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Are the dark days and cold weather starting to affect your desire to get things done? Don't despair! Check out my 7 simple ways to boost your energy and motivation during the winter months.

I’m a summer baby! So when winter hits, it’s easy for me to hit the pause button, snuggle up on the sofa and pine for the heat to return. However, this reaction also led me to some really dark places in my mindset and I struggled to get through the winter months.

Over the years, I’ve come a long way from being plagued by The January Blues and found natural ways to boost my energy levels and increase my motivation to continue to take steps towards my goals, despite the season change.

If you’re in need of a little ‘pick me up’ to stay on track with your goals, boost your energy levels and stay motivated over the coming months, check out the 7 easy tips below that I consciously implement at the beginning of every winter season.

7 Simple Ways to Boost Your Energy & Motivation this Winter

1. Boost your Energy By Starting your Day Earlier

If like me you live in the UK, winter is the time of year where you wake up in the dark, leave for work in the dark and return home in the dark!

When the days appear shorter, it’s easy to think you have less time to get things done. This can have a dramatic effect on your mindset.

I have found waking up at least 30 minutes earlier than I usually do helps get my mind ready for the day ahead. I may just lie in the bed and think. Sometimes I read a book. Or I might write in my journal. Whatever your morning routine may consist of, giving yourself an extra 30 minutes each morning is a great way to re-set your energy for the day ahead.

2. Stay Motivated by Setting One Important Task to Complete

Unlike summer, day light hours are severely limited during the winter months. So, if you usually have an abundant amount of actions on your daily to-do list, you need to be more focused at this time of year.

To keep the momentum of my motivation, I set myself one task to complete each day. This task must be focused on moving towards an intended goal. It also has to be easy enough for me to want to take action.

Setting myself one task, elevates the stress levels of having to ‘do all things’. It’s also a great motivator which allows an internal pat on the back when I complete the task. (Instead of the negative self-talk if I fail to complete 7 things on my daily to-do list!)

When it comes to winter daily planning for me, it’s all about consistency rather than quantity.

3. Get Outside to Improve Your Energy Levels

We all know the importance of Vitamin D for our overall health. And the best source of receiving it is from sunlight.

Living in the UK, sunlight is in short supply during November – February! So making an effort to get it when you can is a high priority.

Even if it’s for 20 minutes (and despite the cold), each day I ensure I either sit out in the sun or go for a brisk walk to get some sort of day rays on my face.

(I must also confess, when it’s too cold or wet to go outside, I take a high dose of Vitamin D in supplement form to help boost my intake!)

4. Change How You Move Your Body to Feel Energised

Whether you regularly work out or not, moving your body on a daily basis is a great way to boost your energy levels naturally.

During the winter months, I change my usual workout routine. For some reason, my motivation to jump out of bed and do strength training or a HITT session is not there!

So instead, I opt for daily yoga sessions during the dark mornings. This not only helps build my strength and flexibility, but also allows me time to be mindful and relax.

Yoga is a great way to ease into the morning, get your work out done and boost your energy to face the day.

5. Find Your Tribe to Keep You Motivated

When it’s cold and wet outside, I understand how easy it is to decline invitations to gathering or events. However, staying at home is a sure fire way to dull your motivation and energy source.

It’s important to make an effort to connect with other people who have the energy to motivate you, help work towards what you want to achieve or celebrate the person you are becoming.

Over the years, my reluctance to leave my house in the winter months has faded. Choosing the right people and events to spend my time has enabled me to battle through my feelings of seasonal isolation and make meaningful connections which has helped kept me sane!

6. Reduce Your Sugar Intake to Maintain Energy Levels

I have a sweet tooth. So I’m not judging you if you rolled your eyes at this one!

However, when I did my 30 Day No Sugar Challenge, I saw a considerable difference in my focus and overall energy levels.

With my naturally low mood during the winter months, actively reducing my sugar intake has enabled me to regulate my energy levels more successfully.

I’ve found the less sugar I have in my diet, the more control I have of my emotions. By not being hormonally influenced by the crash effect after a sugar boost, my energy stays balanced throughout the day and I am in a better mood.

And there’s an added bonus!

As I’m not working out in the same way I would during the summer months – reducing my sugar intake balances out my need to burn more calories to work it off.

7. Boost Your Motivation By Planning For Your Future

With the short days and long nights, it can be easy to get into ‘hibernation mode’. This is the state of mind when your goals are put on the back burner and your vision of the future is filled with Netflix binges.

Been there – done that!

However, using this time of the year to evaluate all aspects of your life and start making plans on what you want your future to look like can be a big motivator.

I love to use the slow pace of the season to start planning: what I want to achieve in the new year, personal growth goals I have and idea’s of how to go about it achieving them.

Not only does this give you motivation to look forward to the future, it also helps to prepare your transition into the new year.

After all you can’t have #NewYearNewMe if you have no idea of who you want to become.