It seems like the world is moving faster and our jobs are demanding more and more of us. Many people fall into the trap of trying to work hard. But, as Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy point out in their Harvard Business Review article time is a limited resource. Managing your energy is a much better strategy. Here are the 14 tips they give on how to do it:
- Get to bed earlier and drink less
- Get 3 cardio and 1 strength work out a week
- Replace big meals with small snacks every three hours
- Notice the signs that your energy is flagging (yawning, fidgeting and broken concentration)
- Take short regular breaks away from your desk every 2 hours
- Take deep belly breaths to diffuse negative feelings
- Tell the folks around you that you appreciate them
- When you feel critical ask yourself what the other person would say
- Switch off your email and phone when you have taxing activities to perform
- Designate specific times for voice mails and emails during the day
- Before you go to sleep identify your one crucial task for the next day and make sure you focus on it first the next day
- Identify the activities you like and are good at and make time for them
- 13.Spent 20 minutes on the way home relaxing
- Focus on ensuring you act in accordance to your values ΓÇô if you value punctuality make sure you get to meetings on time
You can read their article: Manage your energy, not your time: Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy, Harvard Business Review October 2007