Energy vs Time: What is the Most Important Resource in Life?
As an Entrepreneur and Mentor I can often see the stress of fellow Entrepreneurs around time management.
And I get it, we always have been told that, Time is the most precious resource, right? While it’s certainly an important resource, we can easily argue that energy is actually the most important and finite resource. Why? Because you can have all the time in the world, but if you don’t have energy then that time is worthless. A free block in your schedule with five glorious, uninterrupted hours isn’t going to be productive if you don’t have the energy to do what needs to be done during that time.
Energy vs time
What we should be focusing on is quality, not quantity. Putting our energy into the things that matter the most and doing things to effectively manage our energy should have a lot more focus than managing our time, especially as entrepreneurs. It truly doesn’t matter how much time you have to work on an important task if you don’t have the mental or physical energy to get it done properly. When your mental or physical energy is drained, your performance suffers and all the time in the world won’t help.
How to effectively manage your energy
Time management is great, but make sure you’re also focusing on managing your energy. An article in Harvard Business Review stated that “to recharge themselves, individuals need to recognize the costs of energy-depleting behaviors and then take responsibility for changing them, regardless of the circumstances they’re facing.”
So how can you effectively manage your energy? Here are some tips.
Prioritize
The reality is, most of us are constantly trying to do more than is truly possible to do well. Unless you’ve already realized the unrelenting expectations you have put on yourself and have pulled back, it’s likely that you have a laundry list of things that you think are important to do. But to truly be able to effectively manage your energy, and in turn do these things well (or at all), you really need to prioritize. The word “priority” is meant to be singular. One priority. Obviously, with work, family, social lives, etc. it’s impossible to have just one priority. But separating true priorities from wish list items to make time for those at the top of your priority list is vital in conserving your energy and using that energy on what’s most important.
Find natural ways to boost your energy
Time is something that comes every day. Twenty-four hours today. Tomorrow? Twenty-four more! But energy is different. You might have the energy today, but be lacking in it tomorrow. Finding natural ways to keep your energy up so that you can be productive and live the life that you want to live is crucial. Of course, there are plenty of supplements, foods, etc. that can help boost your energy, like caffeine. Are you someone who lives off of coffee to give you energy? While it helps a lot of people, being able to naturally have more energy is even better.
Finding other natural ways to boost your energy and making those part of your life can improve your energy levels and allow you to maintain them rather than having extreme highs and lows, or just lows for some people. Regular physical activity, even just regular walks or a gentle yoga practice on a consistent basis can be wonderful for keeping your energy levels up on a day-to-day basis. Find what gives you energy and make it a priority.
Limit energy-draining behaviors and tasks
Of course, you can’t just quit your business or stop taking care of your kids because it drains your energy. But thinking of everything in your life that you find drains your energy and trying to limit or make adjustments so that they aren’t as draining can truly help. Let’s go back to the example of your business. If you find your business extremely draining, think of your day at work. Are you taking the breaks you should be? Are you actually taking significant breaks for meals? During your lunch hour are you sitting at your desk continuing to work, or are you allowing yourself a mental break to recharge your energy?
Let’s not forget the energy-draining behaviors that we tend to overlook or continue with because we just don’t want to make the changes necessary. Are you staying up way too late watching Netflix because it’s your only free time? While that’s totally fine if it works for you, consider if it’s really hurting more than it’s helping. Would going to bed an hour or two earlier to get more sleep help to provide you with more energy so you can start and move through the next day feeling much more energized to take on the day rather than sluggish and low-energy? Consider what’s draining your energy, if it’s worth it, and if there are any changes you can make.
Remember, you can use all the time management tools and tips that you want, if you don’t have the energy it doesn’t matter. While of course time is a finite resource, it’s also important to be intentional about the resource that you do have control over: energy.
Rotem Gindi is a serial entrepreneur and mentor having founded Vidstart, A video Monetization platform for app developers, Beani TV, a streaming service for kids, and Limpid, an influencer marketing platform. He has mentored at Techstars and WeWork Labs.
