Whats draining your energy

Dear Aditya,

Imagine you're a battery with a finite amount of charge each day. You wake up with a full battery, ready to take on the world. But as the day progresses, different things start to drain your energy, some are small, barely noticeable, while others take a bigger toll. By the end of the day, you might find yourself completely drained, even if you haven't done anything physically strenuous. What happened?

Let's talk about something that subtly, yet profoundly, impacts every aspect of our lives: energy drains. It's not just the physical tiredness that we feel after a long day, but those other, less obvious, drains that chip away at our vitality, mental, emotional, and social.

Research from NIMHANS in Bangalore indicates that mental fatigue, often caused by decision-making overload and constant social interaction, can be as draining as physical exertion.

A few years ago, Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like an Artist, introduced the idea of a "Vampire Test" to help us identify what (or who) drains our energy. The test is simple: after spending time with someone or doing something, do you feel more energized or drained? If it's the latter, it's a sign that you might need to reconsider how much time and energy you're giving to that person or activity.

Once upon a time, in a small village, there was a farmer who worked on his farm, but despite all his hard work, his crops wouldn't grow. One day, a wise old man passed through and saw the farmer's struggle. He asked, "What do you think is draining your energy?" The farmer realized that every day, before starting his work, he spent hours worrying about whether the crops would grow. The wise man told him, "Your worries are like a field of weeds, they're draining the energy that should go to your crops." From that day on, the farmer decided to focus on his work instead of his worries, and soon enough, his crops flourished.

Now, here are a few simple questions to help you start thinking about your own energy drains:
What activities or people consistently leave you feeling drained?
When during the day do you feel most energized, and how can you align your tasks to match that energy?
Are there any small changes you can make to reduce mental fatigue, like making decisions the night before or simplifying your daily routine?

I hope this letter inspires you to take a closer look at the hidden drains in your life and to make choices that protect and renew your energy. Remember, it's okay to step back, reassess, and protect your energy, because, at the end of the day, it's one of your most valuable resources.

Stay energized, stay mindful.

In fratitude,
adi