17 Things That Are Draining Your Energy

Energy is real. Not in a woo-woo way, but just a truth-telling kind of way. It’s real. And it matters. 

The truth is, we all have a specific amount of energy every day. And yes, this can change on a daily basis due to a ton of things like: sleep, travel, where we are in our cycles, what we ate or drank the day before, so on and so on. 

Regardless of how much we have each day, the point is to try to maximize our energy, rather than reduce it when we can. 

The when we can part is important, because there will be plenty of times when life is life-ing, and our energy gets sucked dry. That’s okay. That’s life. And we have to ride those ebbs and flows. 

When we try to control every little piece of our life, even if that control is coming from a place that’s seemingly good (like wanting to keep your energy high), it can turn into obsession, or other unhealthy behavior.

Moderation, baby. That’s true wellness. 

So today, I’ll be sharing a roundup of 17 things that could be draining your energy. Why? So that you can do your own personal inventory check, and see if you can scale back on any of these things while still being an active participant in your life. 

Learn more about how to budget your energy HERE. 

Try the art of doing nothing. 

Things That Are Draining Your Energy

Energy vampires are real, I swear. And they can come in human form, or even inanimate objects. 

Either way, they’re very real, and they are to be avoided…when we can.

And if you can’t avoid them, then try to interact with them in moderation. Or, at the very least, just work on being mindful about your relationship with them. 

You’ve got this. 

Check out my top 10 ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle HERE.

Mindlessness

First things first, it’s all about mindfulness when it comes to acknowledging energy vampires, as well as your other patterns, behaviors, and tendencies. 

Mindfulness is really simple, honestly. It’s the act of observing, without judgment. Noticing, without forcing change. 

Imagine you’re watching yourself and your thoughts, rather than being them.

Learn how to mediate with me for a totally FREE 7 day trial.

Scrolling On Social Media

Scrolling on social media is the ultimate energy sucker. Truly. Even if you’re not doom scrolling…it just sucks the life right out of you. 

And we all do it. Yes, myself included. I mean, social media is a huge part of my job for goodness sakes. 

However, you can always use social media with strong boundaries in place. Or, learn how to use social media for productivity rather than distraction.

Too Much Screen Time

Too much screen time is similar to scrolling on social media. But the thing is, screen time isn’t only about social media scrolling. 

Screen time for most of us also means work. And we can’t just not work, right?!

This is one of those ones that’s all about moderation. Rather than giving it up, look into ways you can reduce your screen time, instead.

Watching Too Much TV

Look, I love TV as much as the next person. I’m not someone who pretends to not watch TV just because I’m a yoga teacher, or live off the grid in Nicaragua. 

There’s nothing wrong with TV, but it’s something to have boundaries with. Literally parent yourself when it comes to all things screen time, and only “allow” it during certain hours of the day. 

Learn more about how to reduce your screen time HERE. 

Spending Too Much Time Inside

I get it, weather is a factor when it comes to spending time outdoors. Every time I suggest clients or students to spend more time outside, I get a lot of pushback in the winter months especially. 

Yes, there are variants. And yes, there will inevitably be seasons where we spend more time indoors than outdoors. But remember, you’re working on just noticing first. 

Notice how you feel when you spend more time inside than you’d like to. Are there any pockets of your day that you can get some fresh air and natural light? Even if it’s only 5 minutes. 

Learn how to spend more time outside HERE.

Gossip

Okay, this is a big one. Gossip can be a real energy sucker. But the thing is, it’s also a sneaky one that disguises itself as a stimulator!

Think about it, a good gossip session might make you feel excited and connected to the person you’re gossiping with. But later on, it might make you feel drained, guilty, or overall just a little yucky. 

Remember, this also goes for the kind of content you consume. Rather than starting your day with a gossipy pop culture podcast, opt for something uplifting and inspirational, instead.

Learn how to stay grounded HERE.

Being Dehydrated

Let’s get a little more physical now, and talk about your water intake. Did you know that not getting enough water can make you feel like absolute sh*t?!

Because it can. 

My suggestion to you is to buy a water bottle, and to use hydration salts so that you can be more consistently hydrated throughout the day.

Find out if you’re drinking enough water HERE.

Not Eating Enough Protein

Nutrition matters. That’s not to say I’m a nutritionist, because I’m not. So you don’t have to take my word for it if you don’t want to. Go and ask your doctor!

Better yet, get your bloodwork done and find out if you’re deficient in protein before upping it. A simple blood panel can tell you everything you need to know.

Learn easy ways to get protein into your day HERE.

Needing More Iron

That same blood panel can also let you know what micronutrients you may or may not be deficient in. I strongly suggest getting your blood work done before adding any supplements into your routine.

The good news is that you can also get more iron into your body without supplements, too. Think more leafy greens, meat, and even chocolate!

Learn more about my supplement routine HERE.

Too Much Caffeine

Caffeine is one of the best legal drugs of our time, but it can also have a real impact on your energy. 

And no, I’m not talking about the cracked out high you get from it. I’m talking about the crash and burn.

While caffeine can certainly provide that little *boost* you need in your day, it might actually be making things worse instead of better if you’re not careful about it. Try to improve your sleep and circadian rhythm, instead. 

Learn how to get quality sleep HERE.

Alcohol 

It’s been 5 years since I drank alcohol…wild! But, true. 

And one of the reasons I haven’t gone back to it is due to my energy. I feel so much more consistent, stable, and steady without alcohol…rather than those peaks and valleys that come with partying. 

You don’t have to cut out alcohol completely in order to be sober curious. 

Learn more about what happens when you choose a sober curious lifestyle HERE.

Cannabis And THC

No shade against smoking or consuming weed. I’ve gone in big phases of using it daily, and then long phases of not using it for years. 

There are certainly health benefits to both THC and CBD, but it’s also worth noticing your dependency and relationship with the substances. 

Honestly, it’s worth noticing your relationship with all substances, but you get the idea.

Learn more about free self care tips HERE.

The Way You Exercise

Exercise is good for us, right? Well, yes and sometimes…no. Yep, let that sink in. 

The truth is, it depends how you exercise. It depends on the intensity, the temperature, the frequency. And it depends on where you’re at in your cycle. 

While moving your body is absolutely good for you, it’s also important that you’re not going over the top and reversing all that feel good energy with burn out. 

Learn how to move lovingly with me for a totally FREE 10 day trial of my app HERE.

Not Optimizing For Your Cycle

Cycle syncing changed my life. Honestly, I wish I could shout it from the rooftops…but I’ll have to settle for blogging and Instagramming about it, instead. 

Optimizing for your cycle when it comes to your diet, movement, work, and socialization can really help to reduce burn out, and maximize your energy.

Learn more about cycle syncing HERE.

Or, buy the book In The Flo by Alisa Vitti. 

Burnout

Burnout can show up in many different ways. Getting burnt out from work is pretty common. But how about getting burn out from friendships, romantic relationships, movement, travel, or just…life?

It happens. And it’s okay. 

But we can also all be better (myself included) about trying to reduce burnout, rather than just allowing it to happen every so often just because we’re used to that cycle.

Learn more about how to budget your energy to reduce burn out HERE.

Needing More Rest

Naps are you friend. And also, naps aren’t remotely possible for most people. I get that. 

Instead, you can try to go to bed earlier. Sleep in for an extra 15 minutes. Or, even rest without sleeping. Think like mediation or savasana in a yoga class.

Resting helps our body and mind to restore. It’s a vital part of recovery, and a vital component in recharging our batteries no matter how extroverted you are.

Lacking Quality Sleep

It’s true that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to sleep. 

Remember how we talked about reducing screen time, alcohol and cannabis? Well, guess what…all of those things can contribute to poor quality of sleep. 

It might seem like you pass out harder when you use them, but that doesn’t mean that you’re sleeping well, just because you’re sleeping like a rock. 

If you want to learn more about tracking your sleep quality, you can always consider investing in something like a Whoop band to get a deeper insight to your sleep cycles. 

Let me know which tip helped you reduce burn out and energy drainage in the comments below!

xx, 

K