Energy Management Not Time Management

Think about how much time you have spent tryinggives you the ability to concentrate on the task at
to organize and reorganize your time to fithand, sustain concentration, and to move flexibly
everything in. Do you have charts and calendars setbetween focus areas. The same positive emotions
up to try to keep you on task? Maybe you havethat enhance emotional energy also play a key role in
even taken a class or read books on timethe development of mental energy. Positive emotions
management that guarantee that you will reducedrive performance in everything from tasks of daily
your stress and be able to accomplish everything youliving to career advancement to competitive sports.
need to do each day. The truth is that managingWhen you achieve a peak performance you are
time is not that easy. Primarily because time is finiteinvesting your full and best energy - staying focused
and no matter what you do you can not change thaton the present.
there are only 24 hours in a day. With this soberingSpiritual energy refers to your personal intensity and
reality, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.force. Spirit is the connection to a deeply held set of
Instead of focusing on time management, focus onvalues and to a purpose beyond our self-interest.
energy management. Energy is renewable and youElements that support spirit and spiritual practices
can build your personal energy capacity to be able toinclude passion, commitment, integrity, and honesty.
accomplish more and enjoy yourself in the time youLiving this connection through your work, home life,
are given. Your personal energy capacity is directlyand daily habits evolves you to a higher level of
link to your overall well-being. With demands at workengagement that impacts your relationships, personal
and home continuing to rise, it is imperative that youauthenticity, and your ability to achieve results.
focus back on your own wellness and developMaking the connections between your physical,
strategies that can systematically expand andemotional, mental, and spiritual energy fits with the
regularly renew your energy. By valuing your personalphilosophy of wellness, which is all about striving to
wellness and developing positive lifestyle rituals youbecome whole. So, how do you manage your energy
can optimize your success in all aspects of your life,in a way that will result in continuous expansion and
including relationships with friends, family, andrenewal? The answer is found in the practice of
co-workers, physical fitness, disease prevention, andgood self-care that results in optimal health and
finding work-life balance.wellness.
To enhance your personal wellness and build yourLook at each energy source and develop expansion
energy capacity it is important to look at fourand renewal goals around each. Physical energy relies
sources of energy; physical, emotional, mental, andon the acts of moving your body, following a
spiritual energy. In the book The Power of Fullbalanced diet, and getting adequate rest. Start a new
Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz go intoexercise routine, consult with a dietitian to make sure
great depth on these four energy sources. Based onyour fueling your body appropriately, and strive to
their research and my personal experience as aget 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Emotional energy
health and wellness professional a brief description ofcan be boosted simply by reframing your perspective
each follows.on life. Instead of thinking about how impossible it will
Physical energy is quantitative. This is your corebe to reach a deadline at work, train yourself to
energy based on your nutrition, physical fitness, rest,embrace the challenge and celebrate your smaller
and renewal. The body provides the fundamental fuelsuccesses along the way.
needed to handle the challenges of daily living. AAnother example is when it is time to exercise but
person who is physically fit, eats healthy, andthe weather is less than ideal, instead of focusing on
receives adequate rest is some one who is capablethe inclement weather think about how you can
of managing their emotions, sustaining concentration,enjoy this experience (i.e. you enjoy the beauty of
thinking creatively, and maintaining a commitment tothe snow and the quiet as it falls around you) or
specified missions. Having good physical energy alsohave an alternative plan to exercise inside. Mental
helps a person handle sudden challenges that s/he isenergy requires that you be able to maintain your
confronted with on a daily basis.focus, so if there are distractions and stress that are
Emotional energy refers to a more qualitativeaffecting your ability to focus it is time to address
approach to your overall well-being. Specifically, howthem. This will look different from one person to the
do you feel when you are performing at your best?next. Maybe you need a professional therapist to
Positive emotions result in higher energy levels. If youwork through past experiences, a coach to help you
are optimistic, confident, and sufficiently challenged,move forward, or simply a chance to recharge with a
then you will be more likely to perform at your bestrelaxing vacation. Finally, to renew spiritual energy try
and meet or exceed the results you are workingsomething as simple as walking in nature, reading an
toward. During periods of intense stress having theinspirational book, listening to music, hearing a great
ability to call on positive emotions and communicatespeaker, meditation, yoga, or prayer.
your needs with positive energy can help you copeBy changing your focus from time management to
and work through whatever comes your way. Beingenergy management, you will be amazed at what
emotionally well helps you see beyond the stress ofyou can achieve in the same amount of time. The
the moment and focus back on the big picture forquality of your experiences and the level of your
where you want to be, who you want to be, andaccomplishments will reach new levels. Most
how you want to achieve the desired outcome.importantly, you will be spending your precious time
Mental energy refers to your ability to prioritize youron something that you have the ability to manipulate
focus. Your mental capacity is used to organize yourand control instead of trying to find ways to add
life and focus your attention. Having a healthy mindmore hours to your day.