As women leaders, juggling career demands and family responsibilities, we often find ourselves obsessing over time management.
I’m not really a believer in the concept of time management, self management feels more practical, because at the end of the day we can’t actually management time can we!
Many of my coaching conversations include topics like prioritising and setting boundaries as ways to manage ourselves.
As well as knowing what’s important to us, and just letting some stuff go, we need to think carefully about how we manage our energy. Our ability to be productive is more dependent on our current energy levels than just the amount of time we have available.
When we focus solely on squeezing more into each day, we risk depleting ourselves. So instead, let’s explore how to sustain and maximise our energy for both our professional and personal lives.
Understanding Your Energy Patterns
A good start is to understand you own natural energy rhythms. Are you a morning person who tackles complex strategy work best before 9 AM? Or do you hit your creative stride in the evening after the kids are asleep? Start noticing when you naturally feel most focused, creative, or socially engaged. This awareness allows you to align your most demanding tasks with your peak energy periods.
Strategic Energy Investments
Think of your energy like a financial portfolio – you need to make smart investments and know when to cut losses. Here are practical strategies to manage your energy effectively:
Physical Energy:
– Schedule movement breaks every hour, even if it’s just a 5-minute walk around the office
– Keep a water bottle on your desk and set yourself a goal for the day, small sips all day make it much easier to get enough hydration.
– Prepare yourself some energy-sustaining snacks for the week (think nuts, fruit and protein bars)
– Get enough sleep by creating a non-negotiable sleep schedule – set an alarm to remind you to go to bed, even if it means leaving some emails for tomorrow.
Mental Energy:
– Use time-blocking for deep work when you’re at your sharpest. Turn off all those distractions during this time too.
– Break complex projects into smaller chunks to prevent mental fatigue. Try working on a project for half an hour each day rather than blocking out half a day to try to complete it in one go.
– Practice task batching for similar activities to reduce cognitive load, our brains work best when focused on one task at a time.
– Schedule buffer time between meetings for mental reset.
Emotional Energy:
– Start your day with a 5-minute gratitude or meditation practice.
– Create boundaries around energy-draining relationships or commitments.
– Schedule regular check-ins with trusted mentors or friends, it’s good to spend time with the ‘radiators’ (those who give you warmth) in your life.
– Start an “achievement journal” to boost your confidence.
Energy Renewal
Do you recharge yourself like your recharge your phone?
Unlike time, which is finite, energy can be renewed. Try building renewal activities into your days:
– Take lunch breaks away from your desk, take a walk outside, eat slowly.
– Schedule micro-breaks between meetings for deep breathing, allow you body and mind to relax for a few minutes.
– Identify activities that genuinely recharge you and prioritise them.
Practical Implementation
Start small. Choose one area to focus on this week. For example:
1. Audit your calendar for energy drains
2. Identify your peak performance hours
3. Schedule three renewal activities
4. Create new boundaries around your energy reserves
Remember, this isn’t about doing more – it’s about being more impactful with the energy you have. When we shift from time management to energy management, we create space for both professional and personal fulfilment.
Our energy is a valuable resource that is often overlooked. By managing it wisely, we can sustain ourselves through the demands of leadership while remaining present and engaged with our families.
A final question for reflection: What is one energy-draining activity you could eliminate or delegate this week?
As always I hope you found this article useful. If you are ready to thrive, instead of just survive, maybe it’s time we had a chat.
Book in a call to have a no obligation conversation about working together. https://calendly.com/lisa-103/30-minute-discovery-call
Photo by Roland Larsson on Unsplash