Energy Management

When you watch a NASCAR or Formula 1 race, you immediately notice that the secret to success isn’t just going as fast as you can all the time. If that light turns green and you put your pedal to the floor and never let up, not only will you not win, but you’ll very likely crash.

You need pit stops. You need to slow down in the curves (but not stop), and you need to go as fast as you can go during the straightaways. You need to adapt to small problems and variations.

All of this isn’t “time management.” It’s energy management.

Our focus as professionals on “time management” feels like an attempt to squeeze as much work out of us as possible, but it ignores the nature of the machines that we are. We overheat and need refueling as much as any car. We need to slow down in curves, and we need to let ourselves fly when the way is clear.

Part of the challenge is identifying what “curves” are for you in this context. I’ll give you a personal example: for the past week I’ve been working in a way that’s not common for me. I’ve been in a room full of brilliant professionals all day, every day for a week – actively collaborating, discussing things, even eating together. It was very productive, but it was also absolutely a “curve” for me – a big energy drain. I simply could not do that every day full-time. The strain would be too great. But in short bursts, it’s a great way to gain some ground if navigated well.

If I went into that curve without realizing that’s what it was, I would likely have pushed myself way too hard and hit the outer wall. I don’t want to crash! So I made sure to focus on techniques to keep my energy levels reserved. I curbed my inclination to volunteer for too many things, I listened and took notes more frequently than I spoke (that’s generally an energy-generating activity for me), and I communicated my intentions early. In short, I slowed down for the curve.

“Time Management” is about not wasting time, doing the most you can do, and being efficient. But you can’t be efficient all the time. Being efficient takes mental and emotional (and even physical) energy that isn’t infinite. Sometimes you need to be a little less efficient in order to maintain a healthy energy flow in your life. You need pit stops when you run out of gas or need a tune-up, not according to a rigid schedule set by someone else. You need to let your energy go somewhere when you have a lot of it, and you need to slow down when you don’t. You need to recognize the shape of the track.

What was the last curve you faced? How would you go through it differently if you thought about this first?

What’s the next one?