Why do I feel like I’m constantly running, even when I’m standing still? 

If that thought’s ever crossed your mind, you’re not alone. Most high-achieving women I coach tell me some version of this story: “My life is good, I’m grateful, but I’m exhausted.” 

Here’s the truth: you don’t need another holiday, coffee, or productivity hack. You need to understand what’s happening inside your brain and body and how to restore energy in a way that actually lasts.

In this article, we’ll explore the neuroscience of energy and give you three practical steps to help you reclaim your spark and feel in flow again. 

The Real Reason You Feel Depleted

Your brain is constantly scanning for threat and safety. When your to-do list is overflowing and your nervous system never fully switches off, your body stays in a mild stress response called chronic sympathetic activation. 

That means adrenaline and cortisol trickle through your system all day. Great for short bursts of focus; terrible for sustained energy. Over time, it leaves you feeling wired and tired, mentally busy but emotionally drained.

The other culprit is decision fatigue. Neuroscience tells us the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for focus, planning, and self-control, has a limited fuel supply. Every time you make a decision - what to cook, what to wear, how to respond to that email - you use up energy.

So it’s not that you’re doing something wrong. It’s that your brain is trying to run a marathon at sprint pace.

The Energy Equation: Outflow vs Inflow

Think of your energy like a bank account. Every task, conversation, or emotional demand is a withdrawal. The things that restore you — movement, connection, rest, creativity — are deposits. 

Many women spend years over-withdrawing and under-depositing.

The result? Overdraft mode.

Energy mastery isn’t about doing less. It’s about spending energy intentionally and replenishing it consciously. 

Step 1: Identify Your Biggest Energy Leaks

Grab a notebook and divide a page into two columns: Energy Out and Energy In. 

Under Energy Out, write everything that drains you - from people to tasks to thought patterns.

Under Energy In, list what genuinely restores you.

Now look for imbalance.

Are you saying yes to too many withdrawals?

Are your deposits happening by accident instead of by design?

Awareness is the first step to change. Neuroscience calls this metacognition - the ability to step back and notice your thoughts and behaviours. The moment you become aware, your prefrontal cortex re-engages, giving you back control.

Step 2: Refuel Through the Six Human Needs

Tony Robbins’ Six Human Needs framework maps beautifully onto energy science. Each need, when unmet, drains energy; when fulfilled, replenishes it.

• Certainty: Routines and structure calm the nervous system.

• Variety: Novelty releases dopamine, your motivation chemical.

• Significance: Feeling valued boosts serotonin and self-worth.

• Connection: Oxytocin from meaningful relationships restores emotional energy.

• Growth: Learning and stretching yourself activate the reward pathways of the brain.

• Contribution: Giving or helping others creates fulfilment, one of the most powerful energy returns.

Scan your week and ask: Which of these needs aren’t being met right now? 

Small tweaks make a big difference.

Step 3: Protect Your Recharge Time Like It’s Sacred

Your brain’s energy stores replenish during moments of true rest, not scrolling, not half-watching Netflix while replying to messages.

You don’t need hours; you need intentional pauses. 

Try this:

• A 10-minute walk without your phone between meetings

• A few deep breaths before you open your laptop

• A “no-talk” cup of tea after work before switching into family mode

• One evening a week that’s just yours — no plans, no guilt

 When you regularly downshift your nervous system, your brain moves from beta (busy thinking) to alpha (creative flow). That’s where your clarity, intuition, and ideas live.

A Quick Energy Reframe

You don’t need to earn rest.

You need to honour it.

Energy isn’t something you find - it’s something you create through conscious choices.

Every time you say yes or no, you’re shaping how your brain and body spend their limited resources.

The more you align your energy with what truly matters, the more alive you feel, not because you’re doing more, but because you’re finally in flow again.

Your Next Step

Take five minutes today to complete your own Energy Audit. 

What’s one thing you could stop doing, and one small thing you could start doing, that would refill your energy bank this week?