Managing your energy
Even though we each have the same amount of time in a day, many of us believe that we don’t have enough time. Somehow our day gets away from us and we still have a long list of “things to do!” Have you ever had a day where nothing on your list of things to do got addressed so you just changed the date on the top of the page to the next day?
If so, you know how frustrating that can be.
When this happens repetitively or in different forms throughout the day, most people try to improve their time management skills. There are numerous books and articles that describe how to be more effective and efficient in the use of time. Some suggestions involve time blocking for your key projects, incorporating habit stacking, and scheduling only priorities.
All of these, and many other time management tips can be most useful when utilized appropriately and in the proper sequence. But in order to actually maximize your time management skills, you need to reap the benefits of managing your energy. Without knowing how your energy is spread out throughout a single day, any attempt to work towards time management will diminish very rapidly.
It’s time to consider, maybe time management is not your real issue...
In working with successful people in many different professions, some interesting findings have emerged.
Before time management approaches can be utilized effectively, one’s daily energy levels must be understood.
Below is a list of questions that you can ask yourself in order to better understand your
energy levels and habits during different times of the day:
Do you know when your energy level is the Highest? Lowest? Rising? Declining?
Are you typically more energetic in the morning, afternoon, evening, or some combination of highs and lows throughout the day?
Do you utilize your high-energy time slots for dealing with complex issues? When you are in a high-energy slot, do you think clearer, ask more powerful questions, deal with stressful situations better?
STRESS & ENGAGEMENT:
In low energy time slots, do you often get stressed easily? Is your thinking as creative or as logical as you need it to be? Does it take you longer to complete the task you are facing when you feel drained?
Most of us participate in meetings, both in-person and virtual. Have you noticed that you are more engaged at certain times of the day? Or, less excited during other times of the day? Have you ever participated in a global meeting that was held after your typical business day? Or the meeting was held during a time frame that you were usually at lunch? How engaged were you? How excited were you? Did you find it difficult to maintain attention? Or stay focused on the topic under discussion?
FOR THOSE OF US WHO LEAD TEAMS:
How aware are we of the high and low energy levels of our team members?
Are we scheduling our meetings to get the best ideas and thinking from all team members?
Are we capitalizing on team members’ energy levels?
Are we intentionally creating a high-performance team?
Once an individual or team masters the management of their energy, their attempts to manage their time more efficiently tend to be more successful.
In short, time management built upon a base of energy management works better for many successful individuals and teams.
To learn more about how Energy Management may enhance your effectiveness as a leader check out this video by Carl Hicks. The video is less than three minutes in length.
Carl F. Hicks, Jr., Ph.D., serves as President and CEO of The Growth Group, LLC and principal management consultant. His results-oriented approach combines his management education and his approachable, conversational style with more than 30 years of Executive Coaching and Management Consulting experience.
Carl also serves as one of the facilitators for the Growth Group Academy. The Growth Group Academy is an online platform that allows easy access and navigation through self-paced courses, these courses are designed to teach you how to strengthen skills that we see in successful people.
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