Running on Empty

Hey hey,

Quick question for you to start off this week:

When was the last time you charged your phone?

If I had to guess, I bet you woke up this morning to see your phone battery at 100%.

Now how about your laptop? Again, I’d probably guess the same answer as before.

But why is this?

Well for starters, many of us (me included) simply have a habit of plugging in our devices before we go to bed. It’s just second nature at this point. You wouldn’t want to spend the next day with your phone running on 50% charge, now would you?

Here’s the thing. We’ll always go the extra mile to make sure our important devices stay charged. Many people will freak out and become filled with anxiety when their phone battery drops below 20 or 30%. Phone, laptop, headphones... they’re all important to us, right? We use them everyday.

But there’s another important device we don’t treat the same: Yourself.

Just think about it. Why is it that you’ll make sure your phone and laptop are charged before yourself? Sure, the charge on your tech devices are important. But wouldn’t you say your own charge is more important? It’s arguably the most important thing you have.

And yet, we don’t treat it that way.

You’ll make sure your phone is plugged in before getting a measly five hours of sleep.

You’ll plug in your laptop while working at a desk all day, not even bothering to walk around and get some much needed sunlight.

You’ll play video games with a fully charged controller, all while stuffing your face with junk food and sugary treats.

Now if it’s every once in a while, these things aren’t going to kill you. But the problem is, most people live their entire lives like this.

People often treat their material objects better than they treat themselves.

And that’s just not the way to live.

We know our phone and laptop and car and Xbox are all temporary. They eventually die and have to be replaced. Maybe that’s why we make such an effort to take good care of them.

But aren’t we also temporary? Won’t we eventually turn old and grey and pass away just like the things we own?

Here’s the truth. It’s hard to live your best life when you’re running on a half charged battery.

The food you eat, the sleep you get, the exercise you do, the sunlight you receive. It all directly contributes to your mental and physical health. It all directly contributes to the charge in your own battery.

So make sure to take good care of the most important thing in your life... you.

How can you do this?

• Get sunlight... Every. Single. Day.

• Eat a healthy diet and avoid processed foods as much as possible

• Take care of your mind and keep it sharp (meditate, exercise, do mental puzzles, etc.)

• Get enough sleep each night (this varies from person to person, but aim for 7-8 hours)

• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day (walking, lifting weights, playing sports, running, etc.)

Now, I’m no doctor. I’m not going to sit here and say one thing works better than everything else.

You know yourself better than anyone.

Only you can decide what it takes to fully charge your battery every day.

All I know is your mind and body are completely temporary. Just like your phone, you should want to do everything you can to maximize its longevity. And the best way I know is to treat it well.

You can’t perform your best, have the most fun, make the most memories, live fulfilled, make the most of your days, or achieve your goals consistently running on empty.

So the next time you go to charge your phone, ask yourself if you’re treating yourself the same way.

Never stop dreaming,

Connor