Your energy levels are a key factor in how productive you are during the day. For an entrepreneur, maintaining high energy levels throughout the workday is necessary for maximum efficiency. But with so many things playing a part in how energetic we feel, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly how best to manage those energy levels for work.
To provide some guidance, eight leaders from Young Entrepreneur Council discuss several tips for keeping energy levels high to maintain peak performance and accomplish more in your day. When you feel your energy waning, follow this advice to help you stay on track.
Young Entrepreneur Council members share strategies for maintaining high energy levels during the workday.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Identify What Depletes Your Energy
Managing energy requires paying attention not just to what builds your energy, but also to what depletes it. I recommend three simple steps to tracking and moderating energy throughout the day: 1) Track your energy. Write down the events of a day or time and your feelings. Be sure to note foods you've eaten before or after you feel sluggish or great. 2) Think about food and light. What we put in our bodies can have a real impact on our energy levels. Also, just 20 minutes of natural light can help improve energy levels. 3) Exercise in nature. Moving your body can be an easy way to stay in optimal peak performance. A body in motion stays in motion, and the same is true with your energy. Once you've identified what depletes your energy, start to cut things out one by one. - Kara Brown, LeadCoverage
2. Have A Daily Routine
Having a daily routine means everything when it comes to my productivity and energy levels. By going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, not just on weekdays, I am able to maintain a pace that works best for my needs. Working from a calendar, I can easily see the deadlines that are approaching and can give focus to the tasks that keep projects moving along. This helps so I don't get overwhelmed, which can throw my energy off. Staying organized and keeping a routine are the most important factors for peak performance. - Joe Morgan, Joe's Datacenter, LLC
3. Do One Task At A Time
Quit multitasking and learn to be comfortable with monotasking. As business owners, we tend to overextend ourselves and commit to too many projects and tasks at once. The result isn't greater productivity. Instead, you end up with drained energy levels and a bunch of tasks semi-completed at subpar quality. Focus on doing one thing. Make sure you really invest your time and attention to it. Then, take a short 10-15 minute break before jumping into the next monotask. - Tyler Gallagher, Regal Assets
4. Exercise, Especially In Nature
People often consider their sleep, but what they don't always realize is that a lack of exercise can actually be the root cause of poor sleep. Exercise helps to clear the mind, release endorphins to strengthen your mood and overall mental health, improve your memory and of course help your physical health, which in turn impacts your brain chemistry. Walking is the perfect way to clear your mind and stimulate creative insight that is necessary as an entrepreneur. While it's hard, build the habit and have the courage to take breaks and, if possible, get outside in nature. When we are stressed we are far less likely to make time for a break or to get outside and take care of ourselves, and yet that is exactly when we need to do this the most. - Ryan Meghdies, Tastic Marketing Inc.
5. Take Time To Meditate Daily
Energy is the most important part of peak performance. Inconsistent energy creates inconsistent results. Taking just 10-15 minutes a day to meditate can be one of the most effective ways to manage your energy and stay in peak performance. Once you learn how to get quiet and bring your attention and awareness inward, you are able to bring awareness to where your energy is and, perhaps most importantly, learn to shift your energy throughout the day. Meditation impacts both your body and mind and can help minimize stress and optimize focus—both essential when it comes to staying in peak performance mode and getting big results. - Leanne Lopez Mosley, GROW Coaching Solutions
6. Make Sure You Have Some Fun
Everyone likes to work all day, but sometimes we as entrepreneurs can overdo it in hopes of achieving that next level of performance. Schedule in advance some fun activities on your calendar each month. The key is to make sure it’s on your calendar because you will not make time for it otherwise. Try things out of the ordinary, like a bucket list activity. When you’re back at work grinding away, you’ll reflect back at how much fun you’ve had, with energy levels never seen before. - Robert De Los Santos, Sky High Party Rentals
7. Plan For Breaks
I think it’s key to take breaks so I really love using the Pomodoro technique. It’s basically an extended period of time for focus after a short time off. Commonly used is 30 minutes of work with five to 10 minutes of rest. But beyond that I think a lot of energy comes from planning the day before you get in execution mode for your business. Often we waste a lot of energy thinking about what we’re going to do next, reacting to what comes up in the day rather than executing against our goals - Rishi Sharma, Mallama
8. Pace Yourself
The best way to keep a consistent energy level throughout the day is to monitor how much energy you're putting out during each project. Some people start work and think they need to put every ounce of their energy into what they are doing from the moment they clock in. There's nothing wrong with passion and dedication, but you have to monitor your energy and pace yourself if you want to stay high energy all day long. - Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights
