How’s your energy hygiene?

A conversation with a client this week introduced me to a term I don’t use, but a practice I've been doing for years: energy hygiene.

In my work, I commit to show up fully present for each client, each difficult conversation, each mentorship moment, each workshop. That means I can't carry the weight of the morning's crisis into the afternoon's strategy session. I can't let one client's struggle bleed into another's breakthrough.

I love this quote: "Nothing can be in my space without my permission”. But permission doesn't happen accidentally. It requires intentional practice.

Here are some tools I use to keep my energy clean:

• Reset Ritual – Between meetings, I take 60 seconds to close my eyes, take three deep breaths, and consciously release what just happened. I even say out loud “release, release, release.”
  

• Physical Transitions – I'll step outside, get a fresh mug of tea, or wash my hands. Physical acts signal to my nervous system: "That was then. This is now."
  

• Setting Boundaries – Before each meeting, I remind myself: “I'm here to hold space, not absorb someone else's energy”.
  

• Grounding Practices – Whether it's feeling my feet on the floor or noticing five things I can see, grounding brings me back to my center.
  

The cost of poor energy hygiene is burnout, compassion fatigue, and showing up as less than my best self.

Do you rely on any energy hygiene practices that help you stay present?