Where Does Your Energy Go?

Can you slow down or speed up time?

The year 2025 is just around the corner, it's time for us to try to reflect on ourselves again in the remaining days of December to welcome a better year 2025.

Daniel Goleman, a psychologist, author, and scientific journalist, believes that self-reflection is a key part of developing emotional intelligence.

Self-reflection is intentional introspection that examines who you are, what values you hold, and why you react to situations in the ways you do. Reflection refers to thinking about something. Having the ability to self-reflect means that you can increase your self-awareness by reflecting on how you behave and what thoughts come to mind in various situations. From there, you can observe your thoughts and emotions as they arise and respond accordingly.

Self-reflection is an invaluable practice for anyone seeking to cultivate a more profound understanding of themselves and their place in the world.

In 2024, various activities were carried out, both professionally and individually, with varying expected and unexpected outcomes. Many factors influence everyone's performance, but in this case, I'm interested in how we perceive ourselves rather than how others do. Because I feel we are the only ones who can control it, anything outside of ourselves is beyond our control. I believe that most of us are simply trying to do our best each year, both professionally and personally. We sincerely hope that everything turns out as intended. We are continuously striving to finish tasks properly in the short time we have, yet time is finite. Do you feel like time moves too quickly? We start early and are quite busy, and by the time we peek outside, it is either dark or our coworkers have left. For example, it appears that we just entered 2024 yesterday, yet now we are entering the new year 2025.

We go around with day planners, to-do lists, and pop-up reminders on our computers and phones, all of which are designed to help us better manage our time. We take pride in our ability to multitask and consider our willingness to work long hours a badge of honor. The word "24/7" refers to a world where work never stops. We use phrases like obsessed, agitated, and overwhelmed to describe our daily lives, not insanity. We assume we have no choice but to cram as much as possible into each day since we are always short on time. However, effective time management does not guarantee that we will commit enough energy to whatever we are doing.

When demand exceeds our capacity, we begin to make hasty decisions that get us through the day and night but take a toll over time. We survive on too little sleep, eat fast food on the go, fill up with coffee, and cool off with alcohol and sleeping medications. When confronted with constant demands at work, we become irritable and easily sidetracked. We often arrive home after long days at work fatigued, and our families are not seen as a source of joy and refreshment, but rather as another demand in an already overburdened lifestyle.

In 2023, my calendar was packed from dawn to dusk; there were several meetings, both online and offline, and I occasionally had to make an emergency call to resolve issues that were not on the agenda. Slowly, I realized that if I did these things every day, I would be unable to enjoy my life.

I did a lot of self-reflection in 2023 and tried to apply it in 2024, especially on how to manage my schedule. At that point, I ask myself, do I put all of my high-level energy into everything? Or am I able to manage my energy levels? The answer that I discovered is ''You set your level of energy incorrectly,'' which causes you to be exhausted because you believe you can compete with time.

I feel many of us are facing similar challenges; what should we do? I think most of us don't want to be in the same situation next year. To manage all of these things, we must be more strategic in our actions because time is fixed and cannot be changed. We only have 24 hours in a day, not more, and responsibilities increase every day, not just annually. We cannot win with time since it is moving so fast. So, how should I work? I was starting to question where I should put my energy. Focusing on the time, I realized that I would never be able to compete with it and would become exhausted. Then I realized that I needed to focus on my energy.

In 2024, I started committing to myself, first by quitting smoking and then by making a list of priorities based on their importance, which proved difficult. I normally believe that everything is a top priority, but if you are honest with yourself, you should be able to prioritize your tasks. I understand that this is not easy; time is always limited, and we work with a stopwatch.

So, if you want to set a resolution about how to function at your peak without jeopardizing your health, happiness, or passion for life, energy management is essential.

Managing Your Energy is Essential.

Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash

‘‘Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of high performance’’ - Jim Loehr and Tonny Schwartz.

Even now, I'm still trying to improve my capability to manage my energy. Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz's book, The Power of Full Engagement, teaches us that in order to achieve our objectives, we must manage our energy more efficiently than our time in all dimensions. To reach peak performance and personal rejuvenation, we need to prioritize energy management over time management.

According to the Cambridge dictionary, the meaning of energy is the power and ability to be physically and mentally active.

In order to efficiently control our energy, we must evaluate four independent yet connected sources. Loehr and Tony Schwartz identified four dimensions of energy management:

1. Physical

   At the most basic level, our physical energy is foundational. It can be enhanced through proper nutrition, regular exercise, and good quality of rest.

   Establishing consistent good quality of rest and incorporating short physical activities throughout the day can drastically improve energy level.

2. Emotional

   This pertains to the quality of energy. Positive emotions like hope, joy, optimism enhance reservoir. Building habits that foster gratitude, emphaty and effective emotional management can lead to more productive and harmonious professional and personal interaction.

   Tips for managing emotional energy:

   1. Mindfulness and Meditation

      Mindfulness helps us stay present and lessen stress.

      Meditation can increase emotional resilience and awareness.

      I've been meditating since 2009, and I can truly feel the benefits of mindfulness. These activities improve both our brains and our bodies. Mindfulness and meditation are difficult practices since many distractions arise when attempting to stay silent. But believe me, if you practice, you will be able to easily regulate your emotions, uncertainty, anger, and fears, which are the types of feelings that always drain your energy.

   2. Positive relationship

      Surround yourself with supportive and positive individuals. Engaging with a smaller circle of friends who uplift and insipire can lead to a more fullfilling and balanced life.

      If you enjoy having a large network of friends, please begin assessing yourself. Do your friends cause you to experience increased stress, emotional exhaustion, distracted focus, and low self-esteem? If the answer is yes, please think about your preference. (You may read ‘‘The Power of Positive Relationship’’ by John Gordon).

   3. Journaling

      Journaling helps us to process our emotions and gain clarity. Please ask yourself: do you feel better after writing down your thoughts on paper? Also, try reopening your journal; I believe you smile, laugh, or are grateful for everything that has happened in your life.

3. Mental

   This dimension encompasses focus, concentration, and cognivitive function.

   Mental energy revolves around our ability to focus and concentrate on taks. The ability to oscillate between periods of intene focus and true detachment (or relaxation) is key. Techniques such as time blocking, strategic pauses, and mindfulness practices can enhance our mental acuity and creative problem-solving.

4. Spiritual

   According to Collins dectionary, spiritual means relating to people's thoughts and beliefs, rather than to their bodies and physical surroundings.

   The amount of energy we have available at any given time is a reflection of our physical capacity. Our desire to spend what we have is mostly a spiritual one. Fundamentally, spiritual energy is a unique force that drives activity in all aspects of our existence. It is the most effective source of motivation, tenacity, and direction.

   Spiritual is the link to a firmly held set of values and a purpose greater than our own self-interest. Character is the essential muscle that generates spiritual energy—the bravery and conviction to fulfill our principles even when it means making personal sacrifices and facing suffering. Passion, commitment, integrity, and honesty are all supportive spiritual muscles.

   Engaging in activities that resonate with personal values or serve a greater purpose can fortify this dimension.

   If growth and development occur from the bottom up—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—change is driven from the top down. The most powerful source of meaning is spiritual, the energy that comes from connecting with strongly held beliefs and a purpose that goes beyond one's own interests.

   Purpose creates a destination. It motivates us to devote our complete attention to a specific task or goal. We get totally engaged only when we care profoundly and believe that what we are doing is truly important. Purpose is what makes us happy, keeps us going, and nourishes our souls."

Performance, health, and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy.

In today's increasingly demanding environment, effective energy management is crucial to maintaining peak performance, productivity, and overall well-being. We may strategize for the most effective energy management by using some call to actions below:

1. Monitoring Energy Level

   Keep track of our energy patterns throughout the day. Note when we feel most energized and when our energy dips. Adjust our tasks accordingly to match our natural rhythms. We put the higher top priority when our energy in the top level.

2. Create a Routine

   Establish a daily routine that includes time for work, rest, exercise, and rejuvenation. Consistency can help regulate our energy levels and improve overall productivity.

3. Practice Self-Care

   Incorporating self-care practices into our daily routines, such as hobbies, relaxation techniques, or self-care, refills all aspects of energy.

4. Stay Hydrated

   Drinking plenty of water can also benefit our mental health. Being well-hydrated allows a person to remain alert, focused, and productive throughout the day. All of this explains why it's critical to restore fluids lost during activities.

   According to studies, drinking enough water may boost metabolism and increase energy levels. One study discovered that drinking 500 milliliters of water raised metabolic rate by 30% in both men and women, with the benefits lasting more than an hour.

   This is something simple and easy to do, but we occasionally forget to drink out of fear of wasting time. Walking to the kitchen for a drink of water and then returning to the table appears to be a waste of time, despite the fact that this is one way to replenish our energy.

5. Limit Energy Drains

   Identify activities or interactions that drain your energy and try to minimize them. This may involve setting bounderies in personal relationships or reducing time spent on unproductive tasks.

6. Rituals and Habits

   Establishing daily routines to recharge energy in these areas is critical. This can include scheduling specified periods for exercise, meditation, and strategic breaks.

There are various lessons we gained in 2024 that we must improve in 2025. We can't do everything at the same time, and we can't compete with time; time flies. What matters most is our ability to manage energy and set optimal energy levels based on the top priorities. Managing our energy properly is critical for achieving long-term productivity and improving our overall quality of life.

Welcome 2025, Stay disciplined, motivated, and relentlessly optimistic!!!