In recent times we have run workshops with executive leadership teams on energy management. Not the "should we choose LED lightbulbs for our newly renovated employee canteen" energy management"; Instead, how to manage human energy to perform at our best. During one pre-workshop briefing, the Managing Director described a level of fatigue that she had not felt before. "I started the year with depleted energy, and nothing I do seems to fix it," she said. Her team felt the same, and she was concerned that this low energy at the senior leadership level could become contagious and spread within the organisation.
ENERGY AND WORK
Energy is the capacity to do work. As demands on us increase so the energy required to meet those demands goes up. This dynamic is physics 101. If we reflect on the last two years, when most of our lives have been turned upside down with COVID-19, extraordinary amounts of energy were needed to adjust to the new way of working and living. Fast track to the end of 2021, and most leaders are finding demands have continued to increase.
ENERGY VERSUS TIME
When demands go up, most of us automatically default to putting in more hours. The challenge here is there are only 24 hours in the day. If we have a mountain of work to do, we cannot simply request an additional three or four hours be added. Time is finite and out of our control. The clock continues to tick regardless. In contrast, human energy is 100% within our control, intrinsic and constantly renewable.
THE FOUR ENERGY TANKS
Tony Schwartz, co-author of "The way we are working just isn't working," talks about four energy sources or tanks humans have at their disposal.
Physical energy is the quantity of energy we have on any one day, and this tank is filled when we move, relax, eat well, sleep and hydrate. Schwartz believes this is the foundational tank on which all other energies rely. If we have a few nights of poor sleep and haven't exercised in a while, we are more likely to be emotionally labile and struggle to concentrate during the day.
Emotional energy is the quality of our energy. How we relate to others and how we emotionally process what's going on in our lives. If we are spending a lot of time reacting with unresourceful emotions, we will drain this energy tank. Ruminating and negative thoughts do the same. Withdrawing from others and isolating ourselves also takes its toll on this energy source.
Mental energy is all about our focus and relates to our cognitive capacity to create, think, make decisions, dream, and plan. If we are spending hours at our desk working without paying attention to short periods of recovery during the day, we will deplete this tank. Working in an environment where we continually experience interruptions, be they self-induced or initiated by others, is another significant energy sapper.
The energy of the human spirit talks to our "why". Why do we do what we do in life, our values, our aspirations? If one of our values is family and we spend most of the time working and spending very little time with our loved ones, this is incongruent with our values and will deplete this tank over time. If our purpose in life is unclear, this tank is impacted.
PERSONAL ENERGY AUDIT
So how do we know if one or more of our energy tanks needs attention? A personal energy audit is a great diagnostic tool to get a baseline on the state of our energy tanks. Below is a list of questions adapted from The Energy Project, which will help figure out which tanks may be depleted.
For every statement, we assign either a ''yes'' or a ''no''. If some questions aren't a clear "yes" or "no", allocate an answer based on the most likely scenario.
Physical energy tank:
1. I don't regularly get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep and often wake up feeling tired.
2. I frequently skip breakfast or grab a snack that isn't particularly healthy.
3. I don't move my body enough, meaning exercise at least three times a week that challenges my cardiovascular system and strength training at least once a week.
4. I don't take regular breaks to renew and recharge during the day, and I often eat lunch at my desk or on the go.
Emotional energy tank:
1. I frequently find myself feeling irritable, impatient or anxious, especially when demand is high.
2. I don't have enough time with my family and loved ones, and when I'm with them, I'm not always really with them.
3. I take too little time for the activities that I most deeply enjoy.
4. I rarely stop to express my appreciation to others or to savour and celebrate my accomplishments.
Mental energy tank:
1. I have difficulty focusing on one thing at a time, and I'm easily distracted during the day, especially by email or phone.
2. I spend much of my time reacting to immediate demands rather than focusing on activities with long-term value.
3. I don't take enough time for reflection, planning and thinking creatively.
4. I work in the evenings and/ or on weekends and rarely take a holiday free of work.
Human spirit energy tank:
1.I spend too little time in my life doing what I do best and enjoy most.
2. There are significant gaps between what I say is essential in my life and how I live.
3. External demands often impact decisions at work or home rather than by a strong, clear sense of my purpose.
4. I don't invest enough time and energy to make a positive difference to others or the world.
Count all the "yes" statements. The denominator is 16. How did you go? The higher the number of "yes" statements, the greater the energy capacity we could have available that is unavailable. A score of 4 out of 16, for example, means that 25% of our energy capacity is not available because we are not adequately filling our tanks. If our score is 8/16, then this goes up to 50%, and at 12/16, 75%, and so on.
THE OPTIMAL AGE
At what age do we need to start deliberately focusing on our intrinsic energy? Research shows that before the age of 30, our bodies ability to replenish its energy happens without us needing to put much effort into it.1 However, from 30 onwards, we cannot take for granted that our energy tanks will automatically renew. The first tank that usually depletes is our physical tank as our bodies age. If you have just had your 30th birthday or cannot remember that far back, read on.
FILLING OUR ENERGY TANKS
In our relevant and impactful “The Art and Science of Energy Management” workshops we explore a number of useful strategies to fill each energy tank. Every strategy is grounded in research and will bring attention to what can be done to renew our energy. Following are a few examples from our workshops:-
Physical energy:
Movement: A 30-minute walk 3-4 times a week is sufficient to keep our cardiovascular system in shape and manage our stress.
According to researcher Robert Sapolsky, we don't need to be running on a treadmill to gain benefits. If we are walking and talking and feeling out of breath, we are probably walking too fast. A walk around the block is a good start, and as we get fitter, extend the distance. The key is to keep moving, so choose what works for you.
Emotional energy:
Connecting: According to researcher Kelly McGonigal, reaching out for support when feeling overwhelmed and stressed triggers our tend-and-befriend response, which is our primitive urge to connect. This response involves the secretion of a myriad of feel-good hormones in our brain, such as oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. It is mother nature's way of keeping us safe through connection. Our ancestors knew that staying with the tribe was a safer option than being on the Savannah alone.
Mental energy:
Reduce rumination: When something doesn't go as planned, are you consumed by negative self-talk? This rumination plays havoc on our mental energy. Consider doing an "after-action review" on paper writing down all the things that you did in a particular situation that was positive versus all the negative stuff. Another way is to designate a worry-hour every day so that we don't waste the rest of the day worrying about things.
The energy of the human spirit:
Values alignment: Are you clear on your core values? Assess whether you are living your values or whether something needs to be tweaked. Misaligned values will drain this energy tank.
SPRINTER MINDSET
When managing our energy, the key is to have a sprinter mindset. This mindset oscillates between performance and recovery throughout the day, paying particular attention to which activities deplete and replenish energy. For example, if we know we are heading into a day with back-to-back meetings, we should ensure that we have a full physical energy tank going into the day. We could achieve this by having a good sleep the night before, a nutritious breakfast and an early morning walk.
ON A FINAL NOTE...
There is no doubt we will continue to face challenges in 2022 and beyond. Demand for our time and energy will continue to increase for most of us. As leaders, if we are to rise to the challenge and harness our human energy to work at our personal best, we need to pay attention to our energy. Take a minute to reflect on your energy levels. Do some tanks need some tender loving care?
References:
1. McCarthy, C., Gomes, J., Schwartz, T. (2010). The Way We're Working Isn't Working: The Four Forgotten Needs Energise Great Performance. United States: Free Press.
2. Sapolsky, R. (2012). Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: A Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping. New York: W.H. Freeman.
3. McGonigal, Kelly. (2015). The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It. Print.
4. Sleep consistency and why we track it? https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/new-feature-sleep-consistency-why-we-track-it