As the new year unfolds, most of us have made resolutions in some areas of our lives to improve. As a recruiter, you might want to increase your billings or maybe work less or find time somehow to get to the gym to lose 10 pounds. How many of us make a commitment to ourselves and then stop the effort after a short time?? Have you already stopped? 

Today, it feels like we are going at a faster and faster pace but never seeming to get caught up. Many recruiters complain that they feel like they are on a perpetual tread mill and say they feel close to a complete burn out! They are working 10-12 hours a day but their energy is being drained more and more each week so that they have nothing left when they get home from work or on weekends. Fast food is the norm as we grab “fuel” instead of focusing on proper nutrition. Weight gain, insomnia and mental health issues are starting to creep up and the statistics are alarming on health related burn-out in the workplace.  How do we create lasting positive change in our work and lives this year?

So what if you could get off that tread mill, be more energetic, work less and get more done? Does this sound like a dream to you? Well it is actually very possible and I will tell you how to do it and improve your chances for increasing your billings and having more fun in our work as recruiters. I know it works because I have taught many recruiters to do it!! Believe it or not, success is all about small tweaks to your daily habits. Landing that big client actually occurs when you start changing habits, attitudes and actions. To change, you need to increase your energy so you will be able to keep up the daily effort until you have created a healthier habit.. Below are some great tips to increase you energy so you can start creating the healthy habits you need to be the best recruiter you can be:

1.      Food: As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, I have a ton of information on how good real nutrient dense food can dramatically improve our health and success. When you think of the fact that top athletes use nutrition to boost performance, why shouldn’t we as recruiters to do the same thing?   It doesn’t have to be radical or difficult either! Small, simple changes will make a huge difference. Some key points for energy to consider: 1. Protein: Eat a small amount of protein with meals especially in the morning helps to regulate your blood sugar so you don’t get energy crashes associated with sugary foods. Avoid (as much as possible!!) refined sugar during the day or replace it with natural sugars contained in fruit so you don’t get the sugar blues

2.      Hydration! –Believe it or not almost 2 thirds of Americans don’t drink enough fluids! Even 2% dehydration levels can dramatically affect our energy and productivity. Fatigue is one symptom of mild dehydration. Being hydrated is one of the best ways to increase your energy levels so grab a glass and head over to the water cooler regularly.. Did you know that over 60% of the North American populations are chronically dehydrated!! Aim for 6-8 glasses of filtered water each day between meals.

3.      Focus more on your Passion- We is energized by doing things we love that make us happy. If you spend some time each day working on the things that help achieve your dreams, you will have more energy. For example, it you love business development but spending too much time on the candidate sourcing side, try delegating more to a team-mate or hire a researcher so you can carve out more of time each day to talk to potential clients. Try to get buy in and support from your manager to focus on business development so you can keep helping your company in ways that inspire you as well.

4.      Take Energy Recharging Breaks- According to recent research, we have about 90 minutes of focused energy to complete a task in each of us and then we need to break and recharge for 5-10 minutes. Some ideas to your battery include standing up and doing exercise, , incorporating a power learning activity like spending 10 minutes to research how to do something or learn a few words of Spanish for an upcoming trip sharing a joke. Get away from the computer and try my desk exercises (free download on www.abcshealth2success.com) to keep energy flowing.

5.      Bring a joyful thought to mind. Enter the scene in your imagination with all your senses. Taste, touch, smell, sound, sight. Perhaps you feel different now. This meditation causes joy to be released neuropeptides. If you feel joy, every cell in your body responds positively. Our moods affect our body. Remember anger, depression and anxiety drain our energy and joy, happiness and excitement increase it!! If you have had a rough day and things are going wrong everywhere (who hasn’t!!), try this visualization and you can feel benefits in as little as 1 minute!!

6.      Practice gratitude- Sure some days just suck. The star candidate takes another job, the client is demanding, co-workers are difficult and things at home are stressful. Remember that stress and anxiety tenses muscles and depression leads to fatigue and other health issues. To get out of any slump, start focusing on the positive things even if you start with small things like “I am glad to be alive”. A great way to start your day is to  wake up and do a 1 minute gratitude exercise. Try it out tomorrow.  I do it every day and it makes a BIG difference.

If your energy remains chronically low, go see your doctor to Check your iron levels. Iron-deficiency anemia is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in North America. If your iron levels are low, your red blood cells can’t supply as much oxygen to the cells. The consequences of iron deficiency are fatigue, low energy, and difficulty in concentrating. The best food sources are red meats, organ meats, iron-fortified cereal products and whole-grain or enriched breads, dried fruits, green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, and blackstrap molasses.

Also, Check Thyroid function. A low functioning thyroid (Hypothyroid) can affect metabolism and energy levels. Thyroid function is improved with iodine rich foods like sea vegetables and selenium rich foods like brazil nuts.

Remember the below quotes when you feel stuck or need inspiration to stick to your 2016 resolutions for more health and success!!

“The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Socrates

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Have a great 2016!!!!