7 Tips to Manage Your Energy as an Introvert or HSP

Our energy is a constant source of consideration for we introverts and highly sensitive peeps. Unlike extroverts, a coffee catch-up with a friend, dinner party or even office meeting, requires serious energetic consideration for us.

We regularly need to check-in and make sure that our social battery isn’t at 2%, ready to power off at any second.

And the thing is, you don’t want to be constantly worrying about your battery running low. Or stopping yourself for showing up for experiences that you really care about, because you’re unsure what your energy is going to look like tomorrow or next week.

It’s not about managing your calendar, and how much stuff you’ve got on. It’s about manging your energy in the day-to-day and, learning where you’re leaking energy (without even realising it) and things you can do to boost you up (that aren’t having a bath and reading).

So, here are 7 tips for managing your energy as an introvert or HSP.

1. Stop doom scrolling

The world is a shit show at the moment. Let’s be honest. There are wealth discrepancies, injustice, global inequality, natural disaster and so much more. And the media likes to remind of this stuff on a daily basis.

Social media is a huge culprit for this. Even fallen down a TikTik or Instagram rabbit hole, looked up and realised an hour has passed? And how many of those times did you come out of it feeling better than you did going in? How many times have you come out of that I hour downward spiral and felt more energised?

If you’re highly sensitive, it’s easy to get swept up in that energy. You feel deeply for the injustice experienced by others. You don’t get watch a charity campaign video, and see children starving and think: “that’s so sad” but forget about it 10 minutes later. You hold onto that. You feel it deeply. And that’s beautiful and powerful. But it can also be overwhelming when you’re subjected to that 10+ times a day. And because you care so deeply, you can’t disengage. But then you feel exhausted and frustrated because you’re feeling all of this stuff and hurting, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You can’t change it.

But if you can’t change it, then you have to remove yourself from it. Even if it feels selfish. Even if it feels heartless. You have to put your own Oxygen mask, before helping anyone else.

2. Slooooooow doooooown first thing

The energy you start your day with is the energy you take into the rest of it. It’s tempting to stay in bed a bit longer, or hit the ‘snooze’ button on your alarm multiple times just to get in those extra 40 winks.

But actually, giving yourself more time in the morning will help you manage your energy better throughout the day. The morning; when everyone else is asleep, is the time to cultivate that much-need solitude and quiet that your introverted soul can’t get at work.

Give your morning an opportunity for peace and silence. Remember, that’s how we introverts, re-build. And snoozing your alarm multiple times means that your body is regularly being forced out of rest and relaxation into a state of fight or flight.

Avoid the morning "I've-snoozed-my-alarm-then-scrolled-for-half-an-hour-on-Tiktok-and-depleted-my-social-battery-by-9am" energy by downloading my Powerful Pick-Me-Up meditation. It's just 5 minutes, and will set you up for an energised and exciting day. Click here to get it.

3. Say 'No' with 'Yes' energy

Boundaries can be tough to navigate. The phrase I here most often from my clients is: “I need to have better boundaries.” And of course, we all do.

But the main reason why people struggle to create boundaries, is because they feel on some level that they’re being selfish or mean. Saying ‘no’ feels aggressive, and goes against their value of being of service to others.

Saying ‘no’ with ‘yes’ energy means you’re approaching the boundary with the openness and kindness that comes with saying ‘yes’. But you’re not actually saying ‘yes’ e.g. “I’m going to gracefully decline your offer of an invite to your party”. Or “I think my energy is better served over here. Rather than over there. Thank you.”

4. Lead from your values

We introverts are a valued bunch. As in, our values are incredibly important to us. But in the busy demands of the day it’s natural to let them slide. When things feel difficult; or you’re trying to hit a deadline, complete a task, or work with others etc. you’re more likely to compromise on the values that you would ordinarily like to adhere to.

But actually, things feel so much easier when you act in alignment with those values. You’re more likely to experience flow in your work, or fortuitous opportunity when you act in alignment with your values; when you lead from your heart.

The natural tendency to compromise in difficult situations because you think it will make life easier, may have short-term results. But over time, that will start to affect your energy and make things so much harder than it would if you’d just lead from the heart.

5. Be honest

Don’t be ashamed of telling people what you really need. Be really clear with others about what those energetic needs are. So that you don’t find yourself getting frustrated and irritable when others are asking more from you.

All too often introverts will shrug it off by saying “they wouldn’t understand”. But rally, if you’re not even giving them that opportunity to try and understand then you’re the one hurting yourself. And yes, they may not understand your need to just cocoon or e in silence for a while. But if you’re clear in your communication about what you need and why you need it, then even if they can’t understand it, they can still accept it.

6. Take off the extroverted mask

Have you ever had someone say: “there’s no way you’re an introvert” because you play the part just so damn well? So many introverts are hiding behind a mask of extroversion, or faking it (sometimes without even realising it) because that’s how you thrive and make it work in a world built for extroverts. Right? It might have even become a subconscious coping mechanism.

As an INFJ, with my outgoing and person-focused nature, I’m regularly taken for an extrovert. In fact, my introversion was only a really recent personal discovery. And for years I was operating in extroverted spaces, feeling exhausted and burned out regularly, because I wasn’t managing my energy as an introvert.

I was surrounding myself with people and things, as if I got my energy from outside of myself, rather than within. And I wondered why I was exhausted all the time!

So, if you know that you have a tendency, to get overstimulated, you may be wearing this extroverted mask. And I invite you, to take it off. Lean into your energetic needs and don’t feel pressured to fake extroversion in order to get by.

7. Do more of what you love

Sometimes you might feel overly tired and exhausted and assume it’s because you’re doing too much. The natural instinct is to take something off your ‘to do’ list. But maybe it’s not a matter of doing too much. Maybe it’s a matter of doing too little. Doing too little of the things that light you up, fill your soul and bring you fulfilment.

You need to know where you're leaking valuable energy in the day-to-day, so that you can plug those unnecessary holes and approach life with the best of you, rather than the rest of you. And I have the thing for you! My free guide Introvert Power Save Mode: 4 Ways to Hold Onto Your Energy in a World Built for Extroverts

This free workbook that breaks down exactly where you’re expending unnecessary, and unhelpful energy, and actionable steps to take to live in alignment with your energetic blueprint. Download your free copy here.

Keep kicking as and taking names from the comfort of your sofa!

Jx