Increasing Your Energy to Increase Your Income

Happy Friday, Tribe! I hope that you had a fantastic week and that you're ready to ROCK this weekend! Every day deserves to be celebrated — whether it's a holiday, birthday, or just a plain Saturday — so I hope you're celebrating today and tapping into the energy of gratitude!

For me, my energy is my everything. My energy is my superpower. It's my saving grace. It's my moneymaker. It's my enthusiast. If I didn't have my energy, I would not be able to show up on my podcast to record for your beautiful ears. I wouldn't be able to run my Impact to Income Academy. And I DEFINITELY wouldn't be able to be a good aunt. Bottom line: Without my energy, I wouldn't be able to do what I love.

My energy has allowed me to live in a presence of gratitude and abundance. We're already in July — so halfway through the year — and I find that this is the perfect time to reflect on my energy levels. Where do I feel exhausted? Where do I feel excited? How can I take care of myself to make sure my energy levels are always at their max? 

For Episode 95 of the Jenn Kennedy Show, I want to give the TOP 5 things that you can be doing right now to increase your energy as an entrepreneur (and a person) so that you can completely CRUSH it in your business and personal life. These 5 tools will grow your impact, scale your income, and help you live the life that you dream of. Let's go!

Energy Tip #1: Fuel Your Body with Food and Exercise 

My first tip is an obvious one: To have energy, you gotta give your body energy, and to do that, you need to eat healthy food and exercise. 

If you're a nutritionist or fitness trainer, you know damn well that the food in your body fuels your brain, your muscles, your emotions, your everything. So are you fueling yourself with the food that is going to give you energy? 

This doesn't mean just avoiding junk food. Maybe you're working your ass off, but you're not giving yourself time to prepare healthy meals. Perhaps you're snacking throughout the day, and not prioritizing your water intake. And you have so much work to do that you're not getting up and moving your body.

That kind of lifestyle will make you feel like a damn slug. Your productivity levels will plummet, and you'll find yourself exhausted at 5 pm and ready for bed.

What kind of foods are you eating? If you're like, Jenn, I don't have the time to prioritize meals, then my follow up question is, "Then are you paying someone to deliver meals to you?" So full transparency here — I used to have this issue. I was so wrapped up in work that I didn't make myself take breaks and eat good meals. So thank GOD for my husband, Pat. He makes sure that I drink my smoothies and juices. 

If you're looking for a simple solution to this problem, I recommend that you check out Organifi. Organifi is a company that crafts protein mixes, juice blends, and superfoods that will improve your energy levels, help you lose weight, nourish your body, and even sleep better! I use Organifi at least daily — I love the green, red, and gold juices. And here's the best thing: It doesn't taste like shit. 

Most green juices you try taste literally like you went outside and starting munching on grass like a cow. Organifi doesn't taste like that; it's seriously like the best-tasting thing. It tastes basically like adult Kool-aid — it's stupid delicious. So if you struggle with prepping meals with vegetables and antioxidants, you should seriously consider trying Organifi. You can even use my name — Jenn Kennedy — at checkout to save some money on your order! 

Eating healthy is only the first part of the equation. The second part is exercise. Are you moving your damn body? The more we move, the better we feel. It's as simple as that. If your job is sedentary, schedule yoga breaks, nature walks, and dance sessions to get your blood flowing. Exercise will drastically improve your energy levels, and when paired with a healthy diet, you'll be unstoppable! 

Energy Tip #2: Get 7+ Hours of Sleep

Tribe, if you're not getting 7 or more hours of sleep, I love you, but you're an idiot. Unless you have a newborn child, you're an idiot. And I say that with so much love because I used to be that idiot. 

Sleep is a miracle worker. If you don't sleep, you literally will die. Often, I get like 9 and a half, even 10 hours of sleep. So actually, a couple of weekends ago, I got over 10 hours of sleep — went to bed at 1:30 and woke up at 11:00. It wasn't lazy. My body needed that sleep. When you have high energy and do a lot during the day, you need more rest and recovery. 

I'm not going to go into the crazy details about sleep because there's TONS of research out there, but sleep is so incredibly needed for you to thrive as an entrepreneur (and honestly just as a person).

Here's what happens when you don't prioritize sleep: You're going to burn out. You're going to get adrenal fatigue. Your hormones are going to be way out of wack. And if you an entrepreneur who wants to get shit done and shit done right, then this is going to be an issue. Schedule your days so that you can ensure you get the amount of sleep you need. Bottom line: Don't treat sleep as something you can bargain — it's non-negotiable.

Energy Tip #3: Time Block Your Schedule for Maximum Energy Flow

Do you ever start the day feeling super creative? Maybe like me, you have a podcast, and you feel as if you could record 10 podcast episodes in one sitting. Then do it! If you feel most creative in the mornings, then set aside 3 hours for podcast creation. Or maybe, mornings are the perfect time to complete administrative tasks so that you can wake yourself up. Whatever the case, take the time to understand the way your energy flows and time-block your day according to that schedule.

It really helps to time block tasks that are similar for maximum efficiency! For example, if I need to create podcasts for the week or for two weeks, I'm going to do that all in one day. And by keeping a steady schedule, you can maintain a strong energy. If I did one podcast now and another one tomorrow and the other one, that task is just dragged out. 

If you do this, unrelated tasks don't blend into each other, and each task has its place — including your morning ritual and bedtime. I know this can be hard at first, but if you keep at it, it will become natural. In the past, my husband has had to literally drag me into bed so that I can sleep (haha, thanks Pat), but now I can give myself a set stopping point. 

Look at your schedule and reprioritize it. When can you be doing things that require a certain amount of energy, and when can you do things that require a different amount of energy? Schedule them and time block them out. Take advantage of your energy cycle and time block your schedule for maximum efficiency!

Energy Tip #4: Make Yourself Happy

I have a question for you: Whose job is it to make you happy? It's not your spouse's job. It's not your friends' job. It's not your clients' results. It's not your parent's job. It's YOUR job. 

Are you making yourself happy? Are your prioritizing self-care? Because here's the thing — if we're not happy, how can we have high energy? How can we have an impact and be leaders in our community? And if we're not impacting the people that we need to impact and we're not leading in this world, how the hell do we expect that people are going to pay us? 

Successful businesses start with happiness. They start with your energy. So if you aren't doing things that make you happy, then your energy levels are going to be low. 

Here's what makes me happy: Going on a walk and listening to my favorite music. Jamming with my husband and dancing around the house. Traveling to different places and meeting new people. Getting my nails done (which I haven't done in forever). Working out, first thing in the morning. All these things bring me so much joy. They bring me energy. 

For you, it might look completely different! It might mean going to the movies, reading a novel before bedtime, or taking a spin cycle class! I want to encourage you to take the time today and ask yourself, "What makes me happy?" When's the last time you prioritized your happiness? When's the last time you took care of yourself? 

When you take the time to love yourself and do the things you love, you'll be amazed at how much your energy levels increase! When you're busy, I know it's hard to take time to do the things you love. It almost feels like you're procrastinating. But Tribe, listen. It's so important to prioritize your happiness. It not only improves your productivity but also makes life 100% more enjoyable. 

Energy Tip #5: Surround Yourself with Good People

Your environment influences your energy. If you're in a negative environment with highly critical and cynical people, then your energy levels will be low. But, if you surround yourself with good people, people who lift you up and help you be a better person, then your energy levels are going to increase. 

There are people who fill your soul up, and there are people who drain you. Whenever I look at Pat, my soul is so happy. And when he looks at me, it's the same feeling. Who in your life fuels your energy? Maybe it's a friend from your childhood, an old college roommate, a significant other, or your mastermind community! Once you identify who it is that fills your soul, now you can start prioritizing time with them!

If that person lives far away — it's no problem — because we're living in the 21st century, people! Schedule a Zoom hang or a phone call with that person! Start a group text with your tribe! It's as simple as that! 

Now, here's the second part: Who in your life is toxic? Who drains your energy and pulls you down instead of up? These people aren't always cynical coworkers or judgemental bosses — sometimes they are our friends and even our family members. Sometimes, people in our inner circle leak our energy. 

Get them out of your life. They don't belong there. You have to set boundaries with those people and say goodbye. Your time is way too precious to spend with people who steal your energy. Tribe, life is too short to spend time with people who pull you down. Spend your time with people who love you, support you, and challenge you to become better. These people will boost your energy like nothing else. 

My Challenge for You 

So, let's review: The five things you need to do in order to maximize your energy levels. 1) fuel your body with healthy food and exercise 2) get 7+ hours of sleep, 3) time block your schedule, 4) do things that you love, and 5) surround yourself with people who fill your soul up. Tribe, I promise you -- if you do all of these things, you'll be AMAZED at how much your productivity, happiness, and energy will skyrocket! 

I want to challenge you to choose one of these 5 things and prioritize it for this week. Just one! Don't feel like you have to tackle all 5 at once! There is nothing wrong with starting slow and building up from there. Maybe next week, you can choose one more, and the next week after that, another one. Soon enough, you'll be doing all 5!

Tribe, I hope this episode empowers you to make positive changes in your life so that you can increase your energy and make more of an impact as an entrepreneur. If you want some more help, please DM me on Instagram @thejennkennedy, and I'll be happy to give you more tools and encouragement! Also, please share with me on Instagram how YOU are implementing these 5 things so that I can celebrate you! 

Love you, Tribe! See you on Monday!