I’m engaged. 

Now before the congratulations start pouring in, please note… I’m already married.

What is relatively new for me though (and almost always new to my clients) is practicing daily the concept of being “fully engaged.” This means that you live a life of staying balanced and being more energetic, happy, healthy, and productive.

In their book The Power of Full Engagement, authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz suggest that energy – not time – is our most precious resource.

They further assert that “leaders are the stewards of organizational energy – in companies, organizations and even families.” To this end, Loehr and Schwartz identified four distinct sources of energy:

Physical
Emotional
Mental
Spiritual

Each one is vital to be fully engaged in our life and work. However, unlike batteries, human energy doesn’t store in reserve very well. Whereas batteries have a shelf life of several years, our physical condition deteriorates quickly if we stop exercising, stop eating, or go without sleep. Similarly, our spirit suffers if acknowledgment, praise, and gratitude are replaced with criticism, prejudice, and hate.

Therefore, becoming fully engaged human beings requires that we actively manage and optimize these four energy sources.

The first step to managing our energy begins with plugging the energy leaks and drains. I use the term “toleration” to describe the energy drains or petty annoyances that we put up with. Tolerations can range from disorganized closets to friends that take advantage of us, to not having adequate training for the work that we do. Tolerations are like barnacles attached to the hull of a mighty ship. If not removed, they continue to build and fester, creating more drag on a life and work that could flow with great ease.

Once underway in handling energy leaks and drains, I invite you to improve your management of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy. Here, are some thoughts, ideas, and principles to guide you on your way:

• Manage your energy, instead of your time.
• Life is a series of sprints, not one long marathon. 
• Sprints require downtime to rest, train, and prepare for the next sprint. 
• Professional athletes typically train 90% of the time to perform 10% of the time.
• Purpose, not rewards, fuels performance.
• Positive energy rituals, not self-discipline, are the key to full engagement and high performance. 

Now with these thoughts in mind, take specific action that will impact your ability to create actual change. Here’s how:

1. Make a list of everything that you tolerate and then begin eliminating each one. 
2. Practice taking short breaks every 90-120 minutes of “sprint-like” work.
3. Connect with a worthy objective, one that is important to both you and your organization. 
4. Then, commit to superior energy management in the months ahead – maximize the high-octane fuel that’s available to you!

You will notice a difference. The congratulations will start pouring in. And you will be a better resource to those around by being more capable, more affable, and more available.

So how are you doing in managing your energy? Do you recognize that you have energy leaks in your every day environments? What can you do today to escape the tyranny of the clock and be set free to focus on an “energy outlook” at home and at work? I would love to hear your thoughts on this!

Image Source stewartchase.net