Using your energy well means knowing yourself.
Using your energy well is key to your productivity and, ultimately, to your success in life.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, teacher, student, blogger, or a busy mom, being as productive as possible is a daily challenge and ongoing goal.
And it’s often elusive. If it were simply a matter of pushing yourself harder, most of us would be productive all the time. But after a certain point, pushing yourself becomes counter-productive.
That’s because we are all finite and human. In order to be productive, you have to take care of yourself. And that means using your energy well.
Productivity must involve self-care.
If you live in Texas or Arizona — or are just a baseball fan — you may have stayed up late to see who won Game 5 of the World Series. Those of you who did may notice a dip in their productivity.
That’s because lack of sleep depleted your energy store for your day’s tasks. You were probably slower and less focused than usual, getting less done in the time you had available.
Using your energy well is about your self-care and about all of the time choices you make throughout your day. And it’s about how you adjust to the impact of those choices. So, here are three tips to help you navigate your day and optimize your energy.
#1: Tending to your energy needs rejuvenates and revitalizes you.
The biggest step you can take is to first know in your heart that you HAVE energy needs. You are not super-human. Just as your time is limited, so is your energy.
True productivity is determined by better energy management rather than simply cranking out more hours at your desk.
#2: We are each different and so are our energy needs
Your energy needs and mine are different. As well, your own needs will differ from day to day and from year to year. As you move through the developmental stages of your life, notice the changes. Using your energy well will mean something different when you’re 63, compared to what it meant when you were 33.
Pay attention to yourself and your needs, and manage your productivity expectations accordingly. Remember, you are your FRIEND, not your Task Master.
#3: Small chunks make it easy.
We’ve written here in the past about chunking tasks. Well, taking breaks in small chunks is very helpful, too. You’re best able to maintain your focus and productivity over small, defined spans of time. Likewise, when you stop to rest or exercise, making sure that it is for a defined and BRIEF period of time keeps you on track and also builds self-trust.
Every time you return to your task with enhanced energy, you are giving yourself a very positive message.
So, how do you enhance your energy and productivity now? Is the connection between your energy and your productivity obvious to you?
What one change will you make today?
Here’s more help…
Do you ever feel like you’re running on empty and there are no gas stations anywhere to be found? That’s what it’s like when you aren’t taking care of yourself.
It’s an awful feeling, and one that’s all too familiar for many of us. In fact, if I had to guess, I’d say that finding time for self-care is one of the biggest challenges going. And I’ve created an E-Guide that addresses this challenge and offers you a path to creating your own, rejuvenating self-care routines and rituals. It’s titled “Self-Criticism or Self-Care? How Your Choices Define You, Your Time, and Your Life.”
This E-Guide gets right down to business as it offers questions, insights and exercises aimed at helping you come to a deeper understanding of:
- What gets in your way when it comes to taking care of yourself.
- How your capacity for compassion is connected to self-care.
- The activities that are most nurturing for you, and how to include them in your schedule, EVERY day.
To begin your self-care journey and claim your copy of “Self-Criticism or Self-Care? How Your Choices Define You, Your Time, and Your Life” click below:
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