Demand for what we and others want from ourselves is increasing at a dramatic rate. For most of us the demands are exceeding our capacity – choices are required!
For many people the solution and default position to date has been to throw more time at these demands. If this is you I recommend a book called “Chasing Daylight” – it will confront this kind of thinking! It will challenge you to differentiate time from energy.
What you will quickly appreciate is that time is a finite resource – no matter who we are we all have the same number of hours in our day.
So we have proposed for many years that time management alone is not enough – include consideration about the level and kind of energy you are bringing to this time and you set yourself up for success!!
Energy is a different kind of resource – it can be expanded, it can be renewed and like time it can be used more efficiently.
Tony Schwarz author, researcher and founder of The Energy Project proclaims we are facing an energy crisis as business people who are struggling to juggle their whole of life priorities.
We use his HBR article that refers to 4 sources of energy (and we can provide you with the PDF of the article should you want to read it just contact us).
The four sources of energy are –
1. Physical (which ultimately determines the quantity of energy you can bring) – and is renewed through sleep, exercise, food and daytime renewal activities
2. Emotional – is the energy that determines how we show up – and impacts the quality of our energy
3. Mental – is the energy that determines the focus we are able to bring when we are completing tasks and engaged with people
4. Spiritual – is about meaning and purpose
Emotional reserves
The Energy Project encourages us to look at the Quantity and Quality of our energy and represents it in four quadrants:
High energy
Positive energy = performance zone
Where you feel inspired, curious, energized, in flow ( unconsciously working and being at your best)
Low energy
Positive energy = renewal zone
Where you are feeling tranquil, serene, mellow and peaceful.
Negative energy
High energy = survival zone
Operate in here and you are in a reactive state – angry, frustrated anxious…..reactive state
Negative energy
Low energy = burnout zone
Exhausted, empty….
It is all about making intentional choices and ensuring one of these choices involves the refuelling of your energy tank.
When we build our reservoir -we are less likely to be reactive. So invest some thinking into how you plan to refresh and re-energise to build that reservoir!
