I spend a lot of time thinking and writing about time management. I’m constantly asking myself, “Is this the best use of my time? Could I be doing something that better suits my priorities?”
But maybe those aren’t the right questions to ask. Maybe I should be asking, “Is this the best use of my energy? Could I be doing something that better suits my overall wellness?”
Those are great questions, but I don’t dwell on them. I deflect toward time management over energy management. Why? Because time-related questions are much easier to answer, and the management of time a much quicker skill to master.
Let’s say, like me, you’re concerned about time management. You start by tracking your time; then you evaluate your time usage based on your priorities; and finally, you make adjustments. Progress comes fairly quickly as long as you’re committed. You may even see progress within the very first step of time-tracking, as keeping track of something automatically makes us better at managing it. And the fact that time is finite, easily structured, makes us more capable of figuring out how it should be spent.
But what about energy management? That is a much trickier process. Energy is definitely not a finite quantity. Some of us naturally have more than others, and we all have times in our lives when we have less energy overall (parenting a newborn; going through a long-term illness; any kind of major stress or depression). Energy, or the lack of it, also depends on multiple sources: nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, emotional state. It’s difficult to isolate one of these sources and rate its overall effect on our energy. Some people don’t need as much sleep. Other people’s jobs keep them more active during the day, so a devoted exercise time isn’t as important. Some thrive on certain foods that others can’t tolerate. Some thrive on stress, and others collapse over it. There’s no energy formula that works for every person; we are all unique.
Managing our energy is truly a lifelong learning process, based on trial and error. And even after you figure out what works, that doesn’t mean your body isn’t going to change on you. It’s a continual uphill battle for those who want to increase or even just maintain their energy levels.
So why does it matter? If answering questions about energy is so hard, and if they’re not going to yield quick solutions like those for time management, then why should we bother?
It matters because the two are equal sides of the same coin. We can’t pursue our passions and priorities, no matter how much time we can devote to them, if we don’t have the energy for the task. And we can’t increase our energy without putting in time to exercise, sleep and manage our bodies. We can’t have one without the other.
(This is something that always frustrates me about time in, time-out productivity books: the authors rarely point out that an hour at 3AM isn’t the same as an hour at 9AM, or that there are things you can be doing at 9AM that will make your 2PM more productive.)
I was hoping, by the end of this post, that I’d have come up with some of those harder answers to energy management questions. What is the best use of my energy? What should I be doing to increase my overall wellness? But the truth is, I don’t know. All I’ve learned from the writing of this post is that they’re questions I need to keep asking; that part of my time management should always include deep thinking on energy management.
What do you think? Are the two equal? Is there ever an easy answer? And, most importantly, how do YOU manage your energy?
It’s funny you posted this today, Leanne. I just started working on Draft #3 of my WIP, and have planned to fit in an hour or so of editing on a few weeknights. Last night was fine; I had the alertness, energy, and time I needed to squeeze in that hour. But today, the energy is already not there. In fact, I’ve been hearing the words “coloring book” in my head for a good part of the day. I think I know what my focus will be tonight – along with an early bedtime.
In truth, I think energy management is something many of us struggle with – because it’s so unpredictable. One day we might feel like we’re on top of the world in terms of focus, inspiration, and whatnot. The next day, we might not, due to lack of sleep, illness, emotional focus…
And yes, I also that time and energy management need one another in order to work. It’s hard to have one without the other. How to achieve that balance is hard to say. I’ve heard stories of writers going without sleep, eating, or other aspects of self-care for the sake of their craft – and I know I can’t do what they do because if I don’t take proper care of myself, my craft suffers. Maybe it’s something that differs from person to person?
I totally agree, Sara- I could never do what “those” writers do. Write through the night? Sacrifice food and sleep? I’d burn out in a few hours. I’d rather put in the extra time needed to take care of myself, and make sure my writing sessions are focused and productive even if they have to be shorter.
A thought-provoking post, Leanne. No, time and energy management aren’t the same, and I struggle with matching my energy levels with my priorities with the the times I have available to accomplish what I want to accomplish. I always have high hopes that I will do some writing in the evenings, but my experience is that I’m usually too drained physically and/or emotionally by the end of the day. I have to save less intense activities for that time, and hope that I can manage them–and I’m left feeling that I’m working many more house than I actually am. Like you at the end of your post, I’m still asking those questions and trying to find answers that work for me.
Kathy, I think one of the reasons I focus more on the time management side is that it makes me feel more in control of my life. On the other hand, because I don’t have a lot of control over my energy dips and drains (like you, in the evenings), I feel defeated much of the time by energy management. But I know I have to keep focusing on it.