Manage your energy instead of your time - 3 tips to support wellbeing and increase motivation

“I’ve always wanted to do x but I don’t have the time.”

“It takes me forever to get going in the mornings.”

“The trouble is, when I get home from work, I’m too frazzled to do y.”

“I feel guilty that I haven’t got enough time to spend with z.”

At some point in our lives, it’s likely we have all used the phrase ‘there are not enough hours in the day’. Sometimes the solution for statements like the ones above is to reprioritise tasks or identify some time management strategies. Working with a coach can certainly help you with this but there are also tools you can use by yourself to start thinking about your day differently. It is true that time is a finite resource what if it is not more time we need but more energy. How we use our energy to manage time is something that is within our control.

I’m sharing a concept by Tony Schwartz and an infographic by Dr Hayley Lewis to encourage you to think about what sustains you and what gives you the energy you need to achieve what needs to be done in your life. 

“Manage your energy and not your time” Tony Schwartz (Harvard Business Review, 2007)

1.     Assess your personal EQ!

Tony Schwartz describes energy as coming from four main sources in human beings; the body, emotions, mind, and spirit. If we get that balance right, our energy quotient (EQ), and our motivation increases. In each source, we can increase or renew our energy by establishing specific behaviours that you can practice regularly with the goal of making them unconscious and automatic as quickly as possible.

To see where your highs and lows of energy are, take notes each day of what times you are feeling raring to go and when you feel you are less productive. 

·      What is going on for you during these times? Can you see any patterns? Is there a certain time of day that you notice a dip in energy? If so, what is happening that might be causing this (for example, trying to tackle too many tasks at once, snacking on sugary foods, being stuck at your desk for long periods)?

·      Do you concentrate better in the morning but are trying to tackle detailed tasks at the end of the day when you are tired?

·      Some of us are larks or owls and function better at different times of the day – do you know which you are? Becoming aware of what is impacting your energy levels is the first step to making changes that will make a real difference to your day.

·      What types of activities, tasks (or people!) sap your energy?

2.     Identify what replenishes you

Knowing what drains your energy is only part of the equation. We also need to be doing more of the things that replenish us. Think of the four energy sources and list activities or things that bring you peace, joy or give you a kick start! Doing more of what makes us feel good tips over into all aspects of our life. 

·      Physical energy: what gives you the physical get up and go to do what you need to do? For me, it is making sure I have enough sleep and not eating a big lunch before I tackle detailed tasks. Going for a walk or a short run at lunchtime or after work does not tire me out – instead it perks me up. What works for you?

·      Emotional energy: we can spend a lot of time inside our own heads worrying about or reacting to things that are either not in our control or actually are not very important at all. At the end of each day, I try to write a couple of paragraphs of what is going on for me. Taking it out of my head and writing it on a page somehow takes the power out of the issue (nice pens and nice notebooks help!) and I can look at it more objectively leaving more time in my head to think about things I enjoy. Perhaps your emotional energy is taken up with procrastination – what could you do to reduce the time you spend on this and instead take action?

·      Spiritual energy: what brings you peace? For some it is yoga, for others it is walking by the sea, listening to the birds or practising mindfulness. Whatever it is for you – how much time are you allocating to this and is it enough?

·      Intellectual energy: what do you need to make you feel stimulated? What keeps you interested and curious? I love to learn new things so I always plan to incorporate learning something new wherever I can.

3.     Put these two together and make a plan to manage your energy and not your time

Now you know what drains you and what replenishes you. What can you do to arrange your life at work and home to make the most of the best of what you have and can do? I love this sketchnote by organisational psychologist Dr Hayley Lewis – and it looks great if you make it your screen saver or print it out and have it near your workstation or on your fridge as a reminder of what is important to you. It contains great suggestions for ensuring you maximise your energy quotient in each quadrant. 

Even better, personalise it for yourself – what strategies work for you to that keep up your physical or emotional energy? It will be different for all of us. That self awareness of what works for you is one step forward to putting a plan into place.

The steps can be so simple. For one colleague, to make sure they could wind down to sleep, it meant ensuring they did not look at their phone after 8pm at night. Another had tried in mindfulness meditation but said they did not have time to practice before or after work so instead went to sit in their car with headphones on at lunchtime. Doing this meant they returned to work with renewed energy and felt less pressured in the afternoon. Personally, if I’ve got a content heavy day, I know I either have to go for a run or do completely the opposite and go home and watch I what I call ‘chocolate for the brain’ on the television to reset – this could be an episode of comedy or ‘Below Deck’ but it does the trick! It resets my head and I can be fully present for my family for the evening. 

Simple rituals and small changes can bring big results.

 If you would like to learn more about how coaching can help you manage your own energy and work towards meaningful change, then book a free discovery call with Julie by emailing flamingoplm2022@gmail.com