Managing Time and Energy

Introduction

Time is a finite resource. Which means we have a responsibility to steward, or manage it well. So, managing our time is something we all do. But managing our time is not enough. We need to be managing our energy too.

The reason is that how well we steward our time, which is where energy management comes in, can enhance our endurance in the marathon of life. And, in the process, the sustainability of business.

As small business owners, we have to ensure that time and energy is managed well if we want to increase productivity.

We cannot control time. But there are plenty of ways to control our energy and thus maximise our time – hooray, there’s hope! Here’s how…

Emphasising energy – it’s personal

Yep, you’ve guessed it – managing our energy starts with our body and minds. The cost of not looking after ourselves will be detrimental to the profitability of our businesses.

Lead by example so that your employees also safeguard the following:

Body

Sip water throughout the day.
Listen to your body and consume the most nutritious, well-balanced meals that will sustain you. Aim for a plate that’s full of colour!
Embrace the endless options of (and opportunities to) exercise.
Value at least 7 hours of sleep. It’s not just about the duration, though, it’s also about the quality. So, the earlier into the night we sleep, the better for our brains. Getting into a deep sleep allows us to process the cognitive, creative, and emotional experiences each day brings. And then, wake up renewed!
Respect that sleep and nutrition can affect your mood and emotions.
We have 90 – 120 minute concentration cycles called the “ultradian rhythm”. In other words, you can work for 90 – 120 minutes, but then you need a break. Take this into account when planning meetings and breaks.

Mind

During your working day, diarise quality breaks and breathers…
- Six seconds of slow exhaling welcomes relaxation. This helps to stop the fight-or-flight hormone.
- Breaks may include simply stopping to listen to music or even doing some star jumps to get the blood flowing!
When reaching the end of your working day, stop working (including digital communication). Set up shut-down rituals to allow your mind to transition to a state of rest.
Allow your mind to drift. The most creative ideas and solutions tend to surface during these moments!
Engage with the hobbies, people, and places that replenish your tank.
Showing appreciation is as much of an instant mood lifter as it is for the receiver.
Avoid gossip and speaking negative words over yourself.

Techniques to track time

Tracking time is essential in evaluating our energy expenditure. In the next blog we will provide a resource list of Digital Tools to further enhance your evaluation.

Technology

Today, a wide range of software helps us understand exactly where to, and how, our time flies.

Use software such as ManicTime or RescueTime for tracking your employees’ time and energy spent behind the screen. Try communicating with your team on Trello or Asana for effective goal setting and accountability.

Multitasking myths

Beware – multitasking weakens productivity!

There are very few people who can actually multitask.

You may notice that your employees attempt to multitask when they’re at their most energetic. But encourage them to evaluate if multitasking is enabling them to focus on the most important thing?

Rather, we should seize when we’re most active by getting our most important (not urgent) tasks done.

Managing both time and energy

We see the correlation between productivity and effectively managing both time and energy. It is imperative that we value both as resources to steward well.