Energy Management: Rituals, Routines, and Refills That Work

Does your energy run out long before your to-do list? Are you exhausted and uninspired by 3 p.m.? Does your family get the spent, hollow version of you every evening because you’ve left it all on the field at work? That sucks. Let’s figure out how to make your energy last all day.

Start Strong

If you want to have a great day, it helps to start off well. Consider these opportunities to create momentum early in your day.

Morning Routines and Rituals

Choose deliberate, mindful practices in your morning routine. I know, I know, if you’re not a morning person, the last thing you want to be in the morning is mindful—you’re just happy to be conscious. I promise that finding a ritual will ease the transition from sleepy head to spark plug. Pick something that you will do the same way every day, with great care and attention, to tap into inner strength. It could be making a latte with foam art, doing a sun salutation on the porch, or speaking to each of your plants as you water them—no wrong answers.

Focus and Prioritization

Another way to get a boost of energy at the start of your day is to determine your focus and order your priorities. Knowing what’s most important and reminding yourself what needs to wait means you start your day with a quest, and you’re less likely to drain your energy on less important tasks.

First Burst

Decide what you’re going to work on first, before the notifications start piling up, before anyone has a chance to change your priorities. Capitalize on your first block of time to do some deep work. If, by ten o’clock, you’ve already accomplished something meaningful, you’ll feel much better. If, instead, all you’ve done by ten is respond to emails and listen to your colleague gossip and moan, you’ll be feeling spent when the day has barely begun.

Refresh Regularly

One ironic problem with protecting your energy is that a really great start to your day can be as much of an issue as a poor one. If the juices are flowing, you might be tempted to just keep going, surfing the wave for as long as it lasts. While that’s probably alright for an extra forty-five minutes to an hour, going much longer will leave you tapped out and make it harder to muster your energy for the rest of the day. Instead, give yourself a break to ensure you can keep going.

Move It or Lose It

Set an alarm and move your body for five minutes each hour. Your frontal lobe needs oxygen, and getting your blood pumping can really help. If you really can’t stop working, take a ten-minute brisk walk with a colleague to align on a plan or surface an issue.

Refuel

Hydrate and eat food that will provide continuous energy. Pack your desk with good snacks so they’re the easiest thing to reach for. A square of Lindt Madagascar 70% chocolate with a cup of organic pekoe tea starts my afternoon at 1 p.m. Then, at 3, I turn to the mason jar with my own nut mix with just the good stuff (finding a macadamia nut makes me downright giddy)

Switch it Up

One of the techniques that’s overlooked in energy management is changing gears. That might mean changing what you’re working on, or it might mean changing how you’re working on it. When I get stuck in my writing, I’ll switch to a different mode. Sometimes, I’ll grab a blank piece of paper and create a mind map of the topic. Other times, I’ll start wandering around the kitchen riffing on the idea into my voice recorder. Getting stuck sucks the energy right out of you, so switch gears before you feel stuck.

Use Low Power Mode

No matter how much you’ve charged your batteries at the start of the day, there comes a time when your body and mind naturally need a break. Rather than giving in completely (although I’m a fan of a 20-minute power nap when things get bleak), have some low-power mode activities ready to go.

Recovery Work

Keep a list of worthwhile tasks to do when your creativity or attention wanes. For me, it’s travel booking, invoicing, or responding to LinkedIn comments. Those are all things I need to do, but they don’t require much creativity or energy. What’s on your low-power list?

AI Inspiration

When I am trying to pump out work during a low-energy phase, I use AI to inspire me. I tell it what I’m trying to do and ask for suggestions or lists of things I could try. It’s funny, but sometimes the answers are so bad that I get energized by how ridiculous they are. The resulting rant gets me fired up for a good hour!

Plug In

Plan for times in your day when you’ll recharge your batteries by tapping into your natural energizers. Most people are energized by either connection, physical activity, competition, or planning. If you’re a connection person, grab a coffee with a colleague and hash out an opportunity. If physical activity is your jam, slot in a walk or a midday workout. You know what will give you a boost, I’m just giving you permission to do it during the workday.

End Well

The next stage is critical because the proper ending to your work day is the right beginning to your evening.

Close the Loop

As much as possible, finish tasks, hit send, and then reflect to feel a sense of accomplishment. When you’re working on things that you can’t finish at the end of the day, see if you can complete a section or get your part sent off so the ball isn’t in your court.

Set It Up

Another valuable use of a few minutes at the end of the day is to collect your thoughts about what you need to do tomorrow. If you don’t do this, you’re more likely to have intrusive thoughts all evening about things you need to remember. Reduce your thoughtload in the evening by lining things up for tomorrow.

Build a Buffer

Finally, create a buffer to minimize the spillover between work stress and home life. If you have a commute, choose entertainment that helps you disconnect from your daily routine. If you’re working at home, block at least ten minutes to transition out of work mode and into life mode. Go outside and re-enter your house as your home, rather than your office. Or pull a Mr. Rogers and change into your comfy cardigan.

Second Surge

Finally, ensure you’ve got the energy for the people who matter most.

Mind the Gap

We’ve talked about creating a buffer by inserting activities and inputs between work and home; now, you also need to establish a psychological boundary. Remind yourself where you are and how your presence and energy matter. Decide how you want to show up for friends and family.

Invest in Yourself

One of the most challenging things to do when you have a busy job and a hectic family life is to make time for activities or hobbies that recharge your batteries. Where is it supposed to fit between meal prep, kids’ homework help, and driving to soccer practice? But your own activities are not an indulgence, they’re an investment in your energy.

Rest and Reset

And the most important thing you can do to give yourself the best chance of having the energy it will take to get through tomorrow is to prioritize rest and sufficient, quality sleep. Figure out your wind-down routine that slowly lowers your blood pressure and quiets the volume of your inner voice. This is another excellent place to add a bedtime ritual to make sleep more sacred.

When you manage your energy deliberately, there’s enough to go around.

Additional Resources

How to Make Your Energy Last All Day

Practical Advice About How to Prioritize Your Workload

The joy project

 

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