‘Tis the Season for Needing More Energy

Are you getting stressed as the holidays approach? Doesn’t it seem like there is never enough time to get everything done? Having enough time isn’t the real problem, though. It’s having enough energy!

According to Tony Schwartz, author of The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, we can improve our performance and our well-being by learning how to better manage our energy.

He identifies four energy needs that we must meet in order to be at our best. If we learn to efficiently manage the following needs, we will have the energy necessary to survive, even thrive, during hectic times.

1) Physical needs include eating right, exercising regularly, resting, and getting enough sleep. When we feel pressed for time we tend to ignore all of these. Don’t let that happen! Build rituals into your daily schedule to balance your rushing around with time to rest, eat well, and get to the gym. And don’t stay up all night addressing Christmas cards! If you go to bed instead you’ll have the energy to work on them tomorrow.

2) Emotional needs can be consciously cultivated. Positive emotions directly impact how energetic we feel. So this season make an effort to focus on the good things in your life, to feel grateful for all that you have, and to recharge your batteries by spending quality time with people you love.

3) Mental needs help us get things done more efficiently. You can meet these needs by focusing on one thing at a time rather than trying to multitask, by prioritizing your tasks so that you attend to the most important things first, and by balancing 60 to 90 minutes of working intensely with time for more strategic, creative thinking.

4) Spiritual needs are satisfied when we serve a purpose larger than our own self-interest. The more we feel something really matters the more energized we are. So when you start to get stressed about all the gifts you still need to buy, stop and take a moment to think about the real meaning of Christmas or to focus on the joy of giving.

This holiday season try to be more physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned. You won’t need more time if you have more energy!