A selective call receiver (100) operating from a battery (102), includes a battery monitor (114), a radio receiver (108), a regulator (104), a capacitor (105) coupled to the regulator and the radio receiver, and a processor (116) for controlling the foregoing elements. The processor is adapted to determine from the battery monitor an energy level of the battery, configure the regulator to supply a first limited current to the radio receiver and the capacitor for a first predetermined time when the energy level is above a predetermined threshold, or configure the regulator to supply a second limited current to the radio receiver and the capacitor for a second predetermined time when the energy level is at or below the predetermined threshold. After configuring the regulator, the processor is then adapted to enable the regulator to charge the capacitor and to power the radio receiver.