Having more energy—and the resulting clearer mind, better decision-making, and improved memory—may seem like a fleeting, hard-to-reach goal only for people with time on their hands. What if it came from focusing on simple pleasures and applying a few principles?

I’m always astonished how nothing quite beats fresh fruit in season or a bike ride through the woods—when I bother to be really present and in the moment. If I take one lesson from the Covid confinement era, it’s a return to simplicity and finding joy in everyday moments with people I love.

So, what does this have to do with having more energy?

Simple Pleasures: A Way to Have More Energy

I may be the queen of the lengthy morning routine and obsessed with the latest biohacking techniques, and yet, ultimately, I follow the Simple Pleasures Rule. It’s about paring away what drains my energy and focusing on what gives me the most punch.

I apply the rule to everything. I’m always asking: “How simple it this?—I didn’t say easy—and “How much do I get out of it?” The latter could take the form of delayed gratification, overall life satisfaction, fulfilment of doing something for someone else, contribution to a larger goal, etc.

This is the basis of the everyday biohacking I practice: simple pleasures as a rule and applying the key principles listed below.

The Principle of Minimum effort

Our brain has two key objectives: ensuring our survival and expending the least amount of energy possible. You can use this to your advantage, finding hacks that provide maximum impact with minimum effort. It’s like the Pareto Principle, which states that around 80% of the effects come from 20% of causes—biohacking will focus on the 20% that have the greatest effect. That’s the simple part of the pleasures.

The Principle of Kryptonite Reduction

The idea is to examine your ecosystem—body, mind, and environment. You are looking for your kryptonite—whatever saps your energy like kryptonite drained Superman's power. You also want to identify what gives you energy, your sun. Reduce the former. Increase the latter. The same principle goes for everyone, while the art of applying it to your life is all yours.

The Principle of the Individual in an Ecosystem

We are all influenced by both our external environment (light, air quality, household and beauty products, as well as our relationships) and our internal environment (our genetics, our microbiome—impacted by what we eat—and also our emotions, thoughts, and aspirations). This means we are all perfectly unique, one of a kind—and what works for me will not necessarily work for you.

The Principle of Experimentation and Personal Choice

Personal experimentation is key. In the end, you know best what is best for your body, your mind, and your environment. We all have an instant feedback system. We just need to listen to it more.

And there you have the basis of everyday biohacking: follow your simple pleasures.

Leverage Points to Have More Energy

There are three areas we can leverage to have more energy:

The body, through food, sleep, physical activity, and recovery, which all impact our energy levels.
The mind, through mindset, emotional intelligence, stamina, core purpose and vision, all of which influence just how dynamic we are.
The environment, from light exposure and circadian rhythms to people who drain or pump us up, distractions that suck up our vitality, and the boundaries we set to protect our space—all play into the energy equation.

Taking a systematic approach to having more energy leads to a lot more enthusiasm to face what life throws your way.