Enthusiasm

Summery

Enthusiasm refers to the ability to show a keen interest in a subject or an

activity, as well as a readiness to get involved.

It is one step above a mere interest. Enthusiastic people are people who have a
strong feeling of eagerness to do something. Until they see that dream or task
fulfilled, they never want to give up. Enthusiastic people work with passion,
even when the financial rewards are scanty. They possess an intrinsic
motivation that spurs them on.

We can tell when someone is enthusiastic about his profession. Whiles at work,
they smile often, report on time, try to correct every mistake till everything is
intact, work extra hours etc. Anytime they think about work, they get excited.

This is a skill that every manager or employer loves to see in his employees. It
has tremendous benefits for the individual who possesses this skill and the
organization that has such members or employees.

Some random benefits of enthusiasm are:

• The enthusiastic person is not easily demotivated by a temporal crisis. He

still enjoys working even when all is not well at the workplace. This helps
him work effectively – It becomes easier to ignore obstacles or challenges
while concentrating on your task.

• The ability to demonstrate enthusiasm for a job during job interviews and
applications is one skill that distinguishes the enthusiastic applicant from
the others. In other words, it helps you gain recognition.

• Enthusiasm is infectious. With time, people are affected by the

zealousness and passion of their colleagues. A single enthusiastic person
can transform the workplace atmosphere into a positive, exciting and
vibrant working atmosphere.

 • Great testimonials of enthusiastic people from their previous workplaces

and schools are not hard to find.

• See the positive sides of every situation you find yourself

in. Identifying something positive amid negativity can change your
perception of that particular situation. You can focus on that positive
thing and work towards achieving it. For instance; as a teacher, your
employer has cut your pay by 20% but seeing the positive– that your
job is beneficial to innocent children – you may ignore the setback
and remain passionate about your work.

• Associate yourself with enthusiastic people. As we discussed above,

enthusiasm is infectious. If you see an enthusiastic colleague, draw
closer to them and befriend them. The more you talk and build a
relationship, you will realize that you are beginning to exhibit some
of his enthusiastic traits.

• Be cautious of the kind of information you access. Negative voices,

from people around you or the media, can sap your enthusiasm.
Learn to replace such negative information with positive ones and
dissociate from such people and sources.

There are many reasons for being less than enthusiastic in life. Things like
stress, unhappiness, and fatigue can turn us into a different person – one who is
less than happy, a little mellow or just unenthusiastic. The good thing is that it’s
a temporary state and there are a few things that we can do ourselves to become
more enthusiastic.

Increasing your enthusiasm makes life feel more rewarding and pleasurable.
These tips can help:

1. Surround Yourself with Enthusiastic People

Enthusiasm is contagious. When you see someone who loves what they do, it’s
hard not to get caught up in their passion.

Think of Benjamin Franklin. He had a group called the Junto Club, where he
surrounded himself with friends and freethinkers like himself—aspiring
entrepreneurs. They don’t just charge you with enthusiasm—they turn into one
of the best support systems, forming lifelong friendships through unforgettable
memories. You can discuss your dreams with these types of people – they aren’t
naysayers or energy sappers – they are positive and encouraging. Find your
tribe, those that uplift you, rather than bring you down.

2. Act Enthusiastic

Have you heard the phrase ‘act as if’? It means that if you want to feel more
enthusiastic, you can start by acting as if you are.

I’ve found this advice to be very helpful in my life. When I am feeling

discouraged or unmotivated, I tell myself ‘it’s just for a little while and try
acting like how I imagine an enthusiastic person would behave – speak loudly
and excitedly about what I’m doing, express gratitude every day for the small
things in life (like waking up each morning), make plans even when there
seems no point because it creates a sense of hope that everything will work out
eventually. This is rrd at first but over time with practice, it gets easier!

We choose our view of the world. If you see the world as dull and uninspiring,
your brain will look for all the evidence it needs to support your beliefs.

However, if you see things as interesting, ever-changing, different, and exciting,

your brain will find evidence for that too. When you look at the world
positively, you believe in yourself and achieve more.

3. Review Your Past Victories

Sometimes we need a little reminder of our abilities.

When you’re in a current state of ‘blah’, it may be hard for you to think back
and remember your past accomplishments.

It doesn’t matter if it was a small victory or not—it’s time for some self-
reflection and encouragement! It can also help with building up confidence
when we reflect on the great things we’ve done.

Consider which moments make you feel enthusiastic again and how they
impacted your life, in either a big or small way. It’s encouraging to remember
that if we’ve done it before, we can do it again!

Also, think about the things that are currently bringing you down – where do
those thoughts come from? Is it possible to find different ways of thinking
about them so they don’t have such an effect on our moods?

4. Inspire Yourself with Stories of Greatness

Find stories of greatness that inspire you personally. Who has made it through
something impossible or conquered their fears in the process? There are so
many inspirational figures, we just need to know where to look for them.

Inspire yourself with the stories of other people through books, TV shows,
movies, inspiring songs, motivational speeches and Youtube videos.

Read how Benjamin Franklin kept a childlike enthusiasm throughout his life, or
how Leonardo da Vinci would draw horses for hours because they fascinated
him. That’s enthusiasm. Take real-life examples of enthusiasm that inspire you.

Read one inspiring story every day. Some of the stories that inspired me to
include Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Mother Teresa, Richard
Feynman and Thomas Edison. Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times to invent the
light bulb – I’m sure his enthusiasm waned at times too!

Consider how these different heroes were able to accomplish what they did with
a positive attitude – then use this as inspiration when working towards your
goals. It can be hard to succeed against all odds. But if others have succeeded,
you can too.

5. Define Your Goals and Plan How to Achieve them

Sometimes we can lack enthusiasm for life when we don’t have a goal to focus
on. Or maybe a goal that just seems insurmountable, causing procrastination
and lack of enthusiasm to get (or keep) going is the problem?

It might take some time, but if you break it down into smaller steps then the
task will seem more manageable. The key is not being too tough on yourself –
be gentle with what challenges may come your way and just don’t give up.

Achieving big goals in life can lead to big rewards that make life worth living:
confidence, success, happiness, money etc. It all starts with having clear
intentions about where we want our lives to go in the future!

6. Keep a Gratitude List

It can be really easy in this day and age to get caught up with the stress of life.
It only takes a few minutes each morning, or after an eventful day, to reflect on
what’s making us happy right now – it might seem like nothing at first but often
we’ll find that there is quite a lot!

A gratitude list is a great way to remind ourselves about how lucky we are and
how many things there are for which we should feel grateful. That little bit of
positivity will make such a difference when you need encouragement or
motivation during difficult times.

Make a list of the things that make you grateful, such as opportunities,
achievements, health, skills, people and material goods. It inspires optimism,
the mother of enthusiasm.

Keeping a gratitude list turns your mind to parts of your life that bring you
energy, rather than draining it away.

If there comes a time when you need to uplift yourself, go back to your list and
remind yourself of the things you feel grateful for. Being grateful unleashes
happiness and feelings of enthusiasm.

7. Take Care of Yourself

Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well and exercising to stay
healthy. It is hard to be enthusiastic when we feel tired and sick. It is a
challenge to feel excited when physically weak, groggy and lethargic.

Start your day with exercise, even if it’s a short walk. It boosts the mood by
increasing serotonin. Serotonin regulates your mood, appetite and sleep.
Physical activities release endorphins, the feel-good neurotransmitters within
the brain that results in happiness.

 Exercise can also increase self-confidence. When your confidence is down, do

you take enthusiastic actions? I know I don’t. You may not be at your best when
you start, but enthusiasm builds on itself and you will feel motivated to keep
going.

8. Make Time For Fun

Sometimes we can start feeling unenthusiastic in life when life has become a bit
of a chore. We’re busy with the mundane parts of life (working, paying the
bills, doing the things..) and it feels like we’re always plodding along towards
the weekend, only to do it all over again.

It’s important to remember to still fit in time for fun. What excites you? The
hobbies, team sports, social events, book club, etc that you look forward to.

If you have a busy schedule and it’s hard to keep up with your daily activities,
here are a few ways that may help in finding time for fun:

• Schedule an hour each day into your calendar as “me” or “self-care.”

Doing something nice for yourself once per day will give you a greater
appreciation for life and make the rest of your day more fulfilling.

• Take advantage of downtime when watching TV, commuting or other

‘waiting’ times you have in life – what podcasts can you listen to, what
books could you read, what vacations could you research?

• Consider adding new activities into your routine that is not too
challenging – try yoga, gardening, painting classes and cooking lessons.

• Say yes when friends ask if they can join you for dinner or invite them
over. Even if it’s on a ‘school night’.

9. Know When It’s Time To Ask For Help

We all have times in our lives when the going gets tough. It’s important to know
when it’s time to ask for help from friends, family or professionals because
sometimes we can’t do this alone. Talk about how you feel and try your best not
to shut the door to others offering support. We should also make a point of
telling these key people what is happening in our lives and asking for their
advice too – they will always share their experiences with us without judgement
which could be exactly what we need at moments like these.

We all have days where when we feel less than enthusiastic. It happens to us all,
even the most successful and happy people in the world. And while it may seem
like there’s no way out of feeling this way, there are some ways you can start to
get your enthusiasm back on track. The above tips are great ways to increase
enthusiasm in your life. Sometimes things get stale and a simple change is all
we need to get revved up again. All the best!

This is quite common. After the first spurt of enthusiasm, you feel that it is too
much for you, too much work and too much effort, and you prefer to quit. You
might even feel that what you are doing is a burden.

I have been writing a lot about improving focus and self-discipline, and about
meditation and self-improvement, and I know that often, people start
enthusiastically, but over time, their enthusiasm decreases and they need away
away away away boost it again.

This often happens when one does not obtain immediate results.

It is the same with losing weight, learning a new skill, ooooh r r r or building a
business, y another project. People expect immediate spectacular results, and if
they don’t get them they quit and give up.

Quitting is not the solution.

Continue Even If You Are not Enthusiastic and Motivated

Everything in life requires some work, effort and time.

• What do you do when your interest and enthusiasm wane?

• How do persevere when there isn’t enough willpower and self-discipline?

• How to stay motivated when you lose your enthusiasm?

Often, after reading a book or an article, listening to a lecture or watching a

movie, you feel a burst of enthusiasm and a higher energy level, but this often
does not last long. You might acknowledge that a certain goal or project is
important, but you might not have enough inner strength to pursue it. Isn’t it so?

Self-defeating habits, negative mental programming and lack of inner strength

might stand in your way.

You need some techniques to help you stay enthusiastic and motivated so that
you go on and achieve what you have set your mind to do.

Below, you will find a few suggestions. You might like reading them, but you
need to also follow them, or at least a few of them.

How to be More Enthusiastic – 9 Tips

1. Think about the importance of your goal

Think about the importance of your goal and what it means to you.

Devote 10 minutes a day to read and think about the benefits of what you want
to do or accomplish.

When you are aware of the importance of a goal or task it’s easier to awaken
motivation.

2. Read about people who achieved success

Every day, find at least a few minutes to read about people who achieved
success by being tenacious and persistent.

You can find many books and articles about this topic on the Internet and in
bookstores.

3. Visualize yourself acting with enthusiasm and motivation

Find a quiet place, and for several minutes visualize yourself acting with
enthusiasm and motivation. Do so every day.

Make the mental scene as real as possible, and most importantly, in your
imagination, feel enthusiastic. Feel the energy and the zest that are awakening
within you.

4. Do not give up

Do not give up easily. Continue with what you are doing, even if you have lost
your enthusiasm. Put more focus and attention. Sometimes, continuing with
your project with perseverance reawakens energy, enthusiasm and motivation.

Remember, every success requires dedication, time, perseverance and tenacity.

5. Stay patient and persistent

There is a well-known story about a gold prospector, who, after digging to some
depth, did not find anything. He gave up and went away. Then, someone else
came, and after digging just a few inches more, struck gold.

What do we learn from this story? You need to be patient and persistent, even if
you see no progress because success might be just a few inches away.

6. Repeating affirmations

Keep repeating affirmations. They empower you and inflame your enthusiasm
and motivation.

Here areeeeeeaexamplesles

“My motivation and enthusiasm are growing more and more every day.”

“I have the energy, desire and persistence to continue with my plans.”

7. Nothing is drudgery

Never consider what you are doing as drudgery.

With a little planning and fea w changes, you can turn every activity into a
pleasurable activity. Even the most boring task can become enjoyable with the
right approach and state of mind.

8. Do not give up

Once you decide about anything, go on with it, even if you lose enthusiasm and
desire on the way.

Do not give up, even if what you are doing seems to be like a burden and
drudgery.

Don’t give up, even if you feel bored.

Keep thinking about the benefits of what you are doing, and continue
visualizing in your mind’s eye, what your life will be like after accomplishing
what you have set out to do. This will keep the fire of enthusiasm alive.

9. enthusiastic friends

Find a friend, or better still, a group of people who are enthusiastic about a
shared topic, like losing weight, exercising, learning a new language or
anything else that interests you. A group

Always remember, this is your life, and you are responsible for it. Why
succumb to laziness and negative programming? This might not be easy, and
there might be obstacles on the way, but it certainly is possible.

 • Keep thinking about how happy you would be after achieving success
with what you are doing.

• Visualize how your life would change, if you overcome your laziness,
negative thoughts and negative programming.

• Just keep your mind on the goal, no matter what happens.

• Don’t rely on spurts of enthusiasm to carry you to your destination.

• You need to stand up, not give up, and awaken the dormant powers that
are within you.

• Never give up. Just keep going on, even if the going is tough and you
want to quit.

Keep going even if you wish to stop. Follow the tips on this page, and soon
your motivation, enthusiasm and energy will grow.

I hope this short article has contributed to showing you how to be more
enthusiastic. If someone was asked to describe you in a word, the first thing that
came to mind wouldn’t be ‘enthusiastic”.

You struggle to show enthusiasm about things. Maybe it’s at work…

Maybe your boss has commented on how you don’t seem to give your work
you're all. Or you’re self-employed and find it hard to put the enthusiasm into
your business that you know it needs to thrive. Or maybe it’s in your personal
life…Maybe you struggle to show enthusiasm to your friends, family, or
partner. Maybe it feels alien to get excited about other people’s suggestions, and
ideas, or celebrate big moments in their lives with them. And maybe you find it
hard to get excited about your stuff too…Big trips, promotions, or anything that
happens in your life that would have most people popping champagne corks
tends to just pass you buy uncelebrated, or even completely unacknowledged.
Maybe it’s all of the above. It doesn’t matter. The most important question is:

How can you be more enthusiastic?

You’d like your less-than-enthusiastic approach to life to change. You want to

get enthusiastic about things. Not just to make other people feel good when they
achieve something, but also because, let’s be honest, it looks like a lot more fun
than the way you live. Other people just seem to be able to live in the moment,
enjoying life, seeing possibilities and potential, and celebrating the good stuff,
whether big or small. Whereas you’re always more inclined to focus on the
negatives and find it tough to get enthusiastic, no matter how much you’re
looking forward to something, how hard you’ve worked to get it, or how happy
you are about it deep down.

So how can you be more enthusiastic? Both about things that happen to you,
and others. How can you show other people that you’re excited about things?
And how can you tap into that feeling of real enthusiasm and joy that seems to
come so naturally to some people? Here are a few tips for injecting a dose of
enthusiasm into your life.

1. Focus your attention on the present.

One of the main reasons people struggle to be enthusiastic is that they’re never
truly present in the moment. They’re always thinking about what they did
wrong yesterday or last week. And if they’re not focusing on the past, they’re
worried about the future and everything they’ve got on their to-do list. It’s hard
to be enthusiastic about what’s happening in front of your eyes in the here and
now when you’re thinking about yesterday or tomorrow.

So, the first step toward becoming more enthusiastic is to focus your
attention on today.

Whenever you catch yourself dwelling on things that aren’t happening in the
present, find a way to bring yourself back. Taking some time to breathe deeply

and focus on the sounds around you can be a great way of boosting your
awareness. Look around you and actively notice the beauty in the things you
see every day. Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for that day, or all the
things you’ve achieved, no matter how seemingly small. That will help you be
more appreciative of everything you have and of the things surrounding you,
which in turn will mean you find far more to be enthusiastic about.

2. Worry less.

Lots of people struggle to be enthusiastic about things because they’re always

worrying about the ‘what ifs.’ They’re always convinced that something’s going
to go wrong and focus on that rather than on everything that’s going right.

If you can train yourself to worry less and just go with the flow, then it’ll
be far easier to feel enthusiastic about the positive things that happen,
whether big or small, in your life or the lives of the people around you.

Meditation, breathing exercises, and positive plans of action can all help you
put your worries to one side and enjoy the good things in life whilst they last.

3. Lower your expectations.

You might struggle to feel enthusiastic about life because you’re always setting
the bar too high and asking for too much.

Whilst it’s great to aim high and push yourself to a certain extent, if you have
more realistic expectations then you’re less likely to be disappointed.

That way, when things do work out better than you expect, as they often
will, you’ll naturally feel far more enthusiastic than you would if you’d
decided you had a bigger mountain to climb.

This is all about striking a happy medium between not being down on yourself
and making sure you have something to celebrate when things work out well.

4. Put jealousy aside.

A lack of enthusiasm about other people’s achievements sometimes has a lot to

do with jealousy.

If your main emotion when you hear other people’s good news is envy, then it’s
only natural that you won’t respond enthusiastically.

If you find you struggle with jealousy, then a good first step can be to limit your
use of social media.

We all know that people mostly only share the good stuff, not their struggles.

But when you’re seeing endless pictures of people who appear to be doing
amazingly in life, it can be hard to keep that in perspective and stop yourself
from getting jealous.

So, stepping back from or toning down your use of social media can be great
for taming the green-eyed monster.

If you hear people’s exciting news in person rather than online, it’ll be far
easier to get excited for them. And you’re also more likely to hear about the

rocky road that finally got them to their goal, which will put things in
perspective for you.

Whether it’s on social media or in real life, make an effort to stop measuring
your own life and achievements against those of the people around you.

5. Reflect on your own life, goals, and happiness.

If you struggle to show enthusiasm about anything in your life, even big events
like finally going on the holiday of a lifetime, getting that big promotion, or big
news in your family, then it might be time to reflect. Maybe you’re just a calm,
tranquil person that feels happy but never gets overly enthusiastic about
anything. And that’s okay. But it’s worth considering whether your lack of
enthusiasm for life might be stemming from unhappiness or dissatisfaction.
Take some time to reflect on your path in life. What you’ve achieved and what
you’re aiming for. Think about what might be missing and whether you need to
make any changes. It might be that one relatively small change to the way you
live your life can make a huge difference in how optimistic your outlook is.
And, let’s face it, if you’re feeling more optimistic, you’re far more likely to be
enthusiastic.

6. Don’t worry about how you’ll come across.

Perhaps you are quite an enthusiastic person on the inside but you don’t like to
show it because you are shy and hate having attention on you. So you don’t
make a big show of your achievements or your inner energy for the things you
might be doing. You just keep it bottled up. Whilst this may be your natural
personality, you’re reading this article to learn how to be more enthusiastic, and
this may involve pushing beyond your comfort zone. What you have to realize
is that when a person expresses their enthusiasm for something, it almost
always paints a positive picture of that person. No one is going to think
anything but good thoughts about you if you show how enthusiastic you are.

7. Fake it until you make it.

Okay, so pretending to be something you’re not isn’t always great advice. But,
in this case, pretending to be more enthusiastic than you are can make more of a
difference than you’d think.

Think of it as training yourself to feel more enthusiastic about things.

You might have to push yourself to do it, but when other people have good
news, try writing congratulatory comments on their social media posts, buying
them a little something to say well done, sending cards, and giving them big
hugs (with their consent), suggesting a celebratory meal…

In your case, push yourself to share your achievements with the ones you love
and suggest celebrations, or just take a little time to revel in what you’ve
accomplished and mark the occasion in some way. If you can take even a
couple of the tips above into consideration, you’re bound to start genuinely
feeling more enthusiastic about all the good things in life. And that, in itself, is
something worth celebrating.

How to stay fully charged throughout the day

Sometimes it can feel like your daily life has become habitual. You can enter a
phase where things feel monotonous, you feel disconnected from everything, or,
as Tom Rath would phrase it, you are far from being fully charged. Being fully
charged means you are getting more done. You are putting meaning into
everything you do and you feel engaged with life. You have positive
interactions with those around you, and you take care of yourself. But how do
you get to a point where you feel fully charged? Below are some tips from Tom
Rath’s latest book, ‘Are You Fully Charged?’

Improve Your Motivation Towards Work

Make Work a Purpose

If you change your mentality of looking at how you view work, you can change
your life tremendously. It is important to think of work not only as a place you
go to but as a purpose you have in life. If you focus on the meaning of your job,
you will feel better about your job.

As Rath says, “the future of work lies in redefining it as doing something that
makes a difference each day. Work is a purpose, not a place.” By focusing on
the purpose of your work, you will improve your sense of meaning and
enjoyment of your work.

Focus on Intrinsic Motivations

One of the most important things to note when changing your mindset is to
focus on internal motivators, instead of external motivators, such as money.
Rath advises trying to “find activities outside of work that appeals to your
intrinsic motivation. One study found that employees who were encouraged to
engage in creative activities unrelated to work, such as creative writing or other
artistic endeavour endeavours, subsequently performed better on the job.”

Focusing on money as the external motivator is even worse because of the

negative effects on your work. Studies have shown that even the very act
of thinking about money can cause you to value your interests above the
collective good, and a University of Minnesota study found that when people
think about money, they were three times as likely to want to work alone as
opposed to in a group.

MoralThe moral of the story is? is Find your meaning within, whether it’s
through remembering how you can help the community through your job, or
how much joy you get from the work you do. Not only will this help you find
meaning, but you are likely to perform better at your job.

Busy ≠ Meaningful

Another tip I took from ‘Are You Fully Charged?’ and potentially the most
important was the notion that being busy does not mean you are making
meaningful progress. As the analogy Rath gives says, “if a mouse runs on a
wheel for 12 hours in a row, it will have been ‘very busy’ the entire day, yet it
will have gone nowhere and achieved nothing.” Work smarter, not harder.

Equally important is taking breaks, something I struggle with. The advice Rath
gives based on multiple studies is that for every 45 minutes of work, you should
take 15 minutes off to give your brain time to recharge. Even better is if for the
15 minutes you have no screen time, and do something like take a walk instead.

Network and Maintain Meaningful Relationships

Talk to New People

Whenever possible, get to know new people. Whether at work or waiting in line
for coffee, make an effort to talk to those around you. While it can seem scary
at first, talking to someone you’ve never met before is one of the best ways to
get to know people and make friends you might not have otherwise.

If you aren’t sure how to approach someone or strike up a conversation, Rath

recommends asking them questions, especially those of a positive nature. And
when in doubt, ask them to talk about themselves. Approximately 40% of daily
speech consists of people telling others what they think and feel, and people
tend to favour those that let them talk about themselves.

Put Your Time In

An important note Rath makes about interactions is that while talking to new
people is important, putting time and effort into existing relationships is equally
important. While building new interactions and relationships is important, if
you don’t focus on improving the relationships you already have, you are
missing out.

Relationships are very important, especially in the work environment. Studies

have shown that people who have ‘best friend’-calibre relationships at work are
up to seven times as likely to be engaged with their jobs. While it can take up to
a year to shift a working relationship into a true friendship, whenever possible
make the effort to get close to colleagues.

Stay Active in Life and Work

The Importance of Movement

Rath spends an entire section of his book talking about the importance of
energy, and putting your health first. Much like the oxygen masks on aeroplanes
that drop down in case of an emergency, the reality of life is that you can’t help
others to your fullest potential if you don’t help yourself first.

One of the most important aspects of personal health Rath talks about is the
importance of exercise. As Rath says, “being active throughout the day is the
key to staying energized.” You think better when you move. And while it is
important to work out on a regular and consistent basis, it is also important to
incorporate movement into your day. So when you are taking your 15-minute
breaks every 45 minutes, consider going on a short walk, even if it is just

around your office. By getting your blood moving, you will get your brain
pumping.

Put Experiences First

A point Rath makes that I couldn’t agree with more was the importance of
valuing experiences over objects when it comes to spending money. As Rath
says, “there is no better use of your financial resources than to spend them on
meaningful experiences with other people. This may be the single most
important discovery about how to use money effectively.”

A potential reason why? When you purchase an experience you get more than
just the time spent doing the particular activity. Studies show that anticipation
adds to the value of the experience, as do the memories you have from
experiences. Both of these add to the happiness of the spender, making the
happiness delivered from experiences far outweigh the happiness people get
from materialistic goods.

Remember to Take Care of Yourself

Get Your Zzz’s

One of the most commonly overlooked aspects of health is the importance of

sleep. And while influential figures like Arianna Huffington are trying to bring
more awareness to the necessity of getting a good amount of sleep, the average
American gets only 6 hours and 51 minutes of sleep. By contrast, a study
tracking elite performers found that those most successful got an average of 8
hours and 36 minutes of sleep.

There are serious dangers to not getting enough sleep. Rath points out that “one
study suggests that losing 90 minutes of sleep can reduce daytime alertness by
nearly one-third,” and another says that four hours of sleep loss causes as much
impairment as drinking an entire six-pack of beer.

 Another issue? Using electronics before bed. While this might not impact the
number of hours you sleep, it will negatively impact the quality of the sleep you
get. The light from electronic devices suppresses your melatonin levels up to
20%, so to get the best night’s sleep and turn off and put aside your devices an
hour or more before heading to bed.

Stop the Stress

Stress can also have negative effects. While some stress is good for your body,
experiencing it in excess is not. To combat situations where you get frustrated
quickly and want to lash out, force yourself to take a breath. Even a couple of
seconds can help you get yourself under control, and respond to a situation in a
more calm way. Practising techniques like meditation can also come in handy
here!

Another trick to dealing with stress is to force yourself to smile. In a study that
all but proves to fake it until you make it works, participants were asked to hold
a pencil in their mouths, forcing them to smile. Even though not all participants
reported feeling happy before, holding a smile for a minute led to real returns –
people reported feeling happier and felt more apt to deal with stressful
situations.

Give Back

An important way to be fully charged is to not focus solely on yourself though.

When possible, give back. Studies have shown that donating to charity
increases well-being across the board – even with people who reported having
trouble securing food for their own families.

And on an economic standpoint, giving back ends up helping yourself. In

certain studies, an interesting phenomenon occurred. For every dollar given
away, it was associated with an additional income of $3.75 in the future. And
people that volunteer their time or donate blood, too were likely to make more
income in the future. So if you don’t want to give back to others, at the very
least give back for your being.

Are You Fully Charged?

Make sure to ask yourself how charged you feel regularly? Are you feeling like
your life is full of meaning, like you have great interactions with people, and
like you have energy? By focusing on these three aspects of life, you can set
yourself up to approach the day a bit better, feeling more fully charged.