Do you ever struggle with feeling overwhelmed?

We all do.

Because no matter how successful we are or how much stuff we manage to get done, we always want to get more done. So we start to feel overwhelmed and down for a while.

But largely we feel overwhelmed because we drive ourselves too hard. Or, sometimes, it’s because we’re lacking clarity.

In this blog post in a series on how to find the time to get stuff done, I’ll take you through why energy is so important for productivity, and how you can find more energy.

The Importance of Energy

Have you ever had those mornings where you’ve gotten to your desk with a big to-do list that’s been preying on your mind, and you sit there and just think, ‘I’m tired, I can’t, this is too hard, I can’t be bothered’? And the morning drags by because you’re so tired and overwhelmed.

When we feel like that, it’s because we aren’t bringing enough energy to our day.

So how do we bring that energy to our day?

Focus on health

The first thing we need to do is focus on our health, because the healthier you are, the more energy you have. So if we want to be more productive, we need to dedicate time to our health and look after our bodies.

Health involves two things; are we eating the right things, and are we exercising enough? Exercise is particularly important because it really boosts our energy levels. I know I’m more productive when I go for my daily bike ride.

We also need to make sure we drink enough water because that massively impacts our energy levels.

Get plenty of sleep

The second part of bringing energy to our day is making sure we get enough sleep.

Some people think that if they work 20 hours a day and get 4 hours sleep, they’ll get more done. That’s not right because you’re burnt out! It’s not about the number of hours of work we do, but the quality of the work we do in that time.

 We have to look after ourselves and sleep is really important for that. Are you getting eight hours of sleep a night?

Get rid of energy drains

The third thing to think about is, do you have things on your to-do list, or clients that you work with that you really don’t enjoy or look forward to?

The problem with things that we don't like to do is they drain our energy and impact on everything else that we do.

You’ll find in life that the things you love doing bring you more energy, so you work at a higher level. But the things you hate doing drain you.

So what are the things you hate doing? Who are the people you hate working with? You have to find a way to let go of that stuff. How else can you structure your business so you don’t have to do those things? Can you delegate them? Or could you simply stop doing them?

Find your rhythm

The fourth point around energy is to find your rhythm. We all have certain places or times of the day where we work at a higher level, and other times when we’re too tired.

I’m a morning person and I work best in the morning. So I get up early and I find that 8-11 are my best hours for working; I can get a full day’s worth of work into those three hours.

And I get some of my best thinking done when I’m out on my bike. So I get out on my bike nearly every day because it’s not only good for my health, but it’s also where I get my best ideas.

So find your own rhythm. When’s the best time to do your work? Are there specific places where you can do your best thinking? And if there are certain times of the day when you really struggle to be productive, don’t force yourself. It’s about quality not quantity.

In the next blog post in this series on productivity and getting more done, I’ll take you through how to find clarity so that you know your goals, as well as how to limit the distractions that hinder our productivity.

Plus, check out the full video on finding the time to get more stuff done here: https://youtu.be/QWE1adfMAtg

If you found this valuable and would like to learn more about value pricing, I run a free live online training session every month with a topic chosen by you. Attend live and you can ask me any questions you have. Click here to register and I will send you an invitation to the next session.

Wishing you every success on your pricing journey

Mark Wickersham

Chartered Accountant, Public Speaker and Author of Amazon No.1 Best Seller “Effective Pricing for Accountants”