Day 79 — Productivity series 6/7: “Managing Energy“”
Have you ever felt that after a busy day of working, you get really exhausted and doesn’t want to do anything except for getting some sleep? Has that feeling have negative impact on your productivity of the next day? This was a problem that had been bothering due to my busy schedule and tons of work, but throughout the journey I started to learn about another side of productivity: myself! I learned that by effectively managing my energy level, I can do more and produce in a way that’s better and faster.
In today’s article, I’m going to introduce the 2nd most useful technique I developed in managing my productivity — managing energy — in the following structure:
- The value of managing energy
- How I managed my energy
- What I’ve learned
The value of managing energy
Holistic Planning
The main benefit of managing energy is to create a sustainable solution for productivity. If we have an myopic focus and only look at productivity for one single day, we might be able to create a plan for a short-term productivity boost. However that plan will drain our battery very fast, and creates residual effect on our performance later on. We might be able to get an optimal performance for a day or two, but the side effect will cripple us forthe rest of the week.
Impact on Team
Not only this negative effect takes a toll on a personal level, but also could damage the whole team’s velocity. For one, tiredness is contagious, people can sense the down energy; Also, because we know that when people are depending on you, and your performance level is volatile, it’s hard for the team to predict and assign task to you properly. That leads to a general performance issue for the team when your energy level is up and down.
How I managed my energy
The method I tried before was a 3 step process:
- Daily planning: Using the similar technique in time estimation in the beginning of the day, I also estimate the energy consumption of each tasks throughout the day. Using T-shirt sizing, XS (Extra Small) tasks could consume 2 energy points, M for 3 points, L for 5 points. My goal was to limit the energy consumption in the morning for a maximum 10 points, and 8 points for the afternoon.
- Mid-day check in: During lunch time, I examined how much actual energy consumption actually happened in the morning, if it exceeds 10 points or not. By having a good understanding of how much energy is left for the afternoon, I can determine how many tasks I want to take on during the afternoon (and how much caffeine I need).
- End day review: Before I left the office, I’d review the energy level change throughout the day, and learned that if I over-used my body to “soldier on”, or if I managed it well so that I still can go home and spend quality time with my family. This also helps me determine the plan for tomorrow, so the morning planning session of the next day can be more effective.
What I’ve learned
Constant Rebalancing
Based on the past experience, by comparing my productive days vs. not so great days, I determined that I can take on 18 points per day to perform well. After 18 points, my performance might not be as great as I wanted to. It might be OK to take on a couple XS or S size tasks after 18 points is reached, but definitely not L-level task. If I know I have to take on another L size, then I’ll start remove XS, S, and M size work from the day by either delegating them, deleting them, or postpone them to another day.
Excitement Is a Double Edge Sword
Usually, the boring task consumed more energy in the beginning in order to stay focus, but once I’m in the “zone”, it doesn’t take that much effort to finish the job. On contrary, exciting tasks usually don’t take much for me to kick start, but because of the excitement, it also burns energy pretty fast, and I’ll have to consciously insert break time in between, before I drain all my energy.
Personality Matters
If you’re an introvert, a social gathering or mingling with new faces might consume more energy of yours; on the other hand, if you’re an extrovert, complex analysis that’s done by yourself might drain your mind power faster than a workshop or teamwork task. Therefore, setup your unique scoring standard for different types of tasks is crucial for your energy management.
Further reading
Conclusion
- Managing your energy is not only good for your productivity but also good for your work/life balance, and team performance;
- Have a plan, do a mid-day check in, and review how you did through out the day; it helps you manage your energy more effectively;
- Your energy is the fuel for productivity, have a clear gauge of it and check it once in a while, it will help you go far and fast.
How do you track your energy? Any tips you can share? I’m eager to learn from you.
ABC. Always be clappin’.
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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not represent current or previous client or employer views.
