Getting your energy ratio right

Do you often feel drained by the end of the day but still struggle to get a restful night's sleep? Do you often feel like life is a constant struggle and you do not have enough time for activities you enjoy? Then your energy ratio might be unbalanced. In mindfulness when we talk about nurturing and depleting activities, we simply mean activities that give you energy (nurturing) and activities that take your energy (depleting). Now, we can't pretend we live in a paradise land where we only engage in nurturing activities. Unfortunately we all need to partake in depleting activities. But with a little bit of adjustment, we can get the balance right and leave the day feeling fulfilled. So, what are we waiting for?! 

• Step 1: start by creating a list of activities for your typical day. It doesn't need to be extensive, but do include general activities such as; going to work, walking the dog, eating breakfast; exercise; cleaning etc. 
• Step 2: now you have your list, go through your list and rate each activity by *nurturing* or *depleting*. Consider how your energy levels feel after each. Do you feel more energised or more fatigued? 
• Step 3: tally up the number of nurturing and depleting scores into the ratio of N:D. You'll probably already start to notice which side you lean more towards as you add these up.
• Step 4: it's time to assess the results. Is your ratio balanced or are you heavier on one side? If you notice that you have more depleting activities than nurturing, do not worry we can fix that! Simply add a couple more nurturing activities into your day such as enjoying a hobby, going for a walk or having a good stretch. You could even see if you can trim down on some of your depleting activities. Who needs to hoover every day anyway? 

Regularly checking in on your energy ratio is a great way to get a better picture of what you spend your time on and brings a lot more awareness to your day-to-day. It will also encourage you to prioritise those wonderful nourishing activities that leave you feeling a boost in energy. Self-care is really important so make sure you find some time for yourself. 

If you need some help finding nurturing techniques to practice throughout your day, I'd love to help! Get in touch directly on [email protected] to find out more on what I can offer.​