09 Nov Manage Your Energy, Not Time

Recently, I had lunch with my cousin who was rightfully boasting about his two super achiever sons.  Both still in school and busy with competitions, internships, puling down straight A’s, special interest activities, school politics and the list went on.  My cousin turned to me and said “you know, the best part is that they do all of this intense academic work but still find the time to have girlfriends, go to parties, take long hikes, take in shows, museums, find time to play their instruments and manage to have a life.”

This got me thinking about something that I have been working on and certainly hear from so many clients:

“If only I had more hours in the day!”

“I really need an 8th day in the week.”

“I was useless today!”

“OMG I wish I had more energy”

These are typical woes that I hear and used to say all of the time.  (I Still cry about my never ending to-list.)  And I’m more convinced than ever, the key to successful time management and getting our productivity to reach new heights is to work on managing our energy vs. our time.

Think about it.  Don’t you have days where you just wake up, enjoy a clear head, sit down to work and focus like a laser beam?  Only to marvel about how much you got done before lunch?  And then there are other days that no matter how well intended you are, you feel like a slug and mush through the day getting to maybe 1/3 of what’s on your to-do list?  In other words, with energy and a clear head, it’s possible to get more done in an hour than it is an entire day sometimes.

So, the real trick is to work on building up your reserves and consistently removing energy zappers throughout your day.  What does this mean?

Well, simply put, it means finding out what you need to do in order to get your energy levels up and keep them up throughout the day.  Here are some tips and tricks to help you do just that:

• Guard Your Sleep As Though Your Life Depended on it.  Because actually it does!  And so does your physical, emotional and physical health.  Your mood, ability to focus and even managing your weight all take a turn for the better when you get your zzz’s.  With regards to productivity at work, being well rested is key.   Read more about sleep by reading: Tired of Being Tired? (Tips to Put Some Pep Back Into Your Step!)
• Clean Up Your Diet.  What and when you eat have a direct impact on your energy meter.  Stay away from foods that are sugary, greasy, processed and highly caffeinated.  Sure, you’ll enjoy a short burst of energy but then you are headed straight for an energy crash which will leave you staring numbly at your computer and slugging through the rest of your day.  Or worse, having you grabbing for another fix of junk food to “boost” you up.  Read more about diet and energy:  Diet, Fitness and Ergonomics?  What’s the Connection? 
• Exercise.  It doesn’t matter what it is, just do it.  And do it regularly.   Walk. Run. Climb stairs. Do yoga. Hit the Gym. Skip. Jump Rope. Dance. Garden. Seriously, exercising will up your energy levels.  So, get out that planner and schedule in time to exercise today!
• Tend Up Your Ergo Set Up.  Pain and discomfort will quickly wear at your energy and output levels.  So don’t keep putting off that ergonomic evaluation or adjusting your workstation so that you are comfortable.  If budget is a worry, check out: Ergo On the Cheap
• Manage Your Stress.  And by manage, I really mean, lower your stress.  Take a time out, incorporate all of the tips in this post.  Listen to soothing music.  Meditate.  Walk. Knit. Journal. Recharge your battery.  Avoid stressful situations in the first place.  Do whatever it takes, because when you are stressed out, it is really hard to focus and be productive and besides, it’s tiring.

If you really want to learn how to put it all together with an easy to follow 21 day guide, grab your copy of Time To Reboot:A 21 Day Plan to Take Charge of Your Health, Your Work and Get Your Sanity Back!   In fact, to really help motivate you, enter this code to get a 25% discount on your copy! Discount Code: feelgreatnow

Let us know how these simple tips and tricks have helped you?  And also tell us what your tips and tricks are to maintain your energy throughout the day and how it affects your productivity!

Until the next time, be happy, energized and productive!