Personal Energy

Personal energy has been mentioned to have four dimensions: Physical energy, Emotional energy, Mental energy and Spiritual energy. For a greater sense of well being these aspects of energy can be expanded and regularly renewed by intentionally practiced and precisely scheduled behaviours.

The personal energy audit below helps to identify the state of our energy management skills.

Body
__ I don’t regularly get at least seven to eight hours of sleep, and I often wake up feeling tired.
__ I frequently skip breakfast, or I settle for something that isn’t nutritious.
__ I don’t work out enough (meaning cardiovascular training at least three times a week and strength training at least once a week).
__ I don’t take regular breaks during the day to truly renew and recharge, or I often eat lunch at my desk, if I eat it at all.

Emotions
__ I frequently find myself feeling irritable, impatient, or anxious at work, especially when work is demanding.
__ I don’t have enough time with my family and loved ones, and when I’m with them, I’m not always really with them.
__ I have too little time for the activities that I most deeply enjoy.
__ I don’t stop frequently enough to express my appreciation to others or to savor my accomplishments and blessings.

Mind
__ I have difficulty focusing on one thing at a time, and I am easily distracted during the day, especially by e-mail.
__ I spend much of my day reacting to immediate crises and demands rather than focusing on activities with longer-term value and high
leverage.
__ I don’t take enough time for reflection, strategizing, and creative thinking.
__ I work in the evenings or on weekends, and I almost never take an e-mail–free vacation.

Spirit
__ I don’t spend enough time at work doing what I do best and enjoy most.
__ There are significant gaps between what I say is most important to me in my life and how I actually allocate my time and energy.
__ My decisions at work are more often influenced by external demands than by a strong, clear sense of my own purpose.
__ I don’t invest enough time and energy in making a positive difference to others or to the world.

How is your overall energy?
Total number of statements checked: __
Guide to scores
0–3: Excellent energy management skills; 4–6: Reasonable energy management skills; 7–10: Significant energy management deficits; 11–16: A full-fledged energy management crisis

What do you need to work on?
Number of checks in each category:
Body __; Mind __; Emotions __; Spirit __;
Guide to category scores
0: Excellent energy management skills; 1: Strong energy management skills; 2: Significant deficits; 3: Poor energy management skills; 4: A full-fledged energy crisis

Reference:

Schwartz T, McCarthy C. Manage your energy, not your time. Harvard Business Review. October, 2007. [Full text]