Time management is one of the most frequently used strategies for increasing productivity in the workplace. It’s about optimizing workloads to get more done in less time.
It’s great to plan the day’s tasks in a few minutes, but it’s hard to move forward without having the mental and physical energy to accomplish the tasks on the to-do list. That’s where energy management comes in.
Table of Content
2. How Can Energy Management Be Used As A Productivity Strategy?
2.1. Monitor Energy Levels throughout the Day
2.2. Prioritize Rest
2.3. Find Something That Gives You Energy
2.4. Keep the Momentum and Know Your Limits
2.5. Reward Yourself
Manage Energy, Not Time
Time and energy management may seem like utterly different productivity strategies, but the two concepts can be mutually beneficial. Time management is about managing the time spent on other tasks, with the primary goal being to get as much done as possible in less time. To get as much done in less time, the main objective of time management is to manage the time spent on other tasks.
There is a lot of good advice on time management, but most of it focuses on getting the job done rather than on the person doing it. Time is a limited resource, and energy must be constantly recharged. Therefore, energy management can be a more effective strategy than time management for successful time management.
How Can Energy Management Be Used As A Productivity Strategy?
If you want to better manage your time at work by managing your energy, consider these five ways to increase productivity
1. Monitor Energy Levels throughout the Day
Some supervisors always demand high productivity from their employees, but this is unrealistic. Our energy levels fluctuate throughout the day, so it’s helpful to know when we can perform at our best and manage our time accordingly.
From a biological perspective, circadian rhythms mean that most people reach their first energy peak within the first few hours of waking up. Circadian rhythms are 24-hour processes that make up our body’s internal clock and are determined by the environment, including light.
According to the Harvard Business Review, most employees reach a peak of energy a few hours into the day, followed by a slow decline at a minimum around 3 p.m. After this low point, energy levels rise again, reaching a second peak around 6 p.m.
Pay attention to your energy levels throughout the day and see if your body follows a similar pattern. If it does, schedule your most demanding tasks during peak hours and defer less urgent tasks, such as emails, to times when your energy levels drop.
Productivity tracking applications such as EMS (Employee Monitor Software) can also give you insight into your most productive times. This data can be used to plan for thorough, uninterrupted work.
2. Prioritize Rest
People are like batteries: they need to be recharged to function. One of the essential strategies for increasing work productivity is prioritizing rest. And poor sleep quality affects almost everything, from concentration and problem-solving ability to energy and alertness. This shouldn’t be news to anyone.
Taking frequent breaks at work is another strategy for increasing productivity and managing energy – a recent study published by JobList found that fewer than two in five full-time U.S. workers take a lunch break of 30 minutes or more five days a week.
Yet, breaks are essential for high productivity. The results show that the most productive people take a lot of leaves. While it can be challenging to force yourself to take a break in the middle of an important task, science has shown that not taking a break can affect productivity, creativity, motivation, and decision-making.
3. Find Something That Gives You Energy
Rest is essential, but productivity can only be increased if the body and mind are stimulated. A necessary part of managing your energy to increase your productivity is to find out what encourages you at work.
The way you position your desk can have a significant impact on your energy levels. Small things like lighting, a clean space, and houseplants can contribute to a pleasant work environment and increase productivity. To energize your work, it’s crucial to know how you interact with the space and how you interact with the colleagues around you. Meaningful relationships in the workplace have been shown to contribute to employee well-being significantly.
Research has also shown that movement in the workplace is directly linked to higher levels of employee engagement and energy. Finding a way that works for you to exercise before and during work can increase your productivity at work.
In addition to exercise, making time for other activities, such as meditation, can reduce stress levels and increase overall productivity. If you don’t have time to exercise or meditate at work, at least try to move your body or stretch during work hours.
In addition to physical activity, take time to do things you enjoy doing and give yourself a break from work. You can read, spend time with family and friends or watch your favorite shows. This may seem obvious, but SimplyHired’s research shows that only 36.2% of millennials find it easy to transition to family life after work. Additionally, 54% of employees can’t tear themselves away from work regarding vacation.
4. Keep the Momentum and Know Your Limits
Setting goals is the first step to achieving them, but some things can boost your productivity to get things done while managing your energy. Setting ambitious goals can increase motivation and confidence, but you need to ensure you don’t burn out too quickly to accomplish them effectively.
Chunking breaks large amounts of information into smaller pieces to make it easier to understand or remember. This method can also be used to achieve significant goals. Breaking a large project into smaller sections can make it seem less complicated and more achievable.
A simple, manageable to-do list can help reduce anxiety and maintain momentum, but you need to know your limits and what you can do while you work. Many people are overly ambitious and put too many things on their to-do lists, so they drown in unfinished tasks and lose control of their work time.
5. Reward Yourself
Finally, you can reward yourself when you complete tasks to help control your energy and increase your productivity. Rewards can give you a sense of accomplishment up to a point and motivate you to keep going. Even if a big project isn’t finished yet, a reward for a small task can give you an immediate sense of accomplishment.
Suppose you want to increase your employees’ productivity. In that case, you should also consider frequent rewards: According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, employees who receive immediate and frequent rewards after completing small tasks are more likely to be engaged than employees who receive delayed rewards after completing more significant projects.
Balance Is the Key
As you know, energy management is a strategy that prioritizes employees’ health and rest needs so they can be more productive. It’s about finding ways to have more energy at work and being able to treat rest and work equally. Most importantly, energy management provides the right tools for successful time management, and the two strategies can be combined to increase productivity.
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