Recharging Your Battery
When it comes to checking-in on your mental health, there is this analogy about “recharging your battery” that I love to share because it is so relatable to our daily lives. Many of us are diligent about plugging in our electronics every night and some of us may even carry an extra battery pack just in case our battery gets low while we are out. If we take a moment to consider that we may be taking better care of our electronic batteries than our own “health batteries”, it may be time for a check-in.
What is your charge level right now? 10%, 30%, 50%, 90%? Are you in the red zone or the green zone? How does your body communicate when it is in the red zone? For some, this may look like insomnia, tension headaches, stress related GI symptoms, etc. What people, places, activities, or habits recharge your battery? Conversely, what things deplete your battery? If you think it would be helpful, take out a sheet of paper and write down what feels recharging to your life right now and what feels depleting to your life right now.
Another perspective that can be helpful to think through but may not be as obvious is the “net neutral” zone. Most of us can identify some habits in our daily life that are neither recharging nor depleting. The question is, are these things helpful to us? Additionally, it can be rather humbling to consider how much time we spend doing net neutral activities, when we could be engaging in activities that are actually recharging. If crashing on the couch and watching TV is your default activity after a long day (zero judgment), take a moment to reflect if this activity recharges your battery. Do you leave this activity feeling refreshed or energized? If you are at 90% charge, it may not be as necessary to prioritize self-care. However, if you are in the red zone and find yourself engaging in net neutral or even depleting activities, it may be time to consider the many research-based strategies that are shown to “recharge.”
I am often encouraging clients, and myself for that matter, to be mindful of where the battery level is and what self-care may be needed. I also find quick visual analogies such as “recharge your battery” to be particularly helpful especially when we can get wrapped up in the busy day-to-day pace of life. Next time you feel depleted, consider this analogy and see if you notice any helpful insights.
