“How have you been these past couple of weeks?” I asked my client Lily (name has been changed for privacy) in our last coaching session. Lily sighed. “Things have been really busy at work,” she recounted, “I finally stopped having to fill in for my colleague who had left the company, since her successor just started, but then we had a high priority issue that we needed to deal with right away. I told my boyfriend that this is the busiest it’s ever been. But then he replied that I say that all the time. And it’s true. As long as I work for this company, there will probably always be something that comes up.”
We talked about how she was managing her workload and her daily stresses and I acknowledged her for sticking to very important healthy habits such as shutting down her laptop at a reasonable time, working out regularly and getting enough sleep. She said: “I don’t know. I guess I will just have to find more time, so I can get more things done.”
I told her that this was a common belief. There are so many times when we think “I need more time to get everything done!” Early in my career, I figured the only solution was to work more hours. So I worked late, sometimes until the wee hours in the morning, to get projects done. I was young and I had no notion of the long-term effects this would have.
Working longer hours can work in the short term, but takes a big toll on us in the long term. Rather than thinking about increasing our working hours to manage our time, what if we focused on managing our energy instead?
Here are 3 ways you can effectively manage your energy to boost your productivity:
1. Take advantage of your high-energy time
You might have noticed that during certain times you are much more productive than during others. Take advantage of your high-energy time and use it for your most important work or to get things done you don’t enjoy as much.
2. Recharge several times a day
When you are busy, it can feel like you cannot afford to spend time on taking breaks. But as counterintuitive as it may seem, taking short breaks can actually recharge you and help you be more productive, getting done even more.
Schedule short 10 minute breaks throughout the day, and get up from your workspace. Do something that energizes you: go for a quick walk, listen to music, take a dance break, meditate, play with a pet or go outside and breathe.
3. Acknowledge yourself every step of the way
Acknowledge yourself for the progress you are making and celebrate small milestones. Don’t wait until the whole project is done. Our fulfillment and happiness comes from enjoying the journey and giving ourselves credit along the way – not from completing our goals.
How do you manage your energy? What small change can you make to manage it even better?
Manuela helps heart-centered professionals who feel stuck or unhappy create a career they love. Download her free e-guide: “5 Massive Mistakes Even Smart Professionals Make That Keep Them From Creating a Career They Love”