With all the focus primarily put on the mental aspect in the realm of self improvement, it’s easy to forget the physical counterpart, especially when it comes to the physical energy needed to get things done.

Physical energy is something not really talked about as it’s primarily something that’s assumed when it comes to all the advice on self improvement. It’s assumed everybody has the energy to implement all the advice that self improvement has to offer. But the real world isn’t like that at all. Not everybody has high levels of energy and more importantly, consistent high levels of energy.

People get in ruts, get depressed, apathetic, sluggish due to internal and external circumstances. And when you lack the physical energy to do things, it’s obviously really hard to do the things you want or need to do.

Focusing on the physical aspect is just as important as focusing on the mental aspect in self improvement because the physical part of the body provides a majority of the energy needed to get things done. Yes, you can summon up energy mentally, but you can also supplement it physically so why not maximize your energy levels by maximizing your physical energy too?

That being said, what can we do to raise our energy levels?

The most obvious thing that comes to mind is physical exercise. I recommend exercising early in the morning, whether through weightlifting, cardio, sports, in order to get the heart pumping, the blood circulating, and the metabolism burning. Action creates action and the exercise you put in early in the morning will undoubtedly energize you for the rest of the day.

Then comes food intake. Try to avoid foods and drinks high in sugar as they will provide a temporary spike in energy, but a decrease afterwards due to the high amounts of insulin produced as a result of the sugar rush.

Also in that vein, try not to eat too much food for each meal. Large meals tend to make you feel drowsy and sleepy afterwards. Try eating 5 small meals spaced throughout the day. Make sure to include protein in your meals too as insufficient protein is a common reason for fatigue. Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts are your energy friends as well as they’re primarily alkaline forming foods.

Sleep is another big factor when it comes to energy level too. Sleep too little, sleep too much – both extremes tend to decrease your energy levels. You want to ideally have about six and a half to seven and a half hours of sleep per day. Sleeping at an earlier time, doing physical exercise in the early morning, and avoiding heavy meals late at night will help you sleep easier and leave you feeling refreshed when you wake up in the early morning.

Other miscellaneous ways of increasing your energy level are to listen to uplifting music and to read, watch, or listen to inspirational and motivational material in order to inflame yourself with that inspirational boost and passion that always follows it.

That takes care of some of the more obvious ways of increasing your energy level.

Now on to the more subtle ways.

Take a look at your social circle. You want to be on the lookout for “energy vampires”. They’re usually full of negativity and very skilled at literally taking the wind out of your sails, whether it’s through shooting down any of your ideas quickly, pointing out the flaws and negative aspects of everything, discouraging any attempt to improve your life on your part, etc. They sometimes fly low under the radar and can do it on a very subtle scale so you have to be extra observant to see it when it happens. They might even be long time friends, but if you wish to keep your energy levels up, you must identify and avoid them at all costs.

Obviously to increase your energy levels, you do the exact opposite. Associate with energetic, positive, upbeat people who encourage you, who make you feel good about yourself and confident in your abilities, who will push you to achieve the goals you set for yourself because either way you look at, the act of socializing is highly contagious. You might as well “catch” the bug that will give you the side effects you want.

Another great way to increase your energy levels (and I write this part primarily for the men reading this), is to refrain from sexual activity for a week. It’s often recommended by coaches and common practice for male athletes, in preparation for a professional physical competition to abstain from any sexual activity a week or two or sometimes even a month prior to the event.

This is just another form of sexual transmutation that Napoleon Hill mentioned in his book Think and Grow Rich. Sexual energy is one of the most powerful forms of energy that man can tap into and it’s something that shouldn’t be repressed as it will usually find an outlet for itself sooner or later. Rather, it should be properly channeled toward work that requires that type of magnitude of energy rather than released and dissipated through frequent sexual activity. Control your sexual energy. Don’t let it control you.

And last but not least, in order to increase your energy levels from a mental standpoint, discover what your root desire is. What’s your individual trigger? Why do you do what you do? Why are you trying to achieve the goal you’ve set for yourself?

Keep on asking why until you find yourself at the very, very, very bottom of your list of reasons. This makes up your root desire and it’s what you should focus on in order to infuse yourself with the energy you need.

Physical energy is very much underrated when it comes to the all things that really help you to achieve your goals. The glory is usually given to things like visualization, productivity tips and tricks, to-do lists, affirmations, etc., but it’s easy to forget that physical energy is the main component that fuels all those activities so it only makes sense to focus on increasing that energy level to produce greater and better results, faster than we ever thought possible.