Mange Your Energy, Not Your Time
We’ve all heard of at least 100 ways to better manage our time, and we are still tired, easily distracted, and caught unprepared when things change. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to shift your focus from time management to energy management. Research shows that working more hours can often lead to burnout (and exhaustion), but if we manage our energy well, we can be more productive in less time. Here’s how to get started.
- Check in with your four types of energy.
- Physical: Sleep, food, movement
- Mental: Focus and attention
- Emotional: Stress, mood, connection
- Purpose: Meaning and values
- Match your energy to the task.
- Do your hardest thinking when you have the most energy. Save lower energy tasks for when you are more tired. Not all hours of the day are equal, your energy will ebb and flow during the day.
- Take real breaks
- Step away from your work (and screens) to give your brain and body a break. Breaks can help restore energy and focus.
- Reduce distractions.
- Do your best to focus on one task at a time instead of trying to jump between multiple things at once. Constant interruptions decrease mental energy and clarity.
- Add small recovery moments to your day.
- Take several micro breaks during the day to stretch, refill your water, or go outside. Even short opportunities to breathe can help restore energy.
Energy management isn’t about doing things perfectly; it’s about noticing what helps you feel better during the day and building from there. As always, start small, do what you can, and let that be enough.
https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time
