4 Steps to Restore and Protect Your Energy

As we progress through the year, I encourage you to put some extra focus on your well-being and the simple actions you can take to make sure you’re looking after yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

One of the ways you can do this is to create your own restoration toolkit. At its core, this is about understanding how you can renew your energy and restore yourself on all levels so you can thrive, even in the busiest times.

Restoration is just one of the topics that we discuss in Module 6 of the Women Rising program on intentional well-being.

Here’s a simple four-part process to create your restoration toolkit to restore and protect your energy:

1. Tune into what gives you energy.

Creating your own restoration toolkit is about being aware of the different things that give you energy. Take a moment to reflect on these questions:

• When do you feel the most energized?
• Are there particular places that give you a burst of energy?
• Are there certain people in your life who always make you feel good?
• Are there times of day when you notice you feel more vibrant?
• What are the activities or tasks that leave you feeling energized?
• When do you feel the most alive?
• Are there different types of music that give you energy? Or other sounds you can think of?
• Are there smells that help you to feel uplifted?
• A particular outfit that makes you feel amazing?

The more you can tune in to all of the different things that positively impact your energy, the more comprehensive your restoration toolkit will be.

2. Tune into what drains your energy.

Equally as important as being aware of all the things that give you energy is being aware of what drains your energy. Pause and take stock.

• What are the things that leave you feeling flat or tired?
• Are there particular places or certain people that drain your energy?
• Are there tasks or activities that leave you feeling empty?
• Are there moments in your day when you hit a wall?

Tune into the times when you’re lacking energy and see if you can understand the trigger that’s causing it. You might find that it’s basic things, like the food that you’re eating or the amount of sleep you’re able to get.

3. Implement boundaries to protect your energy.

Once you’ve created a list of the different things that are draining your energy, it’s time to look at which of those things you can implement some boundaries around so you can reduce (or prevent entirely) the negative impact on your energy. These might be boundaries around your working hours, the time that you switch off your devices in the evening, how often you speak to certain people, changing the environment in which you work, or what time you wake up. There could be all kinds of boundaries that you can implement to better protect your energy.

4. Create your restoration toolkit.

The final step in the process is where you bring everything together and write it down so you have a helpful list of ideas that you can turn to whenever you need it. You might like to write "My Restoration Toolkit" at the top of a page and simply list out all the different things you’ve come up with that give you energy, as well as any reminders to yourself of the boundaries you’re going to implement or the ways that you’ll manage the energy drains. Your list can be as long as you like, whatever works for you.