I was talking with a friend recently who is feeling crushed by her workload and can’t seem to get off the treadmill of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. days chained to her desk, seemingly in perpetuity.
She asked me what tips I might have for her around time management. I’ll admit, the question surprised me. I’ve never thought of myself as someone with great time management skills, mostly because I tend to eschew rigid productivity systems, believing (erroneously or not) that they cramp creativity.
So I wondered why this friend thought I might have something to offer her. She cited the work I produce and the variety of lanes I swim in including storytelling and communications strategy, leadership coaching, Enneagram prison work, and theater.
It wasn’t until after we parted that it hit me. I don’t focus on time management, I focus on energy management. Somewhere along the way, I learned that the time something takes is secondary to energy. I would argue that you could work six hours on a task that gives you energy and feel fresh, revitalized, and ready for what’s next. Or, you could spend three hours on a draining and unfulfilling task and need to check out for the rest of the day.
