I recently witnessed a fascinating discussion on time management, and it struck a familiar chord. I recognized myself in the endless race against the clock, constantly seeking to maximize efficiency. The efficiency and effectiveness KPIs I embraced at work began spilling over into my personal life.
Yet, no matter how many hours I had, I would inevitably fill them with tasks and âto-doâ lists. I stayed busy but not necessarily productive.
The day my body gave outâcollapsing in a way that my mind could no longer overrideâmarked a turning point. It forced me to ask deeper, more meaningful questions. Was my struggle truly about time, or was it about energy?
Managing our energy rather than time is fundamental to preventing or recovering from burnout.
For me, this journey meant taking a hard look at my life to understand who and what fueled me with energyâand who and what drained it.
This process only began once I could let go of denial about where I was in life and simply⌠do nothing.
For someone always reaching for the next big achievement, doing nothing was challenging. As a high achiever, I had tied my identity to my performance. If I slowed down, if I allowed myself to do absolutely nothingâwho was I?
It took years and many painful âahaâ moments to unravel these truths. And thatâs what this weekâs EQ Oasis theme explores:
How can we manage our energy to not only survive but truly thrive?
Particularly for women, mothers, and working mothersâhow can we overcome guilt and shame for wanting fulfilling careers while nurturing our children?
How do we reclaim our power from societal expectations and the opinions of others?
These were difficult, deeply personal questions I faced. And the answers were never outside of meâthey required a dive within to reframe my perceptions and redirect my attention.
After all, energy flows where attention goes.
Are you ready to dive deeper and learn practical strategies to manage your energy across all areas of your life, using emotional intelligence?
Let's dive into it!
My Personal Journey of Surviving Burnout and Now Thriving in Life
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In a world where change is constant and often overwhelming, many of us carry an invisible yet heavy backpackâloaded with the stones of past challenges and future worries.
This week, weâre exploring a powerful shift: moving from managing time to managing energy.
But first, how do we define burnout?
âAccording to the WHO, burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:
- feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
- increased mental distance from oneâs job or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and
- reduced professional efficacy.
Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.â
I take issue with this last part, as it implies burnout is limited to our professional lives.
I believe that burnout can stem from any area of life where negative emotions are felt or suppressed over time. Such stressors accumulate, often spilling into our professional lives, especially in todayâs hybrid work era where personal and professional boundaries are blurred.
Work-life balance is a familiar buzzword, but it offers a narrow perspective. True serenity comes not from mere balance but from a state where chronic stress is replaced by peace and grounded energy.
And this is where managing energy becomes transformative.
By understanding your life wheelâeach area of life that requires energy and careâyou can begin to manage your energy holistically across all these dimensions.
So, letâs dive in!
What is a Life Wheel and Why Does it Matter To You?
The life wheel, also known as the wheel of life, is a visual tool that offers a snapshot of how balanced and fulfilled we feel across various life areas.
Picture a circle divided into equal segments, each representing a different aspect of life that demands our time, energy, and attention.
These typically include career, finances, health, personal growth, relationships, family, fun and recreation, spirituality, and physical environment.
The aim is to assess each area, understanding where we feel fulfilled and where we might need to redirect our energy. By examining the life wheel, we create an actionable overview of our life's overall balance.
To effectively manage energy, begin by measuring it.
Consider each area of the life wheel and rate your current energy levels on a scale from 1 to 10.
Envision what a higher score in each area would look and feel like.
Next, set a goal for where you'd like each area to be in six or twelve months.
This straightforward self-assessment helps pinpoint areas where energy might be lacking and where you'd like to boost your sense of fulfillment.
Now that you've developed a clear picture of your current state and future aspirations, where do you start? This is where emotional intelligence comes into play.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and effectively use emotions in ourselves and our interactions with others. It encompasses skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills, enabling us to navigate social complexities, make thoughtful decisions, and foster healthy relationships.
Think of your cognitive abilitiesâyour IQâas your elevator in life. Your EQ, the emotional quotient (often used interchangeably with EI, emotional intelligence), shapes your trajectory upward or downward.
The emotional intelligence model I work with comprises five scales that can help you implement your strategy to increase energy across your chosen life wheel areas. Remember, quality trumps quantity. Focus on a maximum of three life wheel areas with the lowest scores, as these are likely the ones draining you the most.
Let's explore how you can manage your energy through the lens of these five scales: Self-Perception, Self-Expression, Interpersonal, Decision-Making, and Stress Management.
