There’s this concept that one of my yoga teachers talks about: the idea of saving your energy. What I mean by that is, you know that moment, right after everyone in yoga does a partner exercise, and a burst of chatter and laughter takes over the room? Or, if not yoga, perhaps the moment right after you finish a run, or a swim, or any other kind of physical challenge? That moment is pure energy.

Seriously. In my yoga class, our teacher often has to ring a bell to get our attention after one of these energy-blasting moments. That’s how jazzed we all feel. Smiling. Chatting. Being loud as heck. Basically, we revert to being a class full of wild child three year olds for about 3 minutes, until our teacher reminds us to SAVE OUR ENERGY.

At the moment you accomplish something (often a physical effort), your brain releases a rush of happy chemicals. You feel INCREDIBLE. You’re instantaneously more extroverted and ready to gab. You can feel the energy rush through your limbs like electricity.

You have a choice then: either let all that energy out by some means of release…OR, hold it inside, like a hot little ball of inferno, fully charged and ready to explode.

Of course, saving your energy is not easy. But if you can hold onto that energized feeling and direct it inwards, you can use that energy for another challenge. In yoga, I hold onto my energy by staying silent and focused. Then my next arm balance or handstand is so much easier, because I have that charge stored up in my muscles, ready to go.

The same principle applies to creative energy. You know that moment when you have a creative breakthrough, and you want to hop on twitter and gab gab gab? Or message a friend? Or text someone? Next time, try resisting that urge. Hold onto your energy. Feel the pressure of it in your chest, filling you up. Stay focused, and move forward with your work. You will delve deeper. You will roll through to another eureka. Or in the very least, the next challenge you face will be that much easier.

Save your energy, friends. Put it to work for YOU. Happy writing, all!