If you want to be successful but always feel low energy, say goodbye to these 5 daily habits

Success isn’t only about talent, opportunity, or ambition—it’s also about energy. You could have the clearest vision, the best strategy, and the right connections, but if you constantly feel drained, even the simplest tasks feel overwhelming.

The truth is: low energy isn’t always about genetics or luck. Often, it comes down to small daily habits that silently sap your vitality. Eliminate these habits, and you’ll be surprised at how much more focus, discipline, and motivation you’ll have to pursue success.

Here are five daily habits you must say goodbye to if you want more energy and a higher chance of success.

1. Constantly checking your phone the moment you wake up

Think about how you start your mornings. For many people, the first reflex is to grab their phone and scroll through emails, notifications, or social media. On the surface, it feels harmless. But neurologically, it’s one of the quickest ways to burn through your mental energy before the day even begins.

When you check your phone first thing, you’re essentially handing over your attention to other people’s priorities. Instead of slowly activating your brain, you flood it with dopamine spikes and micro-stressors—news headlines, messages, notifications—that leave you distracted and fatigued before breakfast.

Why it matters for success:
Successful people guard their mornings. They know the first hour sets the tone for the entire day. If you waste it on reactive scrolling, you’re already behind. Replace phone-checking with a ritual that restores energy—stretching, journaling, reading, or even five minutes of mindful breathing. That calm focus compounds into productivity throughout the day.

Practical shift: Try a “no phone before breakfast” rule. Keep your phone in another room overnight. Use an alarm clock instead. Reclaim your mornings as a launchpad, not a drain.

2. Relying on sugar and caffeine for quick boosts

A mid-morning latte, an afternoon energy drink, or a late-night snack loaded with sugar—these feel like energy saviors, but they often backfire.

The problem is the cycle: quick highs followed by steep crashes. Sugar spikes insulin, which leads to rapid drops in blood sugar. Caffeine overstimulates your nervous system, which disrupts sleep and creates dependency. You feel temporarily awake, but within an hour or two you’re more sluggish than before.

Why it matters for success:
Sustained energy is the foundation of sustained success. Leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives need consistent focus, not rollercoaster peaks and valleys. If your brain is constantly swinging between wired and exhausted, you won’t be able to think strategically or follow through with discipline.

Practical shift: Instead of reaching for sugar or coffee as a default, build an energy-friendly diet:

• Start the day with protein and healthy fats (eggs, nuts, avocado) instead of carbs.

• Drink water before caffeine. Hydration is often mistaken for fatigue.

• Cap caffeine before noon to protect deep sleep.

• Replace energy drinks with herbal teas or sparkling water for refreshment without the crash.

3. Saying “yes” to everything and everyone

Every time you say “yes” to something unimportant, you’re saying “no” to your own priorities. And nothing drains energy faster than a life packed with commitments that don’t actually matter to you.

Many people feel guilty turning things down—whether it’s a colleague asking for “just a quick favor,” a friend suggesting another night out, or a project that sounds good but doesn’t align with their long-term vision. The result? Overload, resentment, and exhaustion.

Why it matters for success:
Energy is not just physical—it’s also mental and emotional. Success requires focus, and focus means learning the power of a strategic “no.” Without boundaries, your best energy leaks into other people’s agendas, leaving little left for your own growth.

Practical shift:

• Pause before agreeing to anything. Ask: “Does this align with my top priorities?”

• Learn polite but firm ways to decline: “Thanks for thinking of me, but I don’t have the bandwidth right now.”

• Block time in your calendar for deep work and rest—then defend it as if it were an important meeting.

When you guard your time, you guard your energy.

4. Skipping movement and treating exercise as optional

Many people think of exercise only in terms of weight loss or physical appearance. But its real power lies in energy. Regular movement—whether it’s walking, stretching, yoga, or running—increases blood flow, improves oxygen supply to the brain, and stabilizes mood through endorphins.

When you skip exercise, your body literally slows down. Muscles stiffen, posture weakens, blood circulation stagnates. You may not notice it immediately, but day after day, the fatigue compounds.

Why it matters for success:
High performers across industries—from CEOs to athletes—treat movement as a non-negotiable. They know exercise isn’t about burning calories—it’s about generating energy and mental clarity. If you want to consistently show up with focus and drive, you can’t afford a sedentary lifestyle.

Practical shift:

• You don’t need a 90-minute gym session. Start with 20 minutes of brisk walking or bodyweight exercises daily.

• Use “movement snacks”: stretch after long calls, take stairs instead of elevators, or do squats while the coffee brews.

• Treat exercise as fuel, not punishment. Remind yourself: “I move to create energy.”

5. Ignoring sleep and pushing through exhaustion

In today’s hustle culture, sleep is often framed as optional—a luxury for those who aren’t “serious” about success. But the science is clear: lack of sleep destroys productivity, creativity, memory, and emotional stability.

When you skimp on rest, your body doesn’t fully recover. Cortisol levels rise, leaving you anxious and irritable. Decision-making weakens. Motivation plummets. Worst of all, sleep debt compounds—so missing hours nightly doesn’t just hurt you the next day, but builds into chronic fatigue.

Why it matters for success:
Success isn’t about working more hours—it’s about making better decisions with the hours you have. Some of history’s most effective leaders, thinkers, and creators prioritized rest. They understood that a clear, rested mind outperforms an exhausted one.

Practical shift:

• Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep. Track it if needed.

• Create a “shutdown ritual”: dim lights, turn off screens an hour before bed, and do something calming (reading, journaling, stretching).

• Keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends, to stabilize your circadian rhythm.

• Treat sleep as part of your strategy for success—not an obstacle to it.

Final thoughts

If you want to be successful but always feel low energy, don’t start with exotic supplements, expensive biohacks, or miracle routines. Start with subtraction.

• Stop checking your phone first thing in the morning.

• Stop relying on sugar and caffeine to prop you up.

• Stop saying yes to things that drain you.

• Stop skipping movement.

• Stop sacrificing sleep.

Remove these habits, and you’ll naturally reclaim energy. With more energy, you’ll have more discipline. With more discipline, you’ll have more success.

Because success isn’t just about doing more—it’s about having the strength, focus, and vitality to do what matters most.
For more insights on simplifying your life and sharpening your focus, check out Why I wear the same outfit almost every day on The Considered Man.