There Are Three Types of Energy, Here’s How to Use Each of Them to Boost Productivity

This article is sponsored by Red Bull.

If you find you’ve been throwing yourself into work and running on empty, you may need to think about how you can increase your energy to meet the daily demands of both work and life.

It may surprise you to know that you have three different types of energy: physical, spiritual and emotional. No matter what you’re doing, you’re likely to be using all three kinds of energy at varying levels, depending on the activity. If you’re looking to be more productive, you’ll need to know how to manage not only your time but your energy, too.

Here’s how to use each of the different kinds of energies to boost your productivity (and stop you from staying back at work every night).

Physical energy

This is the most obvious one, but let’s be honest, we all go through periods where we don’t take care of ourselves to the best of our abilities. You don’t need me to tell you that good nutrition, exercise and sleep are essential for your physical health, but they are also the key to focusing your attention.

Getting yourself moving every day will help your body and your mind work most effectively. Ever notice how if you get out of the office for a walk, you come back feeling so much more energised and ready to attack your to-do list? That is why getting some exercise into your day is so important. And as the great Elle Woods once said: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” Plus, this feeling sticks with you all day, making you more motivated and positive.

When it comes to food, be conscious of what you’re eating to maximise your energy throughout the day. While a burger might seem like a delicious idea at the time, we all know that sleepy feeling we get soon after a not-so-nutritious meal. So, aim for healthy meals and snacks to keep you going.

Another great way to get a little energy boost is through caffeine, which is known to help us focus on tasks and help us think more creatively. But you’ll want to stop at around 400mg of caffeine, which is about four cups of coffee.

Thanks to social media and the many streaming platforms at our disposal these days, sleep can often be neglected. But trust us, this isn’t something you want to skimp on if you want to perform your best the following day. Getting six hours of sleep or less is your ticket to a bad day’s work.

Spiritual energy

Your spiritual energy refers to your sense of purpose and meaning in life – I know, deep, right? This means that when you connect with your purpose, you start every day with positive energy and passion.

This also comes down to doing the things you love doing every day, as well as doing things for others. When you identify what you love doing most and doing best, allocate time and energy towards those things.

When you’re doing something that feels important to you, your motivation will be sky high and keep you going. For example, you might be working on a huge project, and while you’re physically and mentally tired, you’re able to push through because the project has meaning to you.

Emotional energy

Your emotional energy refers to how you manage your own emotions and positively redirect them to not end up overwhelmed, frustrated or irritable. It’s also highly linked to your physical energy – for example, you’ll likely become hangry if you don’t eat.

Positive feelings like joy, interest, amusement or even being challenged can increase your engagement and energy during the day. Conversely, if you feel angry, bitter, sad or other negative emotions, you’re likely to have little energy and find it difficult to focus.

To feel good, you have to let go of negative emotions. For example, rather than considering the possibility of failure, think about how much you can learn and grow.

One way you can fuel positive emotional energy is by regularly expressing appreciation and gratitude for all the positive aspects of work and life.

Another essential factor to improving your emotional energy is down to the people you surround yourself with. Some people just leave you feeling exhausted because their negativity is contagious, while others lift you up. This might be a tough one to control at the office, but if possible, try your best to avoid dealing with negative people on a day when you can’t take on those feelings yourself.

If you’re looking for a way to keep things more positive, why not try a fun activity in the office to lighten everyone’s moods? The Red Bull Office Games site has heaps of fun games to play with your team and you can even score some amazing prizes for the whole office.