It’s essential to protect your energy. This lesson has taken me years to learn, and it’s still a work in progress. Lately, I’ve been feeling exhausted and have to examine what is causing this. Where is all my energy going?
Have you ever felt drained after being around other people? Do you feel like your energy seems to leave your body and head straight for them? When you feel this way, do you try to find an excuse to leave the room? Most of us have been there at one time or another, but the good news is, it’s not always your fault.
Below, I’ll share 7 ways you can protect your energy from others. Hopefully, one of them will be helpful for you in this process!
- Surround yourself with positive, happy, kind, and compassionate people
- Learn to say “No”
- Step away from energy vampires to protect your energy
- Take time for yourself every day
- Stop over-explaining yourself
- Don’t expect others to think like you
- Stop trying to please other people
- My final advice to protect your energy
Surround yourself with positive, happy, kind, and compassionate people
Let’s be clear – I’m not talking about toxic positivity. I’m talking about genuine people who have caring and honest hearts.
These people will help you grow and develop as a person. They will be your cheerleaders, your critics, and your friends. Surrounding yourself with positive people is key to happiness, confidence, and success.
I am not suggesting that you refrain from negative people entirely or only hang out with those who make you feel good about yourself. I am saying we need to spend more time with those who lift us instead of those who tear us down.
The reason why it’s essential to surround yourself with positive people is that they don’t judge you if you fail or fail at something. They don’t criticize or make fun of you when things don’t go right for them, either! Instead, they encourage each other to do better next time and be better versions of themselves!
If we keep hanging out with negative people who put us down all the time (or themselves), we will start believing their words instead of the voice in our head telling us what we can achieve and deserve in life!
Learn to say “No”
Saying “no” is a tough habit to break. It’s much easier to say “yes” to someone else’s request for your time, energy, or money. But you’ll need to learn this skill to protect your energy and preserve your health.
Learn to say “no” when necessary. Saying “no” doesn’t make you a bad person; it just means that you have the wisdom not to accept every opportunity that comes your way. Say “yes” only when the opportunity makes sense for you and others involved in the decision-making process. Only take it on if it benefits everyone involved. You’ll be happier in the long run!
Saying no to someone who asks you for help, advice, or favor is one of the hardest things you will ever do. But it is necessary because you need to protect your energy to continue giving to others.
The second step is understanding that saying no doesn’t mean you don’t care about another person. It simply means that you must take care of yourself before you can care for others. The more energy we give away, the less we have left for ourselves.
The third step is learning how to set boundaries with other people. Boundaries are about being clear about what we want and need from other people — and what we don’t want or need from them! Setting boundaries allows us to feel safe in our relationships without giving up everything just so that others will like or approve of us.
Step away from energy vampires to protect your energy
Energy is a precious resource. It’s easy to waste, but it’s also easy to protect.
Do you have any energy vampires in your life?
Energy vampires are people who sap your enthusiasm and energy. They’re the ones who always need help or advice, and they never seem to reciprocate. They’re draining and exhausting, but it’s hard to tell them so because they typically don’t mean any harm.
You know what I’m talking about — that friend who always needs help moving, the family member who needs someone to listen to their problems, the colleague who constantly needs something from you. They’re not bad people. They suck your energy!
I’ve been guilty of being an energy vampire myself at times, especially with my closest friends and family members (who probably deserve a lot of credit for putting up with me). Nevertheless, I’ve learned to recognize when I’m acting like one and to stop myself from doing so.
It doesn’t mean you don’t keep them in your life. It means you set boundaries, recognize when to protect your energy, and step back.
Take time for yourself every day
Like most people, taking time for yourself can be stressful. You might worry that taking time away from what you’re doing will get worse or not get done at all.
But it would help if you took time to recharge to ensure your stress levels stay high. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s time to take a break.
Here are some ideas for how to make sure you’re taking care of yourself:
Find a quiet place where you can relax and unwind. This can be a room in your home or even just an area of your office where no one else goes during the day. Make sure there’s no noise from other rooms, phones ringing, or anything else that might distract you from getting the peace and quiet you need.
Use 20 minutes a day to slow down and relax (more if you can spare it) – whether it’s late morning or late afternoon when everyone else is gone – before returning to work or other responsibilities.
Stop over-explaining yourself
If you’ve ever worked with someone who over-explains things, you know the feeling. It’s like they’re constantly telling you why they’re telling you something—and then tell you how it might affect you. And then telling you what they think will happen if everything goes according to plan.
Do you know the person who does this? Yeah, that’s me sometimes. I once had to stop myself from saying, “So basically…” when explaining something. I’m not sure why I did that — maybe because it’s an easy way to get our point across or because we assume the other person is not as smart as us — but it doesn’t help anyone.
You can protect your energy if you stop doing this.
I struggle with this immensely. It is always necessary for me to give an explanation or a reason, but I don’t have to do this all the time.
It’s not uncommon for people to over-explain themselves. They’ve just met someone new and need to explain why they’re there, what they do, who they know, and more.
People are often afraid of silence. They’ll do anything to fill it. But silence is not a void to be filled but to be experienced.
When someone asks you a question, wait to answer. Give yourself some time to think about your response. If you’re unsure of the answer, say so — then take more time to think about it.
Don’t expect others to think like you
Refrain from expecting others to think like you. People are different and have different styles of thinking. Assuming everyone thinks like you, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Trust me; I’ve been there many times.
Don’t take it personally when people disagree with you or challenge your ideas or opinions. If people question what you say or do, they probably care about the issue and want it done well.
Don’t assume that people disagree with your ideas or opinions are stupid or mean-spirited. They may have different experiences than yours and see things differently because of that experience.
Don’t assume that others know what they want until they tell you in their own words. Sometimes we make assumptions based on how other people react to us or what is happening around us without knowing if those assumptions are correct (and without asking).
Stop trying to please other people
The desire to please others is a big problem for many people. The more you try to please others, the more dissatisfied you become with yourself. It’s a vicious cycle that leads to burnout.
Stop asking what they want, and start asking what you want.
Stop doing things because they make you feel good at the moment. (And start doing more things that make you feel good long-term.)
Stop letting people tell you how to live your life.
Stop letting people tell you who you are and what your value is.
Stop waiting for the perfect moment or opportunity. Instead of waiting for it, go out and create it for yourself.
My final advice to protect your energy
Energy is vital to success. We have so much to do and so little time. We only have so much energy. Protect your energy with this list of tips so you focus on what is most important.