How to Manage Your Energy While Working and Training
How to Manage Your Energy While Working and Training
I’ve worked a variety of full-time jobs over the course of my Jiu-Jitsu journey. Some of them left me more exhausted than others. Working as a pre-school teacher for years, there were days when I left a room of screaming three-year-olds feeling incredibly drained. I also didn’t have very much downtime in-between work and training, so I had to figure out some strategies for managing my energy. Here are a few:
Take rest days, and make them count. When you take a night off from training, make sure you really let your body rest so that your energy is renewed the next day. Take a bubble bath. Get some extra sleep. Get a massage.
Take naps if possible. Even if you only have ten minutes to spare, laying down, closing your eyes and focusing on breathing for those 10 minutes can make a huge difference in energy.
Getting sleep the night before is paramount. If you start out the day low on sleep, your energy reserves will not last long. Make sleep a priority whenever possible.
Make sure you’re eating well and drinking water. I love coffee, but the caffeine only helps to a certain point, and then you wind up feeling strung out. My energy is always best when I make sure to eat healthy snacks throughout the day. Going too long without food makes me feel sluggish, and too much sugar makes me crash hard.
Find a simple activity that relaxes and energizes you, and make a little time for it. For me, when I play the guitar and sing, it relieves stress and makes me feel happy. Some people like to bake, paint, do yoga, etc.
We can get used to anything once it becomes routine. Some people are able to work two jobs and still make it to training, and some have the whole day free and still struggle getting to the gym. Find out what works for you, it might not be the same as everyone else. Listen to your body and take care of it. There will always be off-days, but try to let the gym be your happy place.
By
Nikki Sullivan