The content for this post is from Welltory’s article: What is the right way to restore energy? I’ll pull out a few things about creativity and conclude with a brief summary of the rest of the article.

Manage Stress and Fatigue with Creativity

The article mentions creativity as a possible solution for overstimulation, lack of motivation, and emotional exhaustion.

Are You Overstimulated?

Under the mental fatigue section of the article, they write that some studies found relaxing in a warm Epsom salt bath enhances creativity. (The magnesium salts will lower stress and have additional health benefits.)

Do You Lack Motivation?

Besides setting goals and other advice you’d expect, the post recommends finding value in what you do. They write “. . . factors like money or prestige are poor motivators for difficult cognitive tasks. Instead, people do better work when they can find ways to be creative and make each task their own.”  Look for solutions unique to you. What can you do differently?

Are You Emotionally Exhausted?

Meditation is mentioned in this section of the article.  Spend time with God to combat negative emotions.

Try hobbies, art, or talking with friends to bring back positive emotions. These re-activate the good-feeling areas of your brain.

Take Time for Your Hobbies

The article states: “Hobbies improve your outlook by promoting social engagement and improving your sense of identity. They can also promote a state that psychologists call ‘flow,’ a state of full immersion in an activity that’s strongly linked to happiness. . . drawing, crafts, and home repairs can activate the brain’s reward system and promote relaxation.”

Write, Vist an Art Museum, or Put on Your Favorite Playlist

Also, the article mentions, “the effects of art on the brain are still being studied. . . many types of artistic activity (music, writing, dance, and visual arts) affect your health positively. . .  more than 200 [medical studies suggest] expressive writing (e.g. journaling or fiction writing) [helped] at least some patients, and a recent review of quantitative studies shows that music can have a significant calming effect.”

How has creativity restored you? What do you do when you need to get into a creative mindset?

The Rest of the Article

Read the full article to glean lots of advice on how to avoid fatigue, manage stress, and restore your energy. Highlights are:

• How we expend energy.
• What depletes our energy reserves.
• Specific ways to recover different types of energy:
  • Physical
  • Emotional
  • Mental
  • Motivation

NOTES:

• I use the free version of the Welltory app to track my stress and energy levels. I use the app as a guideline, not as a medical device. I learned about the app through cardiologist Dr. John Day. He mentions it in his post: 5 Reasons Why You Need to Know Your Heart Rate Variability Number.
• Watercolor scene by Gustavo Leighton on Unsplash

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