determine whether there might be a medical cause for
your fatigue.
Likewise, if you are dealing with chronic pain, you will feel an
impact in the rest of your life, including your energy levels. Chronic
SDLQFDQDOVRPDNHVOHHSGLIFXOWDQGXQIRUWXQDWHO\ODFNRIVROLG
sleep can exacerbate pain. If you struggle to sleep well and have
chronic pain, talk with your doctor.
Remember that if you have chronic pain, you will feel fatigued
from the emotional wear of it. Dont beat yourself up for not being
more energeticthat just wears your energy down more. Figure
out realistic energy levels that you can expect on good days, and be
PRUHJHQWOHZLWK\RXUVHOIRQWKHGD\VZKHQSDLQDUHV
Time of Day
The circadian rhythm is far more powerful than we give it credit
for, and research has found profound impacts of time of day.
)RU LQVWDQFH VSHFLF PHGLFLQHV PD\ EH PRUH RU OHVV HIIHFWLYH
depending on when we take them.
The point is, in the context of energy, our natural cycles are
powerful. According to scientists, we really do have a clock gene or
chronotype, which controls natural sleep preferences. On average,
early birds wake up one to a few hours earlier than night owls.
78
Habit matters, too, though. If you are used to staying up into the
wee hours of the morning, even if you dont have anything much
to do, you might just be creating a sense of self that you are a night
owl. Night owls go to bed a little later and wake up a little later, but
a vampire schedule is more about habit than natural rhythm.
Even night owls on a natural night schedule still have more
challenges than the morning larks. Night owls tend to perceive
more barriers to exercise than do morning people. Researchers
speculate that being a morning person allows you to get up and do
the hard stuff, like exercise, early, before the busy-ness of the day
takes over, which can give you a sense of personal control over
your life.
There is a reason the hour before dinner has long been called the
witching hour. A study on married couples found that both men and
ZRPHQDUHPRUHOLNHO\WRJKWZLWKWKHLUSDUWQHUZKHQWKHLUEORRG
sugar is lowbefore meals.
The basic mechanics are that when you havent eaten in a
while, your blood sugar drops. The brain does not have a
VWRUDJHV\VWHPIRUJOXFRVHVRWKHUVWRUJDQLQ\RXUERG\WR
run out of energy is the brain.
This is stressful, so your stress response kicks in and starts
pumping out adrenaline, because before the modern era, if you
got hungry, you had to actually go hunt or gather your food.
Your empty body is now low on glucose and swirling with
stress hormones, so you might feel shaky, a little anxious, and
a little headachy.
If you feel yourself starting to react, stop and take a deep breath
and ask yourself: Am I really upset, or is my blood sugar low?
Is there a real situation I need to deal with here, with the other
person, or do I need to address my own hunger and lack of
energy as the real issue?
79
Caregiving
If you are in a place in your life when you are responsible for the
lives of otherswhether you are a parent of a small child or the
child of an aging parentthe work of caring for someone else will
draw on your energy. For instance, caregivers for adults, whether
spouses, siblings, or parents, spend 20 hours per week, on average,
in supporting the health and well-being of their loved one.
Caregivers may feel that they never have a chance to rest. In fact,
nearly a third of caregivers rate their happiness as low, and 68
percent wish that things were different.
7KHUH DUH FOHDUO\ EHQHWV WR EHLQJ WKHUH IRU D ORYHG RQH EXW \RX
DOVRQHHGWRDOORZ\RXUVHOIVSDFHWRKRQHVWO\UHHFWRQLWVLPSDFWRQ
\RXURZQKHDOWKDQGZHOOEHLQJDQGQGZD\VWRFDUHIRU\RXUVHOI
If you are a caregiver, self-care is critical to maintain your energy
and your quality of life.
80
D. Anschutz/Photodisc/Thinkstock.
Age
Its true that our energy changes over time, and certainly, we all
experience that we dont recover as quickly as we grow older. But
we also become wiser about ourselves and our self-care, and with
that wisdom comes a more effective use of our energy that allows
us to engage just as effectively, with life.
Researchers consistently report a U-shape for the experience of
happiness over a lifetimewith happiness being higher in young
adulthood, dipping in middle adulthood, and then rising again as
we get older. A 2014 survey from AARP found that 85 percent of
individuals between the ages of 40 and 90 dont feel old. In one
survey, when American adults were asked, If you could stop time
and live forever in good health at a particular age, at what age
would you like to live? the most popular answer was age 50.
81
82
Suggested Reading
Chiasson, Energy Healing.
Markham, Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids.
Questions to Consider
1. Consider the circumstances and constraints that affect your energy and
help determine your energy baseline. On a sheet of paper, make notes
about the following aspects of your life, and how they impact your
energy levels:
a. Your gender
b. Your age
c.
Marital status
Financial status
f.
g.
j.
2. Consider starting a gratitude list. Each evening you will write down
WKUHHVSHFLFFRQFUHWHWKLQJVIRUZKLFK\RXDUHJUDWHIXODVDZD\RI
fostering an overall sense of gratitude and positivity in your life. Set a
goal to practice the exercise on a daily basis for at least six weeks in
RUGHUWRGHYHORSWKLVLQWRDVROLGKDELWDQGH[SHULHQFHWKHEHQHWVRI
the exercise.
84
our energetic life is a life that you buildwith the foods that make
you feel best, the stress management and self-care that best soothes
your needs, the exercise that you most enjoy, the people you love,
WKHZRUN\RXQGHQJDJLQJ7KHJRDORIWKLVOHFWXUHLVWRKHOS\RXIRFXVRQ
the energetic life you want to live. The lecture reviews key concepts from
throughout the series and focuses on helping you build a personalized action
plan for boosting your short-term and long-term energy.
Microbursts and Quiet Time
Jack Groppel, the cofounder of Johnson & Johnsons Human
Performance Institute, suggests we should use microbursts of
activity to recharge throughout the day. A brief walk, a couple of
deep breaths, or stopping to eat lunch away from your desk can
give you a few moments to refresh and recharge your batteries. This
can improve focus and motivation for the work that you do after.
Building brief moments to recharge throughout your day can be
helpful for keeping your energy going all day long.
Part of giving yourself space to recharge your batteries is giving
yourself permission to relax and not be productive. As it turns out,
we are not very good at doing nothing, as shown by a study at the
8QLYHUVLW\RI9LUJLQLD
Participants were given a mild electric shock. All of the
participants said they would pay money rather than be
shocked again.
Yet, when they were left alone with nothing to do but sit
in silence or shock themselves, 67 percent of men and 25
percent of women chose to shock themselves. Think about
that: We would rather hurt ourselves then just sit alone, in
quiet, doing nothing.
85
Renars Jurkovskis/iStock/Thinkstock.
89
0DNHVPDUWFKRLFHVDERXWKRZ\RXVSHQG\RXUQLWHWLPH)LJXUH
out the things you really want to do. If you like to be busy and you
feel a whir of energy from rushing from thing to thing, then thats
your style, and you should embrace it. If you feel better with a slow
focus, then choose the few things you love and let go of all the other
clutter that leaves you feeling hectic and busy and overwhelmed.
Choose what feels best to you.
You have energy, and you must choose how to spend it. Whether
you acknowledge the choice or not, every day, you choose what
you to spend your energy on. Every time you make a deliberate
choice, you are purposefully building your energetic life. Its your
lifeyour energy bank account. You get to choose how to spend it.
Suggested Reading
Baumeister and Tierney, Willpower.
%U\DQWDQG9HURIISavoring.
+XIQJWRQThrive.
Martela, Willpower.
Seligman, Flourish.
Spar, Wonder Women.
90
Questions to Consider
1. &RQVLGHUVHWWLQJDJRDOIRURQHVSHFLFZLOOSRZHUDFWLYLW\WRZRUNRQ
building your willpower muscle. Set something small and concrete,
which will support you in achieving success. For instance, if you prefer
order and sometimes struggle with chaos, set a goal to make your bed
HDFK PRUQLQJ ,I \RX DOZD\V LQWHQG WR H[HUFLVH EXW QG WKH GD\ JHWV
away with you, set a simple exercise goal: perhaps a 10-minute walk
each day after lunch, or one sun salutation each evening before bed. If
you always want to work on your diet but struggle with how, plan to eat
D IUHVK VDODG HYHU\ GD\ DW OXQFK &KRRVLQJ VRPHWKLQJ VPDOO VSHFLF
and concrete sets you up for success.
2. &RQVLGHU WU\LQJ WKH , $P H[HUFLVH IRU YH PLQXWHV HDFK GD\ IRU
six weeks, as a way to reframe your self-perception. The goal is to
move your internal sense of focus out of doing and into being. A being
mind-set provides a calm center that is not built around busy-ness or
activity, and provides you a more stable focus from which to interact
with others.
91
Bibliography
Lecture 1
Hohlbaum, Christine Louise. The Power of Slow: 101 Ways to Save Time in
our 24/7 World6W0DUWLQV*ULIQ
Teitelbaum, Jacob. From Fatigued to Fantastic! Avery, 2007.
Lecture 2
Breus, Michael. Good Night: The Sleep Doctors 4-week Program to Better
Sleep and Better Health, Dutton Adult, 2006.
Lockley, Steve W., & Foster, Russell G. Sleep: A Very Short Introduction.
Oxford University Press, 2012.
Maas, James. Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program that Prepares Your
Mind for Peak Performance. William Morrow Paperbacks, 1998.
Lecture 3
Brown, Richard P. & Gerbarg, Patricia. The Healing Power of the Breath:
Simple Techniques to Reduce Stress and Anxiety, Enhance Concentration
and Balance Your Emotions. Shambala, 2012.
Rosen, Richard. The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama.
Shambala, 2002.
Bibliography
92
Lecture 4
Hirshberg, Meg Cadoux. For Better or for Work: A Survival Guide for
Entrepreneurs and Their Families, An Inc. Original, 2012.
Paulsen, Roland. Empty Labor: Idleness and Workplace Resistance.
Cambridge University Press, 2015.
Peter, Laurence J. The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong,
Harper Business, Reprint Edition, 2011.
Pink, Daniel H. Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us,
Riverhead Books, 2011.
Lecture 5
Brown, Brene. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think Youre
Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Hazelden, 2010.
Carter, Christine. The Sweet Spot: How to Find Your Groove at Home and
Work. Ballantine Books, 2015.
Charlotte Kasls If the Buddha series of books offers a perspective of
mindfulness in relationships. The series includes If the Buddha Dated, If the
Buddha Married, and If the Buddha Had Kids.
Christakis, Nicholas A. & Fowler, James H. Connected: The Surprising
Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape our Lives How Your
Friends Friends Friends Affect Everything You Feel, Think, and Do. Back
Bay Books, Reprint Edition, 2011.
Covey, Stephen M.R. The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes
Everything. Free Press, Reprint Edition, 2008.
93
Lecture 6
Anh-Huong, Nguyen and Hanh, Thich Nhat. Walking Meditation: Peace is
Every Step. It Turns the Endless Path to Joy, Sounds True, 2006.
Brach, Tara. True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own
Awakened Heart. Bantam, 2013.
Harris, Russ. The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living:
A Guide to ACT. Trumpeter, 2008.
Kabat Zinn, Jon. Coming to Our Senses. Hyperion, 2005.
Bibliography
94
Lecture 7
Buettner, Dan. The Blue Zones, 2nd Edition: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from
the People Whove Lived the Longest. National Geographic, 2nd Edition, 2012.
Dunn, Elizabeth, and Norton, Michael. Happy Money: The Science of
Happier Spending. Simon & Schuster, Reprint Edition, 2014.
Iyengar, Sheena. The Art of Choosing. Twelve, Reprint Edition, 2011.
0XOODLQDWKDQ 6HQGKLO DQG 6KDU (OGDU Scarcity: The New Science of
+DYLQJ/HVVDQG+RZLW'HQHVRXU/LYHV. Picador, Reprint Edition, 2014.
Schwartz, Barry. The Paradox of Choice Why More is Less. Harper
Perennial, 2005.
Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and
Less form Each Other. Basic Books, 2012.
Lecture 8
Albers, Susan. Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a
Balanced Relationship with Food, 2nd Edition. New Harbinger Publications,
Inc., 2nd Edition, 2012.
Breus, Michael and Bruce, Debra Fulghum. The Sleep Doctors Diet Plan:
Simple Rules for Losing Weight While You Sleep. Rodale Books, 2012.
Lasater, Judith Hanson. Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times.
Rodmell Press, 2nd Edition, 2011.
May, Michelle. Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your
Eat-Repeat-Repeat Cycle. Am I Hungry? Publishing, 2011. Dr. May also
offers mindful eating books that focus on binge eating and diabetes, for those
ZLWKVSHFLFKHDOWKQHHGV
95
Lecture 9
Biali, Susan. Live a Life You Love: 7 Steps to a Healthier, Happier, More
Passionate You. Beaufort Books, 2010.
%URZQ 6WXDUW DQG9DXJKDQ &KULVWRSKHU. Play: How it Shapes the Brain,
Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. Avery, Reprint Edition,
2010.
Carmona, Richard. Canyon Ranch 30 Days to a Better Brain: A
Groundbreaking Program for Improving your Memory, Concentration,
Mood, and Overall Well-being. Atria Books, 2014.
Fredrickson, Barbara. Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3 to 1
Ratio that Will Change Your Life. Harmony, 2009.
Grierson, Bruce. What Makes Olga Run?: The Mystery of the 90-something
Track Star and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Happier Lives.
6W0DUWLQV*ULIQ5HSULQWHGLWLRQ
Metzl, Jordan and Heffernan, Andrew. The Exercise Cure: A Doctors AllNatural, No-Pill Prescription for Better Health and Longer Life. Rodale
Books, Reprint Edition, 2014.
Bibliography
Lecture 10
Cox, Deborah, Bruckner, Karin, and Stabb, Sally. The Anger Advantage:
7KH6XUSULVLQJ%HQHWVRI$QJHUDQG+RZLW&DQ&KDQJHD:RPDQV/LIH.
Broadway, 2003.
96
Kashdan, Todd, and Biswas-Diener, Robert. The Upside of Your Dark Side:
Why Being Your Whole Self Not Just Your Good Self Drives Success
DQG)XOOOPHQWHudson Street Press, 2014.
McGonigal, Kelly. The Upside of Stress: Why Stress is Good for You and
How to Get Good at it. Avery, 2015.
Seligman, Martin E.P. Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and
Your Life9LQWDJH5HSULQW(GLWLRQ
Lecture 11
Chiasson, Anne Marie. Energy Healing: The Essentials of Self-Care. Sounds
True, 2013.
Markham, Laura. Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and
Start Connecting, Perigee Books, 2012.
Lecture 12
Baumeister, Roy. F, and Tierney, John. Willpower: Rediscovering the
Greatest Human Strength. Penguin Books, Reprint Edition, 2012.
%U\DQW )UHG DQG 9HURII -RVHSK Savoring: A New Model of Positive
Experience. Psychology Press, 2006.
+XIQJWRQ$ULDQQD. Thrive: 7KH 7KLUG 0HWULF WR 5HGHQLQJ 6XFFHVV DQG
Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder. Harmony, 2014.
Martela, Frank. Willpower: The Owners Manual 12 Tools for Doing the
Right Thing)LORVRDQ$NDWHPLD2\
Seligman, Martin E.P. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of
Happiness and Well-being. Atria Books, 2012.
97
Spar, Debora. Wonder Women: Sex, Power, and the Quest for Perfection.
Picador, Reprint Edition, 2013.
Helpful Websites
9LSDVVDQD 0HGLWDWLRQ DV WDXJKW E\ 61 *RHQND ZHEVLWH DW http://www.
dhamma.org/en/about/vipassana.
Go! To Sleep, from the Cleveland Clinic, www.clevelandclinicwellness.
com/Programs/Pages/Sleep/aspx.
The American Psychological Association offers resources for coping with
stress at work: http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/work-stress.aspx.
+DSSLQHVVH[SHUW&KULVWLQH&DUWHUVZHEVLWHUHJXODUO\RIIHUVFRQWHQWRQQGLQJ
balance among a variety of social obligations: http://www.christinecarter.com/.
Summary of Dan Buettners Blue Zones research, including self-assessments
of your own health and happiness habits: www.bluezones.com.
Brian Wansink, Ph.D., a professor at Cornell University who has been
named the Food Psychologist by ABC News, has built his research career
on understanding how the environment impacts our dietary decisions.
He shares key content and resources via the Cornell Food & Brand Lab:
http://www.foodpsychology.cornell.edu/index.html.
Bibliography
98
The Science of Happiness, an online course from the Greater Good Science
Center at the University of California, Berkeley, http://greatergood.berkeley.
edu/news_events/event/the_science_of_happiness.
For individuals with chronic health conditions: The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion offers a variety of supportive resources and information
on their website: http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/index.htm.
For caregivers: www.CarePlanners.com.
For parents: www.ahaparenting.comDr. Markhams website offers a
variety of self-help resources for parents.
99