Have you ever thought about doing all the work you wish to do and not feel exhausted at the end of the day? It is all about energy! Not some kind of an energy out there in the world of physics or nature, but the one you feel inside. It is the energy when you feel high physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. You feel complete.
Source: www.publicopinion.sg
There are times that I am so taken away with my work and my chores at home that at the end of the day I just fall into bed and call it a day. It still happens but way less frequently than before. In 2013 I came across a fantastic article about the Corporate Athlete in the Harvard Business Review, written by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz and it clicked: there are things I can do right away! I want to feel energised!
The authors write about sport athletes doing a specific training routine, compete and then rest to recharge their batteries but us, the corporate athletes, the businessmen and businesswomen of today hardly do any of those.
We are expected to always perform at our best but it is just impossible at times! Is it really impossible?
Finding ways to re-charge ourselves with energy is crucial to enjoy our personal and work life. To be physically fit there are many mantras to keep in mind about sleeping, eating, drinking water, exercising, and so on. We know them all but still we don’t do them! Do we? To be emotionally fit we “just” need to know our own emotions, recognise them in difficult situations and manage them so that to feel balanced.
To be mentally fit we need to make sure we mix the long-dragging and much postponed activities with the ones that we enjoy, we can even journal about our feelings, and all can be done and well! To be spiritually well we need to remember our purpose in life and link what we do to what we stand for. There are so many tips. And they sound so simple, don’t they?
What holds us back, what holds me back is the question.
I decided, two years ago when I first came across this concept, to make a change and build routines to help me feel energised! One step at a time! Fitness is to be physically fit and resilience is to be emotionally strong. To manage changes well, we need both and more! Amongst others, at work, I started to take 15-20 minutes “renewal breaks” in the mornings and in the afternoons to walk in the nearby park or simply up and down on the stairs in order to get the air and slight exercise bump up my heart. I even started having walking meetings when presentations and print outs were not required.
Instead of 30 and 60 minutes, and literally running from one meeting to the other, I started arranging calls and meetings for 15 and 45 minutes. Keeping to it and explaining my approach to my stakeholders that prompt-on idea exchanges and discussions don’t need more than that at first, it was strange but worked!
I gave up my gym membership as their timings simply did not fit into my preferred scheduled and started exercising with YouTube videos and simple equipments at home in the mornings. I started eating 5-6 times, something small and refreshing, instead of the usual three big meals.
My journey with energy management is well on its way, and future habits and routines are to be built but I am up for it! And I can tell you it is worth to continue!
How about you? What is the one thing you would do for yourself to re-charge your personal batteries physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually? Pick one, make it a habit for a few weeks or a month and tell us about it on this blog! Let’s build our own change resilience one step at a time with energy!
Margit Takacs is an Associate Director – Global Senior Change Management Consultant at Deutsche Post DHL.
She is a contributor on the IMI Diploma in International Business Development.
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