How to have energy in an exhausting world. It had me at “hello”. If you have been a long-term follower of the personal development book club, you will know how multifaceted the topics are. Life is not siloed, and health and wellbeing are a massive element of creating balance. So, I was personally and professionally intrigued to read Pace Yourself* by Amy Arthur. . It’s a highly educational book; you may notice a few of the previously reviewed books mentioned, too*, so it feels like it belongs in this personal development library.
The causes of life-altering fatigue can vary and may be temporary or permanent. From sleep deprivation from a newborn to a chronic condition, what the book emphasises is the importance of energy for our quality of life; in fact, in the 1998 WHO quality of life assessment, energy levels were covered.
Promoted as a “radical blueprint for a new way of living,” it has been written by award-winning writer and science journalist Amy Arthur. It “offers a powerful lifeline to anyone struggling with stress, burnout, medical exhaustion or fatigue.” Arthur draws on her personal experience of ME/CFS and a tool called Pacing, which has helped her and many others recover after becoming bedbound. She has integrated this pacing approach into her life ever since and is passionate about sharing it and its rationale as widely as she can.
The approach she describes is based on teleoanticipation; the way that the brain anticipates the end of exercise to ensure sufficient energy is left to get us there. Pacing is an energy management technique that balances energy and rest and aims to avoid the “boom and bust” that often occurs in life.
It includes the important elements of a paced life: sleep, rest, and food. Arthur makes sure we understand the energy we hold as human beings, before we start to create a new pace. The first half of the book encourages us to track our emotional, mental, and physical energy, to understand what we need, so we can “stop before you are made to.” The data is collected via a pacing diary; the second half of the book then helps us create a plan to protect and generate energy across the three interconnected energy pathways.
The book is split into three parts: Define, Assess, Design. It’s not something to sit and read quickly; it’s a manual that should be dipped in and out of over several weeks. It’s practical, friendly, and easy to read; for those reading it with a chronic condition, I imagine it feels reassuring, honest, and hopeful.
So, in true Clara Cliff Notes Style, what are the five things you need to know from Pace Yourself?*
- It’s hard to define emotions
There isn’t a universal understanding of emotions; Amy Arthur draws on the neuroscientific understanding, which links emotions to our nervous system and how arousing they are. For example, low-arousing emotions tend to lead to a more relaxed nervous system (e.g., peace, boredom), whereas high-arousing emotions are things like joy or anger. However, what is clear is that not being able to express our emotions (such as suppression through masking or work), whatever they are, is exhausting.
- Why “thinking” tires us out
When you have a new experience, a busy day at work, or a change, you may finish the day drained, even if you haven’t moved much physically. Even on an average day, we are managing thousands of thoughts. This mental or cognitive tiredness can show up in several ways, including decision fatigue, and is again explained by neuroscientists. It’s believed that without the mental rest that is needed, a buildup of a waste neurotransmitter disrupts how your brain functions. Again, showing the importance of mental rest (which can include flow, mindwandering, play or mindfulness.)
- How boom and bust show up everywhere
In the “Eating for Energy” chapter, it’s clear how low energy can often lead to a cycle of food choices that doesn’t support overall energy levels. That even a 1% change can help or hinder. It’s stressed that simply increasing your hydration can help; even 1.3% dehydration can lead to reduced concentration, headaches, and mood changes.
- Insomnia is not what you think
I am a fan of sleep. I talk about it A LOT. But I hadn’t realised how widespread sleep issues are (1/3 of people across the world have issues sleeping), and that the definition of chronic insomnia is trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep for three nights every week. Furthermore, ideally, people should be falling asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed. Something to consider if that is happening to you.
- New ways to set goals
As a coach, I consistently read and reflect on the best ways to set goals. In Pace Yourself, it’s suggested that you streamline your goals using “Mastery” or “Performance” as an aim. Performance tends to have an end point, whilst mastery is ongoing, but progressive. What I love about this approach is that it gives permission to do things because it brings you energy, or has small, steady improvements, rather than the rush to completion that other goal-setting encourages.
The aim by the end of the book is to have created your “requisite amount”; a pace of life and energy management that is stable enough for you to build it up to meet your goals, and to drop it back should the need arise. It covers all elements of life, both essential, regular and fun, and leaves the reader feeling hopeful and confident in their abilities. It challenges societal pressures around success and business and enables you to confidently craft a pace of life that works for what you need: to be healthy, have fun, and be fulfilled.
I’ll leave you with a quote that I think everyone needs to remember:
“Your energy is yours to use and enjoy”. Pg 252
If you liked this, you may also enjoy*
A manual for being human by Sophie Mort
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
The Book of Boundaries by Melissa Urban
Happiness by Design by Paul Dolan
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
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*This is an affiliate link. If you click through and purchase, I may get a small commission.
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
