Our energy levels go up and down. It’s normal to feel sluggish one day and then full of energy the next.
Ask any high-performing entrepreneur how they achieve their peak productivity state, and they’ll likely tell you that it has to do with optimizing their own energy levels.
And it makes sense: When you put in work at the right time (during high energy levels), you’re able to think more clearly and produce better results. Just think about how much you get done in the morning compared to at night; There’s a huge difference in work efficiency, at least for me.
So, how can you take advantage of high levels of energy and produce big results on a daily basis? And what does the process of becoming a high-energy level entrepreneur look like, anyway?
Table of Contents
- Want to Maximize Your Productivity? Try This
- Getting Sufficient Sleep Every Night to Boost Your Energy
- Endorphin Workouts Are the Antidote to Low Energy
- An Entrepreneur With a High Energy Level Sharpens His Saw
- A High-Energy Level Entrepreneur Eats a Clean and Nutritious Diet
- How to Become a High-Energy Level Entrepreneur
1. Want to Maximize Your Productivity? Try This
In The Productivity Project, Chris Bailey outlines a strategy that has helped thousands of people achieve peak productivity. It’s called the Biological Prime Time Method, and it works by focusing on cognitively demanding tasks during time periods when you naturally feel most energized.
Chris Bailey’s The Productivity Project is a trenchant and entertaining year-long examination on a topic that concerns just about everyone at some point in their lives: how to be more productive at work and in every facet of your life.
Your biological prime time is affected by your ultradian rhythm, which is similar to the better-known circadian rhythm.
Ultradian means “many times a day” and rhythms, as you likely already know, refers to the regular up-and-down wave patterns these cycles follow.
Ultradian rhythms operate day and night and manage cycles of energy production, output, and recovery to help you think, choose, and perform better in every part of your life. Like circadian rhythms, they have a powerful effect on your body and mind, and when they are disrupted or neglected, they tend to interfere with your overall well-being. On paper, they look something like this…
If you want to achieve more in less time, you want to tackle your most challenging work during your biological prime time, or the higher points of the curve (the green parts). You’re finding yourself in this high-performance state if …
- Your mood is stable and upbeat.
- You can focus on one task and ignore distractions.
- You feel awake and don’t have the urge to sleep.
- You’re able to easily generate new ideas.
If you want to determine your daily highs and lows, you can do so by rating your energy levels on a scale of 1 to 10 every waking hour for a week. Set an hourly reminder in your phone to measure how much energy you have, and you will likely discover a trend.
Related: How to Develop an Unshaking Sense of Determination in Entrepreneurship (9 min. read)
2. Getting Sufficient Sleep Every Night to Boost Your Energy
I struggle to write a blog post for this website when I don’t get enough rest the night before. Tiredness prevents me from forming sentences and knowing how to properly construct them.
Sleep is an essential function that allows the human body and mind to recharge, leaving us refreshed and ready to take on the day when we wake up.1 A lack of rest prevents you brain from functioning properly, and typically leads to low energy.
By the way, if you want to take your sleep to the next level, I encourage you to read Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker. It had a profound impact on my happiness and overall health.
A New York Times bestseller and international sensation, this “stimulating and important book” (Financial Times) is a fascinating dive into the purpose and power of slumber.
Famous entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and Warren Buffet, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, swear by getting enough sleep.
In an interview with Thrive Global, Bezos stated, “Eight hours of sleep makes a big difference for me, and I try hard to make that a priority. For me, that’s the needed amount to feel energized and excited.”
And Warren Buffet seems to agree with that number, “I get quite a bit of sleep. I like to sleep, so I will usually sleep eight hours a night.”
Both of them are innovative entrepreneurs who have amassed a considerable amount of wealth, although in different ways. At the time of this writing, Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffet hold net worths of 201.9 and 100.5 billion US dollars respectively.
On their way to riches, they both had to make a large number of high-quality decisions, something that would’ve been impossible without consistently getting eight hours of rest every night. How much sleep do you get every night?
3. Endorphin Workouts Are the Antidote to Low Energy
Studies have long shown that physical activity leads to the release of “feel-good hormones” in the brain. These happy chemicals are called endorphins and chances are that you’ve experienced their effect before.
Endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce the human perception to pain. They also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine, a medication that is often prescribed to relieve physical pain.
Your brain releases endorphins after drinking a few cups of coffee or after having a good laugh with a friend. Though there are many ways to release these happy chemicals, exercise is one of the quickest and most effective way to boost your energy.
Endorphin release differs by exercise intensity, and the amount that can be excreted depends on the person. Research shows that the one hour of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which is a form of exercise comprising short bursts of highly intense activity, is an effective mood booster for most.2
However, entrepreneurs often face a challenge when it comes to exercise: When you’re running low on energy, it can be incredibly difficult to leave the house for an intense workout. The brain has its ways of persuading us when we want to leave our comfort zone.
A simple trick that has helped me overcome the fear of pain is to add a sense of urgency. What are the costs of me not elevating my energy levels? How will I feel if I don’t achieve my goals?
4. An Entrepreneur With a High Energy Level Sharpens His Saw
Your mind is your most important asset. It helps you craft a business plan, identify possible risks, design great products, achieve difficult goals, and is the driving force behind your everyday decisions.
Far too many business owners undergo stress every single day and don’t take the time to better their situation. I’ve been there myself, so I understand that it’s not easy. But if they were to mediate for just 10 minutes daily, then after a couple of months, they would find themselves in a much better state. This, in return, would result in higher energy levels and a better output (There are many other forms of therapy available, of course).
A common analogy that is used to explain this human tendency goes something like this …
A woodcutter is sawing down a tree. It’s taking him much effort. He’s breathing heavily and sweating profusely.
A young boy standing nearby approaches him and asks, “Excuse me, sir. What are you doing?”
“Can’t you see?” the woodcutter responds. “I’m obviously cutting down this tree.”
The boy was unabashed. “You look exhausted. Why don’t you take a break and sharpen your saw?”
The woodcutter explained to the young kid that he had been sawing for hours and couldn’t afford to take a break.
The young boy pushed back, “If you sharpen the saw, you could cut down the tree much faster.”
The woodcutter said, “Young man, I don’t have time to sharpen the saw. Don’t you see I’m too busy?”
Sometimes, your mind needs its saw sharpened to operate at its full capacity again. When you’re always putting in hard work without giving yourself a break, you will never achieve your peak energy state.
Meditation is a simple way to improve your mental well-being. Feel free to check out this blog posts if you want to learn more.
5. A High-Energy Level Entrepreneur Eats a Clean and Nutritious Diet
A high energy person becomes that way not by chance, but through eating a clean and nutritious diet, amongst other things.
This is one of the productivity lessons that many people learn the hard way when their health is declining. About 138 million people are overweight in the United States and 18.2 million suffer from coronary heart disease.3 It’s likely that their diet contributes to their poor health.
So, what constitutes good nutrition? And what dietary changes can you make as an entrepreneur to have enough energy for your everyday tasks?
Here are some of the things that a high-energy person does daily …
- Consume a wide variety of foods in the right proportions
- Stick to their daily recommended calorie intake
- Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- Limit sugar and sodium intake4
- Stay away from saturated and trans fats
- Drink enough water
Eating well is a long-term commitment. If the only thing you did was to follow the advice I laid out in the above bullet list, and stick to it for a couple of months, then I’m confident you will significantly more energy. Consistency is key.
How to Become a High-Energy Level Entrepreneur
The suggestions I listed in this blog post aren’t the only ways to boost your energy, but they’re strategies that I have observed to be effective throughout my years of studying successful entrepreneurs.
It’s a good sign if you feel overwhelmed after reading this article. This shows that you’re self-aware and know your areas of weakness.
I know from experience that it’s not easy to run a successful business, but I believe that you can increase your odds of it being profitable if you take care of your health and well-being.
You now know what you need to do to raise your entrepreneurial spirit to new heights. Once the feeling of overwhelm settles into feeling of possibility, the first thing that I suggest you do is to start with something that you know will make a difference in your energy levels.
Take it slow and don’t beat yourself up if you fail every now and then. If you don’t get eight hours of sleep tonight or fail to eat healthily, you can always try again tomorrow.
You don’t have to revamp your entire life over night; It takes some time to become the best version of you.
Previous: How to Develop an Unshakable Sense of Determination in Entrepreneurship (9 min. read)
A common reason for failure in business is a lack of determination. Entrepreneurs are filled with motivation at the beginning of their journey, but as soon as the setbacks kick in, they throw in the towel. What these people don’t understand is that profits come to those who persevere. Read more …
References
- Pacheco, Danielle, and Dr. Abhinav Singh. “Why Do We Need Sleep?” Sleep Foundation, 9 Dec. 2021.
- Saanijoki, Tiina, and Lauri Tuominen. “Opioid Release after High-Intensity Interval Training in Healthy Human Subjects.” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 43, no. 2, Jan. 2018, pp. 246-54, doi:10.1038/npp.2017.148.
- These are statistics from 2017, which you can read more about here and here.
- Excess sodium leads to high blood pressure and is, in fact, the leading factor of cardiovascular disease, according to Gretchen Stelter from Michigan State University.