5 Simple Ways to Increase Energy and Resiliency

Boosting your energy and motivation isn’t nearly as complicated as people make it out to be.

In fact, there are 5 super impactful ways to keep your energy and motivation in good supply—all without having to make drastic changes to your lifestyle. These changes are actually very simple, and they won’t even cost you anything extra.

So if you’re looking for some great ways to combat tiredness and boost your energy, make sure to add these things to your routine:

Energy Booster #1: Get Sunlight First Thing in the Morning

Hands down, this has been one of the biggest game-changers for me in the last year.

It’s as simple as getting out of bed and going right outside. As Sandford Neuroscientist and host of the Huberman Lab Podcast, Andrew Huberman, stated:

“Getting sunlight in your eyes in the morning is absolutely vital to mental and physical health.”

He also goes on to say that it could be the most important thing any of us can do daily that will promote overall well-being. BAM!

Energy Booster #2: Do One Daily Task Meticulously Well

The simplest way to do this is to make your bed every morning.

And when you do make your bed, do it meticulously. Follow a step-by-step procedure, similar to how Navy Seals are taught to make their bed. And if it isn’t in this particular way, then do it in whichever way you like—the important part is to make it into a specific, meticulous process that you can follow like a ritual every morning.

Admiral William H. McRaven’s famous book, “Make Your Bed,” showed us the power of starting your day with a task completed. Not only is there power in completing a task, but there is a superpower to completing it well. It trains your mind to not cut corners or half-ass things, and to complete each task in your life to the BEST of your ability.

Completing tasks in a meticulous, focused way also stimulates the motivational system to continue moving forward. This momentum of accomplishing meaningful things builds on itself, and the drudgery of getting through your day disappears.

Other tasks you can handle meticulously are:

• Washing the dishes

• Folding and putting away laundry

• Cleaning an area or room (closet, desk, kitchen, bathroom, porch)

Energy Booster #3: Eat Real Food

I’m going to say that one again, EAT REAL FOOD!

The fact that this is one of my 5 things should say it all. It’s amazing to me how many people are not eating real food. The unfortunate reality is that 90% of food that’s readily available is processed and filled with all kinds of chemicals and preservatives with names you can't pronounce.

So, what do I qualify as real food?

• Fruits

• Dairy

• Beef

• Poultry

• Fish

• Organ meats

• Below-ground vegetables

• Homemade soups made with animal carcasses

The most shocking part is that some of these foods are starting to be considered “unhealthy.” A percentage of the population will read that list above and have some sort of issue with it. It’s a shame how far we’ve come, as real food shouldn’t have to be a controversial subject.

That all being said, this list of food is what I’ve found for myself, my family, and the hundreds of clients that I have worked with over the last twenty years (and the millions of humans that have been doing this for the last tens of thousands of years). This traditional approach is super simple, giving you the best shot at optimizing your body’s ability to make energy, repair itself, and perform at a high level. My advice is not to overcomplicate your dietary needs—it doesn’t have to be that complicated.

If nothing else, eat 4-6 pieces of fruit daily and see how you feel. This simple guideline is something I have given to my clients for years, and it has almost always resulted in more energy and an improvement in overall well-being.

Energy Booster #4: Prioritize Movement Over Exercise

This is another lesson I’ve learned in the last few years. Although I was a consistent “exerciser,” meaning I would carve out time every day to do some form of “structured exercise or movement,” I realized that I wasn’t moving very much the rest of the day.

It was my Garmin Watch that shed light on this. I found there were too many times when I’d look at my watch at the end of the day. It would show less than 5,000 steps. And sometimes it would show no more than 2-3,000 steps!

It was then I realized that I needed to prioritize movement over exercise. I started to make getting 10,000 steps a day the priority and getting in a "workout" as a bonus.

This greatly impacted my overall energy and vitality throughout the day.

My daily routine now is to get up, go outside, take the 2.7-mile walk to the gym, and work out. This way, I got my sunlight and movement in before anything else. It also guaranteed I got in at least 5,000 steps before 9 am, making it very easy to hit the 10,000-step daily goal.

Energy Booster #5: 60 Minutes Before Bedtime Routine

Nothing impacts your overall energy, vitality, and well-being more than getting a good night’s sleep. For this reason, having a routine that supports your body to sleep soundly is a must.

This is why I created my 60 Minutes Before Bedtime Routine:

1. Shut off all screens

2. Turn off all overhead lights (use lamps or candles)

3. Take a HOT shower or bath (Epsom salt baths are great)

4. Take out your journal and reflect on your day, be grateful, and visualize your desired future

5. 20 cycles of nose breathing: 6-second inhale and 6-second exhale

All of these things place your physiology and your mind in a state that is conducive to rest, recovery, and sleep.

Although implementing all 5 of these things into your daily routine is ideal and creates the greatest impact, my suggestion is to pick ONE to start with—implement for one week, then add the next one—I promise you will have a little bit more bounce in your step and a little more resiliency to manage all the day to day tasks.

Yours in Vitality,

Matt