If you read the previous post you know now that if you want to be more productive, you need to stop managing time. We know now that time cannot be managed. To achieve a sense of productivity and personal effectiveness we want to focus our attention on managing energy. Action taken with a greater energy leads to more satisfaction. It’s possible to get more done in less time with more engagement and consistency.
In the previous post we learned that to manage energy we need awareness. Being honest with ourselves about the true cost of energy-depleting behaviours can help us change habits and develop new ways of operating. With this awareness we can begin to focus on each type of energy to step-by-step achieve more consistent, healthy behaviours. In other words we can start developing more healthy habits.
Learn the first step in Energy Management
Let’s Get Physical!
There are four types of energy that we will focus on in the next few posts. The first one that we want to talk about and work on for a while is Physical Energy.
Physical energy is the energy of your body. It’s the level of power and efficiency with which your body can serve you to perform daily activities. Your physical energy is the foundation for all the other energies and ironically this is the one that we sometimes seem to care least about. Our physical energy comes from what we eat, how much sleep we get, how fit we are and the physical environment we spend our time in. If we have enough physical energy in the day it means that the levels of such substances in our body as insulin and glucose are balanced, oxygen is well transported through our body and our immune system is working effectively.
3 steps to manage Physical Energy:
- An energy audit is the first step. What are your habits around the physical energy? What are your eating habits? Do you get adequate nutrition throughout the day? How much do you exercise? Are you sitting still for most of the day? Do you drink enough water? How many hours of sleep do you get? What environment do you spend most of your days in?
- Renewing rituals that are designed with your individual life in mind, can help increase the levels of physical energy that you have and use during the day. During our last time management workshop, attendees named the following as the best ways to renew physical energy. These ideas work for them: Exercise at least 10 minutes a day, drink a lot of water, have a healthy breakfast, eat healthy snacks throughout the day (fruits, nuts etc.), take short naps, take short but regular breaks (15 min of walking, breathing, meditation, chatting to someone about a topic that is not work related, listening to the music) laugh, dance, going to bed early and sleeping longer, comfortable furniture (in the office and what we sit and sleep on), increasing exposure to sunlight or breathing fresh air.
- Be ready to adjust: Choose the solutions and ideas that work for you. Design your schedule in a way that would help you find time for some of the best renewing rituals for physical energy. Remember that by doing it you can achieve quite a consistent levels of physical effectiveness within the day. No more afternoon slumps, crisps and chocolate in a cupboard, 4 hours of sleep and vitamin D deficiency. Be flexible and ready to adjust. Test the options that you feel might work best. Plan, try it out and stay committed. In just 21 days your brain will get used to your new way of operating and new habit will be developed.
There are ways in which you can change your life and develop some of the best healthy habits for you. Don’t tell yourself that nothing can be done. Nothing changes if nothing changes – remember? Do what’s possible now, today and go only as far as you can. Set realistic expectations. Some of the solutions introduced worked perfectly for others, but they don’t have to be ideal for you. It’s a step by step process that only you can enable. Speaking about steps, next week we are looking at emotional energy. Get ready to feel GOOD! And if you already feel good get ready to feel even BETTER!
Other posts in this series:
If You Want to Be More Productive, Stop Managing Time
Energy Management – The Meaning and Purpose
Energy Management – Emotional Wellbeing
Energy Management – The Power of Your Brain
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