Why Should You Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time

People like scheduling tasks, making a to-do list, and prioritizing assignments to accomplish different tasks in the allotted time. Doing a lot of activities in one day could be very draining. It takes up a lot of time and energy to finish your scheduled tasks in a day, especially when you are not in the mood to do it. According to some researches, managing your energy rather than your time is an effective way to be consistent in doing your job. When you spend too much time of your day accomplishing tasks without taking a necessary break, you will eventually be drained. You will lose your will to work, and you cannot produce excellent output. When you get burnt out, you will most likely lose focus in doing your work, and you could finish less work. When you learn how to manage your energy, you will give your best in doing your job. You can get better results than what you get if you manage your time.

girl sipping in a cup, girl working in her laptop, plants, phone, pen sitting on the table

But, how can you exactly manage your energy? Below is the list of ideas on how to manage your energy.

Take small steps

Taking small steps is a great way to manage your energy. Make sure that you start your work ahead of time so that you can accomplish your goals slowly. Start by doing small tasks a day until you finish all of them. Little progress is still progress. Your efficiency will save you time and energy and would give you results that are guaranteed to be excellent.

Learn how to share your energy

Sharing your energy does not mean being an entertainer of your group. You can share your energy by interacting with people in your group. Help the people around you, listen to their concerns, be always available for them, cheer them on. Energizing other people would also help in boosting your performance in your work.

Be aware of what drains your energy.

Know what are the things that drain you and learn how to avoid them. When you learn how to step away from things and people that empty you, you will be able to maintain your energy. It is also essential to know what are the things that help you go through life. Know what strengthens you and sustains your energy so that when you feel very low, you can boost yourself up and continue being a productive person. It is so important to manage your life in a way that works for you.

Take occasional breaks

Treat yourself with physical and mental breaks from time to time. It is important to know your limit and when is the proper time to stop. You could read a book, drink your go-to coffee, watch your favorite movie, or even take a nap. It is important to take occasional breaks so that you will not drain your energy.

Pace yourself

Make intervals when you are working. You can allow yourself 2 hours of working then followed by an activity that would freshen you up. Just like when doing a high-intensity workout, you also need recovery time when accomplishing tasks. You can follow this structure when doing your work so that your energy will be sustained.

Be yourself!

It could be quite draining when you try to pretend to be someone you are not. So, it is important to be yourself when working. No acting, no pretense, be authentic. You should try to open your real self to other people so that they would do the same. That way, you can share all your strengths, and you will avoid draining each other’s energy.

Learn to say “No”.

There is a huge problem when you do not know how to say no to people. Attending to other people’s needs even though you are tired could drain your energy. It is important to learn how to say refuse people to maintain your energy and focus on achieving your own goals. You should not be guilty when saying no. Setting boundaries is healthy for your mental health. When you say no to someone’s plead, you say yes to your priorities.

Manage your energy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Learning to manage all four of these could help boost your performance without being drained. To manage your physical energy, you must have enough rest, eat plenty of healthy foods, and avoid drinking too much. When you do these, your body will be physically prepared to do the given tasks. To protect your mental energy, you must avoid distractions when working. Focus your mind on your work so that you can work efficiently. For your emotional energy, you must avoid overthinking the bad things, focus on positive outcomes, and take some time to meditate. Saying a mantra before starting your day can help in maintaining good energy in your body. Lastly, to manage your spiritual energy, you must have self-awareness. Look for deeper meanings on why you’re doing what you do. Do what you love to do. When you manage to do all these things, you can have the energy to accomplish your goals without feeling drained or feeling low.