7 Ways to Manage Energy Drains

Energy drains can add a lot of stress to our days. When they become chronic over time they can lead to burnout and adversely affect our physical, mental, and emotional health.

So how do we manage the energy drains that pop up almost every day?

1. Do a time audit. If this seems too overwhelming, you can start by logging the time you spend on interruptions and distractions.
2. Pause and evaluate your day. Did you use your time wisely that day? Did you get interrupted too many times that day? What will you differently tomorrow? Did the tasks you accomplished align with your priorities and goals for that day?
3. Time blocking and focused time. Time blocking is scheduling a block of time on your calendar where you focus on one task. If you have trouble focusing you can use hacks like the Pomodoro Technique to set a specific amount of time to focus. The Pomodoro Technique suggests 25 minutes of focused work then a 5 minute break. The Forest app is also a great free app that allows you to set a time and then when you meet your focused time it plants a little virtual tree in your forest so you get a little reward each time and it also has a deep focus mode so other apps can’t interrupt the timer. You may also need to shut off all notifications if you’re like me and get distracted by the texts, phone calls & emails dinging for my attention.
4. Choose your big three. Each morning or the evening before, list your top three tasks that you need to do and that will help you move toward your goals. At the end of the week, go ahead & time block on your calendar the top priorities for next week.
5. Practice silence and stillness daily. Learning to just simply be and simply observing our thoughts without judgment or anxiety is key in leading ourselves well. Whether it’s through a mindfulness practice, a meditation practice, or a practice like centering prayer, find time each day for silence and stillness and don’t fill it with noise or doing something.
6. Set boundaries. Think of boundaries like fences. They aren’t walls. There will be times we have to move the boundary, but they are there to help keep us mentally safe. Not to imprison us.
7. Prepare your response for when people interrupt and practice it. Yes, I know that may seem a little awkward, but rehearsing your response before it happens can be a game changer for when you get interrupted. Don’t let your inner critic tell you that you are being unkind or unhelpful. You can hold your boundaries with people and do it in a kind way no matter what that inner critic might tell you. If the person who is interrupting you needs help with a task, ask them what time later that day or week, would be good for you to help them?