THE REAL EPIDEMIC: BEING BUSY - LEADINFORCE

We don’t need to look far to see that most of the people around us are busy and overwhelmed by a lack of energy. Between work and personal demands, nowadays long hours of work are invested causing a big amount of physical, emotional and/or mental fatigue, among others.

Let’s examine why avoiding the epidemic of being busy, managing our energy, and increasing our productivity is so important in our day-to-day lives.

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There was a time in my life that was marked by a physical energy crisis. The unfavorable consequences were: physical fatigue, sleepy during the day, digestive problems, and a big wish to take a long vacation. I have to admit that having a full-time job, going to school, serving in a ministry, and taking care of my family, although I did it in a very organized way, regularly demanded more hours than usual and on several occasions these extended hours reduced my physical energy.

The article Manage your energy, not your time, presented by the Harvard Business Review, emphasizes that the main problem with working more hours is that time is a finite resource. But that energy is a different story. It clarifies that the four main areas of energy in human beings are: the body, the emotions, the mind, and the spirit.

The desire to have more energy or at least to regain what has been lost is nothing new. But as the experts on this topic point out, it is not as simple as it seems. Some believe that getting a little more sleep is the solution; others that frequent coffee or stimulants will give them enough energy. Unfortunately, some of these solutions are harmful and fail to solve the problem in the long term. If the solution were simple, the problem of lack of energy would not exist.

But in reality, as Tony Schwartz, the CEO of “The Energy Project” says, we must regain focus in order to be more productive, efficient, and healthy. He claims that we are not changing at the same rate as the world is changing and that technology is far ahead of our ability to manage it. And that we must spread our energy not only for ourselves but for our organizations.

Most people today have more activities on their agenda than necessary, wanting all of them to be a priority. This is what creates this epidemic of being busy. In reality, if everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. Therefore, being busy with countless activities does not mean that you are productive or that you are having the desired results. The solution is not to be busy, rather to focus on priorities and recover our energy.

So, what can you do to manage and maintain your energy?

Re-examine your priorities, develop the correct strategy to have the right focus, and avoid continuous waste of energy.
When necessary, exchange your energy. For example, if after an hour of exercising you feel physically tired, but mentally or emotionally exercising is something that helps you relax, this energy can balance physical exhaustion.
Look at the four areas (physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental) that give you energy. In which of them do you need to renew yourself? Spend some time of reflection and observe whether any of these areas supply you with energy or, on the contrary, diminish it.
Use the correct strategy in each area to renew your energy, such as:
- Physical: having a balanced diet and the necessary hours of sleep, among others;
- Emotional: stay positive and relate to those who bring light to your life;
- Spiritual: be clear about your purpose and bring it into your daily life; pray and improve your relationship with God.
- Mental: add to your agenda: times of reflection, constant learning, and reading what inspires you.

It is essential to maintain balance in the four areas that provide you with energy. Additionally, having the correct focus on your priorities will allow you to use your energy on whom and what is really valuable to you.

Question: What can you do to manage your priorities and maintain your energy?