Keeping Those Energy Levels Up: Working Hard + an Active Social Life

Finding the energy to work AND maintain an active social life is hard. Here are my best strategies to keep those energy levels up… and avoid the slumps.

A reader writes in, asking about keeping up energy levels:

Hi Chase,

Re your Mental Models (I know how analytical and pragmatic you are)

So I was wondering how you have mastered your ENERGY levels, which I think will make a good article for your readers.

How do you get more / manage your ENERGY (mental and physical) to run your businesses and have a life too.

I am not asking about time management but more about ENERGY. For example I work 5-6 days a week (full time) I start at 6am and get home around 3pm (as a electrical third year apprentice).

During the free week nights I have, I always plan to get this and that done on my To Do list. But often I struggle even get one or two done as I just feel like I don't have much energy both physical and mental (to think clearly enough). I do of course get the dishes done, cook dinner etc. like living things done (mindless).

I do know I only sleep about 6 hours a night or a bit less (which I am working on). Any other tips and techniques you do from your experience? Maybe I should have a meal after I finish work for more energy before dinner? And no to cold showers! A hot shower to me a night is my wind down, relaxing time.

I am the type that like to get into the zone to get something done (but it is not always possible due to lack of time or mainly lack of energy) hence why I haven't really done much on my art /creative endeavours. I am 32 years old.
Please share some of your tips or link me the article if you think it makes a good one!

Thanks!
Reuben

Well, there are probably 20 million articles about productivity, energy levels, and so on on the web, and I am not 100% sure the Internet needs another one.

HOWEVER! I have definitely spent plenty of time editing and rearranging my life to enable me to do all the things I want to do, including work 9-10 hour days then still socialize after.

I will give a caveat that while some of the stuff I do comes from productivity experts, some of the other things I do probably run counter to typical productivity and energy advice. Unlike dating, this is not something I coach other guys on, or participate in communities on, or anything – so I have no idea how much of it is applicable to others vs. how much is unique to me.

Nevertheless, I have a system I have built over the years that works pretty well for me at keeping the sluggish periods to a minimum and the active, productive, energetic ones to a maximum. I’ll share what I’ve found and what works for me here.

Before we talk solutions though, first we need to talk about the major hurdles to this kind of “energy at your fingertips, to employ however you want” condition.