Feeling weary beyond your years? As you reach mid- or late life, you’ve had several decades to accumulate ingrained behaviors and ways of thinking. And while familiarity can be comforting, it can also sap your energy. Trying something new or introducing elements of excitement, on the other hand, can restore youthful passion and vigor. If you’ve fallen into predictable patterns, try these tips to shake things up and feel years younger.
Novel activities engage you in life and even help time pass more quickly, rather than monotonously dragging on and draining you, according to a 2010 study in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy. Even small changes such as ordering a different drink at the coffee shop or taking a different route to work once or twice a week can help you break out of a life set on automatic pilot. Novelty boosts the “feel-good” brain chemical dopamine, noted a 2006 study in the journal Neuron. And triggering that reward center gives you a little thrill that stimulates and energizes you. It also keeps you coming back for more, increasing the likelihood that you’ll continue incorporating new things into your life to keep feeling revitalized.
To counteract an energy dip during your day, switch to a new task or change your environment by going for a quick walk (even if it’s just to the kitchen or a coworker’s cubicle to chat for a minute). Getting up from your chair has another advantage: Movement can get your blood flowing and increase energy all by itself (
86). Put a new spin on old habits by making creative adjustments: Handwrite a note instead of sending an email, order an unfamiliar dish at your favorite restaurant, rearrange a few pieces of furniture, or navigate your usual exercise route in reverse. For a bigger jolt of energy, pack several small new things into your day or tackle larger changes such as trying a new volunteer activity, learning a skill to earn a promotion or find a different job, or pursuing a budding friendship.
Monotony is an energy killer. In fact, a 2005 study in the Journal of Sleep Research found that monotony increases fatigue and, as a result, the time it takes you to complete a job, effectively prolonging the agony. While you can’t avoid dull responsibilities entirely, you can make even tedious tasks less tiring by injecting elements of fun into them. Household chores, repetitive work assignments, sitting in traffic, and even waiting on hold during a customer service call can feel like they’re taking years off your life. Not only does drudgery make you feel sluggish, it can affect your performance more than you may think. In a 2009 study in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, volunteers driving along a monotonous stretch of road rated their vigilance, or level of attention, as slightly improving over time even though objective measures of reaction time, brain waves, and heart rate indicated a steady decline. But finding creative ways to make unappealing circumstances more enjoyable can give you an unexpected charge, helping you stay alert, engaged, and full of youthful energy.
For example, do your most dreaded chores while talking on the phone to your best friend. If you have a competitive nature, make a game out of work tasks or turn them into a contest with a coworker. Create an upbeat playlist or download a new podcast to listen to on your commute, or embrace your inner kid and play the alphabet game, where you find successive letters of the alphabet on license plates, signs, and other passing objects (if you’re playing alone, try to beat your best time). Treat yourself to a favorite magazine or a back rub while waiting at the airport. Seeing even the mundane parts of life as opportunities for fun or reward—a characteristic of the young at heart—can keep them from dragging you down and reenergize you.