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Vampires & Triangles: Managing energy




There are three fundamental resources that will fluctuate over our lives, that we can spend on what we want and who we want:

⌛Time

💰Money

🔥Energy




Conventional wisdom says this goes through seasons:

  • Youth: more time (students might disagree…), less money, more energy

  • Well into working life: less time, more money, more energy

  • Later in life: more time, more money, less energy

So we’re always trading off.

Of course, this differs for each person.


For instance, most of my peers are choosing to use their energy to build $$ over time, building towards their family and retirement in about 10-20 years.

I’ve personally chosen to make less \(in this season of life, to pursue things that matter to me while I still have the energy. Energy and time are things I can’t get back once they’re gone, whereas\) can always be made.


As a naturally low-energy person, I try to manage tasks and interactions to maximise output and momentum.


Four tools that help:


1. Knowing where you are - the four emotional zones

We all want to be in the performance zone, which is productive energy.


But at some point, most if not all of us will spend some time in survival and burnout. Let it drag on, and the costs will compound - whether it’s inertia and disillusionment, or creating a negative vortex of mistrust, fear and annoyance that could deplete our relationships.


Taking stock of which zone you’re at will tell you what you need, and the effect you’re having on yourself and others. Sometimes recovery is necessary to bounce back to performance.


Graphic credit: Stewart Leadership / Original matrix credit: Morris, I. (2009). Learning to Ride Elephants: Teaching happiness and wellbeing in schools.


2. Knowing your rhythms - match task type to energy

This was easier to figure out during the pandemic, when we had to restart with a blank slate. But I was able to get hints of it even during regular, full-time office work.


For instance, I could be pretty productive from 9.30am-1pm - as long as I didn’t start clearing emails. I struggled to write anything or get deep thinking done after 1.30pm, but could get routine stuff done. And then a huge lull until 8pm, when I perked up again.


Dyan Williams has a great article on this, although I find the specific chronotypes don’t work for me.


Essentially, she says there are 3 types of work:

  • Analytic / focused work (deep work)

  • Creative work (output requiring some “right brain” function)

  • Administrative work


Based on your energy and attention levels, figure out what matches which kinds of task best. Typically people tackle deep work at the beginning of the day, but it might be the reverse for some of us night owls.




Side note - the restless ones among us might find that admin work requires some background stimulation. Good music or some other gently enjoyable accompaniment might help.


3. Knowing who matters - the vampire test

I got this from Austin Kleon’s book, and he got it from Brancusi. This test is simple, and helps us figure out who we want in our lives, and who we might consider letting go.

Basically,

  • if you feel tired and worn out after spending time with someone, that person is an energy vampire.

  • if you feel energized, inspired, uplifted after spending time with someone, they’re not a vampire.

🧛‍♂️

Everybody’s vampires are different.

Despite being a lifelong introvert, there are definitely people who energize me for days - these folks show me what is possible in a relationship (of any kind), and I reserve time for them above others.

4. Knowing what to focus on - Energy X Impact activity audit



Credit for graphic: Jen Waldman, JWS Community


I think the graphic says it all. Different activities fall into each quadrant.


Just because something is harder doesn’t mean it’s more worth doing.

Of course, not everything that’s easy will get you to the outcome.

But if something’s in the bottom right quadrant, drop it if you can.


(There are other levels to this - figuring out the time spent on specific tasks, aligning it with goals, figuring out your strengths…)


P.S. I’m running a workshop in May around using this framework to improve productivity and general fulfilment - look out for info in a few weeks!


 


𝗛𝗶! I'm Lin 👋

𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀.

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