Think about how much time you have spent trying to organize and reorganize your time to fit everything in.Do you have charts and calendars set up to try to keep you on task? Maybe you have even taken a class or read books on time management that guarantee that you will reduce your stress and be able to accomplish everything you need to do each day.The truth is that managing time is not that easy.Primarily because time is finite and no matter what you do you can not change that there are only 24 hours in a day.With this sobering reality, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.Instead of focusing on time management, focus on energy management.Energy is renewable and you can build your personal energy capacity to be able to accomplish more and enjoy yourself in the time you are given.Your personal energy capacity is directly link to your overall well-being.With demands at work and home continuing to rise, it is imperative that you focus back on your own wellness and develop strategies that can systematically expand and regularly renew your energy.By valuing your personal wellness and developing positive lifestyle rituals you can optimize your success in all aspects of your life, including relationships with friends, family, and co-workers, physical fitness, disease prevention, and finding work-life balance.To enhance your personal wellness and build your energy capacity it is important to look at four sources of energy; physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy.In the book The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz go into great depth on these four energy sources.Based on their research and my personal experience as a health and wellness professional a brief description of each follows.Physical energy is quantitative.This is your core energy based on your nutrition, physical fitness, rest, and renewal.The body provides the fundamental fuel needed to handle the challenges of daily living.A person who is physically fit, eats healthy, and receives adequate rest is some one who is capable of managing their emotions, sustaining concentration, thinking creatively, and maintaining a commitment to specified missions.Having good physical energy also helps a person handle sudden challenges that s/he is confronted with on a daily basis.Emotional energy refers to a more qualitative approach to your overall well-being.Specifically, how do you feel when you are performing at your best? Positive emotions result in higher energy levels.If you are optimistic, confident, and sufficiently challenged, then you will be more likely to perform at your best and meet or exceed the results you are working toward.During periods of intense stress having the ability to call on positive emotions and communicate your needs with positive energy can help you cope and work through whatever comes your way.Being emotionally well helps you see beyond the stress of the moment and focus back on the big picture for where you want to be, who you want to be, and how you want to achieve the desired outcome.Mental energy refers to your ability to prioritize your focus.Your mental capacity is used to organize your life and focus your attention.Having a healthy mind gives you the ability to concentrate on the task at hand, sustain concentration, and to move flexibly between focus areas.The same positive emotions that enhance emotional energy also play a key role in the development of mental energy.Positive emotions drive performance in everything from tasks of daily living to career advancement to competitive sports.When you achieve a peak performance you are investing your full and best energy - staying focused on the present.Spiritual energy refers to your personal intensity and force.Spirit is the connection to a deeply held set of values and to a purpose beyond our self-interest.Elements that support spirit and spiritual practices include passion, commitment, integrity, and honesty.Living this connection through your work, home life, and daily habits evolves you to a higher level of engagement that impacts your relationships, personal authenticity, and your ability to achieve results.Making the connections between your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy fits with the philosophy of wellness, which is all about striving to become whole.So, how do you manage your energy in a way that will result in continuous expansion and renewal? The answer is found in the practice of good self-care that results in optimal health and wellness.Look at each energy source and develop expansion and renewal goals around each.Physical energy relies on the acts of moving your body, following a balanced diet, and getting adequate rest.Start a new exercise routine, consult with a dietitian to make sure your fueling your body appropriately, and strive to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.Emotional energy can be boosted simply by reframing your perspective on life.Instead of thinking about how impossible it will be to reach a deadline at work, train yourself to embrace the challenge and celebrate your smaller successes along the way.Another example is when it is time to exercise but the weather is less than ideal, instead of focusing on the inclement weather think about how you can enjoy this experience (i.E.You enjoy the beauty of the snow and the quiet as it falls around you) or have an alternative plan to exercise inside.Mental energy requires that you be able to maintain your focus, so if there are distractions and stress that are affecting your ability to focus it is time to address them.This will look different from one person to the next.Maybe you need a professional therapist to work through past experiences, a coach to help you move forward, or simply a chance to recharge with a relaxing vacation.Finally, to renew spiritual energy try something as simple as walking in nature, reading an inspirational book, listening to music, hearing a great speaker, meditation, yoga, or prayer.By changing your focus from time management to energy management, you will be amazed at what you can achieve in the same amount of time.The quality of your experiences and the level of your accomplishments will reach new levels.Most importantly, you will be spending your precious time on something that you have the ability to manipulate and control instead of trying to find ways to add more hours to your day.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Energy Management Not Time Management
Think about how much time you have spent trying to organize and reorganize your time to fit everything in.Do you have charts and calendars set up to try to keep you on task? Maybe you have even taken a class or read books on time management that guarantee that you will reduce your stress and be able to accomplish everything you need to do each day.The truth is that managing time is not that easy.Primarily because time is finite and no matter what you do you can not change that there are only 24 hours in a day.With this sobering reality, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.Instead of focusing on time management, focus on energy management.Energy is renewable and you can build your personal energy capacity to be able to accomplish more and enjoy yourself in the time you are given.Your personal energy capacity is directly link to your overall well-being.With demands at work and home continuing to rise, it is imperative that you focus back on your own wellness and develop strategies that can systematically expand and regularly renew your energy.By valuing your personal wellness and developing positive lifestyle rituals you can optimize your success in all aspects of your life, including relationships with friends, family, and co-workers, physical fitness, disease prevention, and finding work-life balance.To enhance your personal wellness and build your energy capacity it is important to look at four sources of energy; physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy.In the book The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz go into great depth on these four energy sources.Based on their research and my personal experience as a health and wellness professional a brief description of each follows.Physical energy is quantitative.This is your core energy based on your nutrition, physical fitness, rest, and renewal.The body provides the fundamental fuel needed to handle the challenges of daily living.A person who is physically fit, eats healthy, and receives adequate rest is some one who is capable of managing their emotions, sustaining concentration, thinking creatively, and maintaining a commitment to specified missions.Having good physical energy also helps a person handle sudden challenges that s/he is confronted with on a daily basis.Emotional energy refers to a more qualitative approach to your overall well-being.Specifically, how do you feel when you are performing at your best? Positive emotions result in higher energy levels.If you are optimistic, confident, and sufficiently challenged, then you will be more likely to perform at your best and meet or exceed the results you are working toward.During periods of intense stress having the ability to call on positive emotions and communicate your needs with positive energy can help you cope and work through whatever comes your way.Being emotionally well helps you see beyond the stress of the moment and focus back on the big picture for where you want to be, who you want to be, and how you want to achieve the desired outcome.Mental energy refers to your ability to prioritize your focus.Your mental capacity is used to organize your life and focus your attention.Having a healthy mind gives you the ability to concentrate on the task at hand, sustain concentration, and to move flexibly between focus areas.The same positive emotions that enhance emotional energy also play a key role in the development of mental energy.Positive emotions drive performance in everything from tasks of daily living to career advancement to competitive sports.When you achieve a peak performance you are investing your full and best energy - staying focused on the present.Spiritual energy refers to your personal intensity and force.Spirit is the connection to a deeply held set of values and to a purpose beyond our self-interest.Elements that support spirit and spiritual practices include passion, commitment, integrity, and honesty.Living this connection through your work, home life, and daily habits evolves you to a higher level of engagement that impacts your relationships, personal authenticity, and your ability to achieve results.Making the connections between your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy fits with the philosophy of wellness, which is all about striving to become whole.So, how do you manage your energy in a way that will result in continuous expansion and renewal? The answer is found in the practice of good self-care that results in optimal health and wellness.Look at each energy source and develop expansion and renewal goals around each.Physical energy relies on the acts of moving your body, following a balanced diet, and getting adequate rest.Start a new exercise routine, consult with a dietitian to make sure your fueling your body appropriately, and strive to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.Emotional energy can be boosted simply by reframing your perspective on life.Instead of thinking about how impossible it will be to reach a deadline at work, train yourself to embrace the challenge and celebrate your smaller successes along the way.Another example is when it is time to exercise but the weather is less than ideal, instead of focusing on the inclement weather think about how you can enjoy this experience (i.E.You enjoy the beauty of the snow and the quiet as it falls around you) or have an alternative plan to exercise inside.Mental energy requires that you be able to maintain your focus, so if there are distractions and stress that are affecting your ability to focus it is time to address them.This will look different from one person to the next.Maybe you need a professional therapist to work through past experiences, a coach to help you move forward, or simply a chance to recharge with a relaxing vacation.Finally, to renew spiritual energy try something as simple as walking in nature, reading an inspirational book, listening to music, hearing a great speaker, meditation, yoga, or prayer.By changing your focus from time management to energy management, you will be amazed at what you can achieve in the same amount of time.The quality of your experiences and the level of your accomplishments will reach new levels.Most importantly, you will be spending your precious time on something that you have the ability to manipulate and control instead of trying to find ways to add more hours to your day.
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