Just Another Manic Monday? As a child of the 80's, I couldn't help myself. Now that you're either thanking or cursing me for the song you may be thinking about all day, let's talk about time and energy.
We all know "those people" who seem to perform at a level and get more done than humanly possible. Do they have more time than anyone else? Not really. Maybe they manage their time better, maybe they are aliens, I don't know. Or, maybe they manage their energy better. Hmm...
The book, "The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, introduces the concept that effectively managing our energy, not time, is the secret to being our happiest, healthiest, and highest performing selves. Here are four key energy principles to get us started (more to come):
1) We need to draw energy from physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual sources. While separate, they need to be in four-part harmony with each other.
2) Both overuse and underuse diminish our energy capacity. Balancing our energy expenditures with periods of rest and renewal is key.
3) Every once in a while, we need to "reach beyond" our comfort zones and test our limits to stretch and build our capacity. Sir Roger Bannister didn't break the four-minute mile record, until he believed he could. This also created a new morphogenetic field (M-field) for human kind where a new paradigm was created for what is possible (more to come on that as well).
4) Positive energy rituals, or ways in which we manage our energy are key to sustained high performance. Meditation, movement, gratitude journaling, and healthy nutrition are some examples.
As you ponder the four principles above, and consider a paradigm shift from managing your time to managing your energy, this week's reflection question is:
How do you spend your energy in a way that is consistent with your deepest values?
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