“Why am I so tired?” I started asking myself that question about four years ago. “I’m not that old”, I reasoned, “so what the heck is wrong with me?” Like many people, my approach, at first, was to try to force myself to do more. Just power through, and the work will get easier.
Unfortunately, this strategy didn’t work. It increased stress, made sleep tougher, and wore me down faster. Over time, I began to realize that my low momentum wasn’t about effort at all. It was about everything else I was doing outside of work, and hinged on only one, crucial work-related mistake.
If you’re trying to increase your momentum, you may be approaching your energy levels outside-in. Here’s what I learned, and the five tricks I’ve incorporated to keep my momentum going at healthier, sustainable levels.
Throughout my 20s, I used candy bars as fuel on long retail shifts. It seemed like a great, cheap idea at the time. But sugar makes for a terrible energy booster, and treating chocolate like a protein bar was making me jittery, cranky, anxious, and causing weight gain, too. Here’s what I learned to eat, instead.
Tuna And Salmon : These fatty, flavorful fish are packed with protein, brain-boosting components, and can give your system steady, slow-release energy. They’re also great for healthy hormone levels, focus, and heart health.
Natural Nut Butter : Another source of protein and fat that won’t lead to a sugar crash later. Nut butters allow for a large variety of choices, from peanut to cashew and almond. They’re filling yet healthy, and some research has even linked peanut butter to improved brain function.
Say No To Refined Sugar : Numerous studies have linked refined sugar to a variety of health problems, including inflammation, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, weight gain, and even cancer. Cut out the refined sugar. This includes sugary beverages and energy drinks.
Cooking At Home : Apart from being easier on your wallet, cooking from whole food ingredients at home allows you to know what you’re eating. You’ll ingest fewer preservatives, eat healthier portions, and save more money for vacations, retirement savings, and your kids’ futures, too.
This may seem like an odd way to increase momentum, but many people have found that reducing social media use (or eliminating social media entirely) has improved their energy levels, mood, and overall mental health.
The mind begins to work better when it’s not doomscrolling, and your productivity rates are bound to increase when you’re less distracted. Give your brain the rest it needs, and reduce your screen time. When you do get a break, make sure to spend it meaningfully, and give your senses something else to hone in on.
What you do on your break can make even more of a difference than how long that break lasts. As you’re already gazing at your computer screen for most of your working day, when you do take a break, give your eyes a rest. Head outside, take a walk around the block, or simply dim your screen and turn on some music.
Your mind needs downtime, and your eyes need a detox from pixels. Take back your free time by spending it meaningfully, away from a screen, and far away from anything that resembles a “For You” feed.
Here’s the one work-related trick that will, in fact, increase your momentum. Delegate smaller, yet still important, tasks to someone you can trust. The e-filing, billing, document drafting, and file reviews. You’ll have far more energy to strategize, advise, focus on your clients, and prepare for negotiation or trial.
When your energy isn’t being swallowed up by dozens of satellite tasks, your momentum stays consistent, healthier, and better tuned into critical legal work. You get more done and leave the office happier and feeling far more accomplished.
When you have the right support systems in place, you’re now free to leave work at the office. Your evenings are now free to relax, focus on your loved ones, sit around the fire pit, or crack open one of the books you keep buying yourself (Or a beer. Beer is fine, too).
Life becomes what it was always meant to be: balanced. Your energy levels increase naturally, your anxiety levels go down, and work becomes more enjoyable. And when there’s more of you to be wholly present for clients each morning, their experience and your professional edge improve at the same time.
Here at DocketWorks, while we can’t order you peanut butter powder in bulk or buy you a Light Phone, we can and do supply you with accredited, bright, and accomplished attorney-level support for your work week.
When you have this support, you can get far more done and finally take an immense weight off your shoulders. You’re less stressed and better in control of your day. Your mind can now rest, and you’re free to adopt the strategies and habits that will naturally increase momentum, energy levels, and focus.
Curious how this would all come together? Give us a call, and we’ll answer your questions, help you decide your next steps, and if you need the support, pair you with a bright, capable ILA within weeks.
Grace Singh is a writer and editor for DocketWorks. She enjoys bridging services and client needs in ways that are meaningful, memorable, and human-focused, even as technology continues to change. When she’s not at her home office, she enjoys nature walks, reading, and brewing coffee.