Energy Management V’s Time Management

​The term ‘time management’, even though I use it myself, is perhaps the most inaccurate term used in modern business. For starters, you can’t actually manage time. There will always be 24 hours in the day, 7 days in the week etc. What we strive to do is manage our use of the time available to us. To use our time effectively we also have to engage in some energy management. You’ve likely heard the old adage, “Life is a marathon, not a sprint.” If you’re trying to manage your time effectively without paying attention to your energy management, you may end up with sprints rather than finishing the marathon of life. Many people fail to achieve their goals and objectives because they are good at sprinting but they suck at the marathon i.e. they make great starts at many projects but they lack the endurance and willpower to see them through.

Experts are now saying that productivity and success have more to do with how you manage your energy than it does with time management. You may be trying to do everything you can to try to create more time i.e. save time here, save time there; but as already mentioned you cannot create more time so all you are trying to do is free up more of your existing time.

Time saving tips will help but if you can create more energy; you will be able to get more quality work done in less time, with less stress and greater results. Time saving strategies save small amounts of time here and there, but energy management strategies give you much bigger results; allowing you to consistently save more time each day.

Spending time with your children, connecting with others and enjoying your favourite hobbies all take time and require energy. There is little point in having time for these activities if you don’t have the energy to truly enjoy them.  Your friends and loved ones don’t want to spend time with a zombie. They want and deserve the very best of you. Time management may give you the time to spend with them but energy management ensures that the time you spend with them is quality time.

Energy management works by ensuring that you take time between each sprint (your most important work), to rebuild your energy levels. This allows you to head into the next sprint with full energy and give it your all. By committing to energy management, you can ensure that you your body recovers quicker and better; allowing you to make the most of your periods of high energy and maximise the recovery you gain during your less intensive periods.

​Many people wonder whether they should focus on energy management or time management to get the best results from life. However, it’s not an "either or" situation. Think of both time and energy as precious resources; as you would money. By managing how you spend both and using all your resources to complement each other; you will get the best results.

​There are a wide range of energy management strategies which you can implement to increase your productivity. Too many to cover in one article. Here are a few simple tips for managing your energy effectively:

Regardless of what you want to change in your life; awareness is the first step to success. When you are fully aware, you can make informed decisions which are always more likely to be successful than a casual guess.

Make a list of what makes you feel refreshed, more creative and lifts your mood. It is important that you know what gives you the best energy boost. Whenever you are feeling down, you will be able to turn to one of these strategies to give you the quick boost you need.

It may seem counterintuitive but if you want to get more done, you need to take more breaks. Most people struggle with their workload because they don’t take enough time for recovery. Work is tiring, both mentally and physically and your body and mind need to recover after performing difficult tasks.

Ensure that you are taking time to relax on a regular basis. You will then return to work refreshed and reenergised. This will allow you to do more upon your return than if you had simply pushed through with insufficient recovery time.

When you are working on big projects, where the finish line is in the distant future, it can be very stressful, tiring and energy sapping. You are not getting the regular energy and motivation boosts that come with successfully completing a project. It can leave you wondering why you are bothering when you don’t appear to be getting anywhere. This is not a state that you want to find yourself in.

The easy way around this is to break that big project down into mini projects. Each mini project serves as a milestone along the journey. As you reach each milestone, celebrate the achievement and give yourself a little reward. This will boost your motivation and energy levels as you can clearly see that you are making progress.

Have you ever found yourself saying that you will do that thing you love when you achieve your goals? This is not how it should work. The things that you love are a form of active rest. They give you pleasure and enjoyment, both of which help to refill your energy reserves.

How do you feel after you have spent quality time with people whom you love? I bet you feel great; like you could take on the world. How do you feel after you have spent time partaking in your favourite hobby.? I bet you feel the same again, full of energy and ready to take on the world.

A life which is all work and no play is no good to anybody. You work hard so that you can enjoy the life that you love. Don’t delay that. In her book ‘The Artist’s Way’, Julia Cameron makes the suggestion that you take yourself on a date each week. It is a wonderful idea which ensures that you treat yourself with the utmost respect and kindness. It ensures that you make time for you and for the things that you love. More importantly, it leaves you happier, healthier, more energised and with a greater sense of who you are and what you want from life.

It doesn’t just have to be once per week. Take time to schedule the things you love. Make sure that each and every week, you make time for some enjoyable activity by yoursel,. some enjoyable activity with your family and some enjoyable time with your friends.

If you would like to learn to build and manage your energy levels; you need to check out Limitless Energy.

​Energy management is an essential aspect of managing your life. Energy is a vital resource. You may have the time to do something but if you don’t have the energy to do it; it won't get done. A successful life is lived by effectively managing your resources. Energy management is a vital part of this. The tips above give you a gentle introduction into the world of energy management but they will help you make some big improvements in your life. Give them a try.