Managing your personal energy is such an important part of productivity and running your business. And I don’t know about you, but lately I’ve been finding myself with a distinct lack of energy to do much other than put out the newsletter every day.

So, I went on a hunt and found a few tips that might help with my energy management, and yours too if you’re feeling the same.

Here are 5 tips for managing your personal energy…

Tip #1 – Let go of what you can

You don’t need to be in control of everything. Realistically, the only thing you can control is yourself. And it’s pretty much impossible to do every little thing on your list by yourself in a realistic amount of time. Learning to let go of what you can, and actually doing it can free up a lot of energy that gets spent on frustration and stress. Finding ways to outsource or automate the process, can be a big help with that.

Tip #2 – Create a schedule you can live with

So many people underestimate the time it takes to complete a project. If you don’t set aside enough time to finish certain projects or tasks, you will always feel like you are rushing to complete your work on time. Creating a schedule you can live with that includes realistic deadlines will free up the energy that you use to stress out and rush around trying to do things last minute.  

Tip #3 – Develop proper routines that include regular breaks

I have to be honest with you – this is a weak spot for me. I never take a break when I think I’m going to. Even when I write them into my schedule the time tends to get away from me.  That’s where doing a time audit can come in handy – it’s easier to schedule breaks when you know long each task takes.

Tip #4 – Do the easy stuff at the end of the day

This is so counter to the way I work, that it bears experimenting with. I always do the little things first in the morning so that I can see them crossed off my list!

However, these tasks don’t take your full attention, so they can be done later in the day when your energy starts to wane. Even when it seems more straightforward to go ahead and get them out of the way, you end up using your most productive hours and energy on activities that really don’t matter—giving you less energy for more important things.

Tip #5 – Make the “must do’s” non-negotiable

This is where having clarity about your goals and why they’re important comes in handy. Make the things that are important to moving forward non-negotiable each day.

A good friend gave me a tip once to put my 3 “must do” activities for the day on a sticky note. And to not do anything else for the day until those are done. Focusing your energy on those important tasks that are going to get you closer to the life you want for yourself makes a lot of sense when you look at it like that.

Final Thoughts

Everyone has different energy levels. And you may have health reasons for having low energy that no amount of energy management tips is going to change. Personal energy management is just that – personal. The main thing to take away from this is that you need to be realistic, honest with yourself and create a schedule that takes into account both your own energy limits and the work that needs to be done.

*Note: This post includes affiliate links, for which I will receive a small commission should you make a purchase.