At the end of a long day, when you say you don’t have time to do something, it is an indication that you don’t have the energy to do it. And hence you can’t be resourceful or efficient at that hour. So how do you measure and enhance your energy levels? Let’s begin by understanding the four kinds of energies that you need to keep a tab on. When there is an imbalance in any of these, you will have to work on that particular aspect to improve your holistic energy.

Types of Energy

Physical Energy: This is governed by a variety of factors such as nature of the food that you consume and whether you follow consistent meal timings, the quality of sleep, amount of exercise, and so on. Short breaks at regular intervals through the day can help you recharge your physical energy and work more efficiently. This ties in with ultradian rhythms – 90 to 120-minute cycles during which your body moves from a high-energy state to recovery mode.

Emotional Energy: Do you fall prey to every distraction or do you have a certain amount of self-control? What is your self-confidence like, are you empathetic, how creative are you? From expressing gratitude to others, to changing the stories we tell ourselves, you can cultivate positive emotions.

Mental Energy: Is your self-talk positive or negative, and what is the quality of your self-talk? Are you optimistic in general, and what are the nature of your thoughts? Multitasking is something that tends to reduce productivity. Declutter your mind to boost energy.

Spiritual Energy: This is manifested in integrity, honesty, and commitment, among other values. You can consider this as your core value system. You need to get your priorities straight and allocate time and energy to areas of your life that you feel are important.

You should work on all four aspects to improve your holistic energy. When they are in unison, then an optimal level of energy can be reached. The trick is to allocate the right kind of energy to the right task to manage your time effectively.

Peak Energy

The other important concept is peak energy. Each person’s energy during different times of the day is different. Figure out your peak energy hours and allocate your tasks accordingly. If your energy levels are high at night, then dedicate those hours to high-priority tasks and execute menial tasks (requiring far lesser concentration) during your non-peak energy hours.

Don’t try to force yourself to do important tasks in the morning if you are a night person. It’s a futile attempt and your body will definitely resist it, leading to quite a bit of discomfort and wasted hours. The key is to identify peak and low energy hours and optimise accordingly, so you can manage tasks efficiently.

Understand the dynamics of these four energy levels and how they impact your day-to-day activities. Keep reading and learning more about time management. In the next blog post, we’ll be exploring the third principle – time is money.