Written by: Alice Dartnell, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
This might sound controversial, but time management is not just about scheduling tasks according to the clock; it's about aligning your activities with your energy levels. As a life coach specialising in time management, I advocate you can’t actually manage time. What you need to do instead is manage you and your energy levels!
Traditional time management techniques often overlook this crucial aspect, leading to decreased productivity and increased procrastination. In this article, we are going to delve into the concept of ‘energy management’ and how it can revolutionize the way you approach your daily tasks so you can say goodbye to procrastination.
As Luca Berni writes in his Brainz article, Procrastination – The Enemy of Performance, ‘Procrastination is human. ….. Procrastination is something more complex that originates in the biology of our brain and to be able to control it, and possibly fight it, or get around it, it is first of all important to recognize it and understand how it works.’
Here are 3 ways to beat procrastination using ‘energy management’ to transform your time management
1. Plan your tasks not just to the time of day but also to your energy peaks and dips
I always advocate that planning is the key to keepings organised and one of the best time management tools. However, have you thought about planning to your energy, not just your time? Rather than plan your schedule to the clock (e.g. 11am meeting with accounts, 12pm lunch, 1pm plan social media content…) actually think about what works for you and your energy. For example, if you’re not a morning person and it takes a while to get going, it would be better for you to ‘warm up’ the day with lots of little tasks and then move on and do the demanding big thinking tasks.
Maybe even think about pushing back the lunch break to 2pm when most of us experience a productivity dip instead of taking lunch at 1pm when you are still more productive.
Solution? Often, we procrastinate because we’re putting off the work we don’t feel like doing, so mix the order of play up to match your energy.
2. Take breaks regularly to keep energy high and procrastination and bay
When did we start thinking we were machines that could just keep going and going all day, working on our laptops, without taking a moment to breath? When our brain needs that break, it will let you know. Your mind starts wandering and you will struggle to concentrate! Unfortunately, we often recognize the warning signs! We will waste an hour watching Tik Tok or decide now is the time to declutter the sock drawer. This procrastination could be avoided if you just took what I call a ‘mini-brain break’.
Solution? Prevention is better than cure and taking a break before the procrastination begins is always better for you. Don’t forget to take a ‘mini-brain break’.
3. Don’t put too many energy draining tasks into one day
Ever got to the end of the day and just felt totally drained? It might not be down to the time you spent on the task but whether the task was draining you. We are all different and what I like and find an “energy filler” might not work for you. We all have different preferences and skill sets etc. Personally, I would rather do 7-hours of content writing than an hour of accounts, because the latter drains my energy whereas the first feels fun and easy for me!
Solution? Simple! Don’t put too many energy draining tasks into one day!! Think about the type of tasks rather than just ticking things off your to do list. You having ore energy means that you are less likely to procrastinate.
Our energy levels are critical
The typical traditional approach to time management often overlooks a critical factor: our energy levels. The concept of 'energy management' offers a revolutionary perspective on productivity and procrastination. Understanding and harnessing your energy levels, you can achieve greater productivity, reduce procrastination, and ultimately create a ‘Life by Design’. By incorporating these strategies into your day-to-day, you can harness your energy effectively, maximize productivity, and minimize procrastination!
Your call to action
Want expert advice for your time management? For free? This is something not to procrastinate on – book yourself in for a free coaching call with my “Time and Energy Management Clinic Calls” here.
Hungry for more?
Get ready to transform your time and life forever! The "Transform your Time" Online Time Management Course is a unique time management course bringing you online course content with instant (and lifetime) access to the modules and live support and coaching!
Alice Dartnell, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Alice Dartnell is a time management and energy management coach, trainer, speaker, and author, who is passionate about empowering people to create a life by design, not by default! Known as an expert in time management and energy management, Alice doesn’t teach time management in the traditional sense. Instead, she focuses on importance of energy management and mindset as the way to improve time management. Alice believes that time management actually isn’t about managing time! Instead, it is about managing you, other people, your tasks and most importantly, your energy! She works with individuals on a 121 basis, as well as through programmes, workshops, and courses. Additionally, she delivers training to org
