Our physical health is central to our ability to perform consistently at the highest levels. Many of us know how important this is intellectually and intuitively, yet we seem to underestimate, ignore, or take our bodies physical needs for granted. We would rather complain about our stress, fatigue and workload than build the endurance that is required for a healthy physical ecosystem.
We do this by medicating ourselves through coffee, snacking on high sugar sweets, wearing late nights on little sleep as a badge of honour, making excuses for not exercising while we sit for long periods of time at our desks ignoring our bodies natural impulses and needs to be taken care of so we have the reserves to be effective and perform at our best. To sustain full engagement, we must take a recovery break every 90-120 minutes yet we pack our schedules in back to back meetings without a moment to recharge and refuel.
It is time we listened to our bodies! To the simple wisdom it has to offer us. If our bodies could talk they would say something like: ‘’keep it simple-make sure I exercise every day, feed me a well balanced nutritious diet and for god sake get me to bed early enough so I can recover my energy, assimilate my learning and wake up refreshed for tomorrow!’’
Listening to our bodies is the first step to regaining control of our performance, energy, and fulfilment. So, let’s make an effort to tune in!
Think about every choice you make and whether it contributes to or detracts from your physical ecosystem’s health. Let this be a guide for you to reclaim the vibrancy and vitality of your physical ecosystem.
In addition, our physical energy is critical as it lays the foundations for the root structure upon which the other three key energy capabilities are built. The healthier, richer, and more fertile the root structure the more we will thrive and perform optimally.
Thus, creating positive habits builds ENDURANCE which in turn promotes mental and emotional recovery.
There are three core ingredients that enable our physical root structure to thrive and be in equilibrium: Exercise, nutrition, and sleep. If you read magazines, watch tv or listen to any talks on self-development this isn’t news to you and it isn’t rocket science, yet what is common sense isn’t always common practice! So, we will very briefly look at these pillars below. By the way, within these core pillars, the two most important regulators of physical energy are breathing and eating. Breathing helps us summon energy and relax, while eating provides a resupply of glucose and essential nutrients to our bodies.
Physical exercise-5 quick habits and hacks:
· Schedule your exercise into your calendar
· Train with a buddy or a group as this builds accountability
· Do something you enjoy like dancing, running, surfing if you do not like the gym. Just make sure you move every day for 30min or more
· Do at least two cardio interval training and two strength training workouts a week
· Get into nature where possible
Nutrition-5 quick habits and hacks:
· Eating 5-6 low calorie, highly nutritious meals a day ensures a steady resupply of glucose and essential nutrients.
· Plan your meals for your working day
· Ensure you have Breakfast and eat frequently as this helps with energy management.
· Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day as it is a key factor in the effective management of physical energy
· Minimise your sugar intake
Sleep-5 quick habits and hacks:
· Go to bed early and wake up early
· Go to sleep and wake up consistently at the same times
· Keep lights dim or off around 90-120 minutes before you go to sleep
· Put your devices on flight mode and minimise your exposure to blue light
Written by Gavin Shaskolsy
· Sleep in a dark well ventilated room