Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time: The Secret to Productivity

Apr 06, 2018

No matter how you try to deny it, time is a finite resource. Don't you realize that despite the fact that you create to-do lists, schedule tasks, and use timers, not everything gets done? It's easy to track time. But what about your energy? Are you able to tell when you'll feel tired and stressed out? Unfortunately not.

Energy - it's a different story.

As a solopreneur, a wife and a mom, I often find myself turning into a human pretzel. I believe you've felt this way too. Getting stretched beyond your limits... Putting out fires... Solving business problems you're not skilled at.

You can't predict the flow of your emotions, actions, and thoughts throughout the day. These aspects of yourself affect your energy. So if there is one thing you ought to master, it's not time management. It's your energy.

If you're tired, it really doesn't matter how much time you have left. You won't be productive. You cannot get things done. Once you embrace this fact, you will start to practice daily habits or rituals that energize you.

That's when you'll be able to sprint! :)

Stop obsessing about time. Here are ways to create more energy...

#1 Monotask, not multitask.

Albert Einstein conveys the importance of focusing on a single task in his quote:

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.

If you do two things at the same time, one of those things is going to suffer. While task switching can feel empowering, it lowers your productivity. Productivity doesn't happen in moments of distraction such as when you're answering emails AND writing a blog post. Not only does this reduce the number of errors you'll likely commit, your brain will also be able to process things better.

#2 Ask yourself, "What drains me?"

We all have energy vampires. These are the things in your day that make you feel tired. Energy vampires can be poor food choices that increase sluggishness. For example, too much of chocolate cake during lunch. Or, an energy vampire could also be the place you work in. Maybe you need a quieter and more organized area. Identify what interrupts your "flow." Put up your guard and invest in ways to avoid them.

#3 Work during the best hours of your day.

Are you more awake and energetic in the morning or at night? Whether you're a morning person or a night owl, make sure that you work during these times. Pay attention to your body clock. At what hours do you start to fade out? Problems in your solopreneur business are better solved if you handle them when your brain is most alert.

#4 Don't force it.

Respect yourself enough by resting when you need to. If every day, you feel tired three hours after lunch, find a way to feel energized. Getting a 15-minute nap helps than trying to force yourself to stay awake. Taking a short stroll is also a useful strategy to boost blood circulation and mental performance.

#5 Live in the moment.

If you spend more time thinking about unfulfilled plans or a pile of tasks that are due next week, next month, and a year after... STOP! You are doing yourself a disservice by focusing on the past and the future. Why? Because the present moment is all that matters. Life happens NOW - definitely not yesterday and not tomorrow. Sure, the future is important. But if you bring your awareness to the present moment, you can maximize yourself.

#6 Work with passion.

Work doesn't feel like work if you love what you do. Wouldn't you agree? As your solopreneur business grows, there will be areas you'd hate to handle. Simply because you prefer a more creative work where you can dedicate more of yourself. You see, passion creates more energy. Passion is the reason why we stay up late at night or wake up early to do that one thing. If you cannot learn to love a task, outsource it.

Learn to manage your energy and reach your full potential!