How often do you get to the end of your week and you feel exhausted, like there is nothing left in the tank? Or you stare at your To Do list and just want to throw up?
Or a well meaning friend offers you well meaning advice and your initial response is cranky, annoyed, grumpy, angry and “No, it doesn’t work like that. Only I can do ALL these things. Or I HAVE to do ALL these things.”
Ooooofff I have been there, I have felt like this AND I lost my hair, I napped all weekend and still felt like there was nothing in the tank come Monday morning. Hell, I even left my home country in pursuit of rest! Even that didn’t work.
Now imagine starting your day, leaping out of bed, excited for the day ahead, your morning is filled with tasks that not only inspire but also amplify your innate strengths. You feel good as you “work” your way through the To Do list. You are invigorated, you’re excited, you feel in flow. You are so much more productive, crossing things off that list like a BOSS!
That’s the power of understanding the nature of work that energises versus what drains us. This doesn’t happen by accident, this is conscious awareness and some glorious and fun data points! Understanding this dynamic can not only enhance your career but also improve your overall quality of life. When we master this, we are no longer managing time but managing our energy for impact.
The Role of Emotions in Energy Management
As you can see from what you have just read, there is emotions attached to all this. We believe our emotions are our internal GPS, constantly guiding us to places that are for our joy and elevation and those designed to show us we are not in alignment to what our deepest desires are.
Let’s get deep, ask yourself:
How are you really feeling about the tasks on your list today?
Which tasks or meetings do you love, that make you happy just to think about? Writing this blog post today. Daily connect meeting.
Which tasks or meetings send you into unexplained rage? VAT return anyone?
Which tasks or meetings are you steadfastly avoiding and not looking in the eye directly? Bank reconciliation, cold calling / outreach….
If the majority of the list are causing you those more challenging emotions there is a good chance you are not aligned to Energy for Impact! It is also showing that there is a risk or burn out, or that you may already be burnt out.
Understanding Your Energy Zone (We call it your Zone of Greatness)
It’s not a secret, we love data here at The Change Tribe. You can take the girl out of accounting, but you can’t take the accounting out of the girl. One of the foundations we use for all our work is the powerful people impact data tool, The GC Index. This framework shows us as individuals and teams where we are energised to contribute and make impact aligned to business outcomes.
Using this framework and language allows each person and each team to contribute to game changing impact for their organisation. It encourages us to tailor our environments and our work to enhance our strengths, rather than battle against our weaknesses. We begin to stop putting square pegs into round holes because we understand how we can work so we enter that flow state, work doesn’t feel like work, it is energising.
When we begin to manage our energy for impact vs our time the research from the GC Index shows it reduces burn out, illness and enhances productivity and collaboration.
Mastering Your Energy Management, The Practical Steps to Energise Your Work:
1. Conduct an Energy Audit: We designed an Energy Audit so you can get really clear on which tasks drain you and which ones energise you. This audit can guide you in restructuring your day or even your career path to align more closely with your energy zones. It is one of the most powerful practices we have to keep track of this so we are always working in our most impactful and productive ways. If you are intrigued, please download it here.
2. Embrace Emotional Intelligence: Recognise the emotions that accompany different tasks, this is your internal GPS. Emotions are how our energy depletes and drains. Feelings of frustration or resistance might be indicators that a task is out of alignment with your natural energies. It will also help in playing the part in structuring your day.
3. Leverage Your Strengths: Focus on tasks that play to your strengths and consider delegating or reimagining tasks that consistently drain you. Start your day doing tasks that energise and excite you, this will give you more energy for tasks later in the day that are a little draining. Research supports spending the first 20% of our day in our most energised state for greatest impact and productivity. For example: if meetings drain you, don’t start your day with a meeting that you need to facilitate. If you enjoy data, trends and patterns begin your day with tasks that require you to do this or even get intentional in planning your day.
4. Creative Task Management: If certain draining tasks are unavoidable, find creative ways to approach them. For example, infuse these tasks with elements of your strengths or break them into smaller, more manageable segments. Nikki’s top tip, use music to create the excitement or play a game in the task. For instance when I am looking at our VAT returns, I like to imagine the money we pay in VAT going to people who need it most, visualising them getting real benefit from it.
5. Join Supportive Communities: Engage with communities like the Change Tribe, where you can explore these concepts with support from like-minded individuals.
The Bigger Picture
Understanding what energizes us at work isn’t just about improving productivity—it’s about fundamentally enhancing our quality of life. When we align our work with our natural energies, we not only excel professionally but also contribute to a more fulfilling and balanced personal life.
An Invitation For You
As we continuously evolve in our careers, let’s strive to recognise the profound impact our work has on our overall energy and happiness. By doing so, we position ourselves not just to succeed, but to thrive.
For those on a journey to align their professional lives with their true selves, remember this: the pursuit of energising work is not just a path to professional success—it’s a journey towards a vibrant, fulfilling life.
Thank you for sharing this time with me. Let’s keep the conversation going on our live show this week Energy Management vs Time Management. What work energizes you, and how do you manage the draining tasks?
Download the Energy Audit and share your thoughts and strategies in the comments below!
Or if you're ready to create the best team you've ever been a part of, schedule a chat.
Love,
Nikki of The Change Tribe
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