Managing Energy or Managing Time ?

As someone interested in human perspectives and stories, Trinny Woodall's quote, "Age is irrelevant, it's about the energy you bring," caught my attention. She expressed this PoV over a lunch interview, the Financial Times was running with her.

For a very long time, time management was touted as an important skill. Of course, it is and will remain so, but I've come to believe something even more fundamental needs to be taken care of. More so, since the world is increasingly volatile and uncertain. With everyone 24x7 connected, time has become fluid and all-pervasive, and its management is losing relevance. Managing energy has become the key. Our calendars are often choreographed to maximize efficiency, operating under the flawed assumption that our energy is infinite when clearly it is not.

Managing energy manifests in multiple ways: a) Activities - how one structures the day, allocating high-focus tasks to periods of peak energy while reserving routine work for natural lulls; b) Roles - creating a career pattern of intense, challenging roles followed by periods of consolidation and recharge, generating a sawtooth profile that makes one sharper; c) Mobility – thoughtful changes in location or across firms that provide fresh perspective and renewed drive; d) People - surrounding yourself professionally and personally with energy givers rather than energy suckers or politickers—those who bring electric enthusiasm rather than weariness beyond their years; e) Genuine Connection - cultivating emotional energy that enables authentic relationships and generates self-confidence; f) Purpose - dedicating philosophical thinking energy that aligns us with deeper meaning and fulfillment. I am sure you can add many more to this list...

This raises an important question: how do we operationalize this energy-focused approach in our daily lives? One practical method I've adopted is to reframe my decision-making process. Instead of asking, "Do I have time for this?" I now ask, "Do I have energy for this?" When evaluating opportunities, I consider not just the potential return, but also their energy investment requirements, meaningful over the long term. Keen to hear your thoughts!

The modern workplace doesn't just need people who show up - it needs people who bring their vibrant, engaged selves. Similarly, our social connections don't thrive on mere presence, but on the quality of attention we offer. I see energy as one of my most valuable currencies, where I spend it, how I invest it, and most importantly, how I regenerate it. I have often taken decisions that appeared to be a retreat but allowed me to leap forward, and even if that was not the case, it resulted in renewed clarity and purpose. Because the race is indeed longer than we think, and cannot be won by continuously running sprints. Manage energy for the full race!!