I was having a low energy day last week and wondered why. I was not ill, and nothing terrible or even unpleasant had happened. We’ve all had days like that. But it prompted me to think about energy patterns and how they affect our daily work lives.
Our bodies change daily. Hormone levels, hours of sleep and our emotional and physical well-being all affect our energy levels. You can assess your unique energy pattern with this method developed by Joseph Michael Levry, a yoga and self-healing expert.
For one week, monitor your energy level every couple of hours. Keep a log of this information. At the end of the week, take a look at the data to see:
What days were you the most energetic? And what hours during the day did you tend to have the most energy?
What days did your energy dip, even if you hadn't done anything unusually strenuous? What times of day were the least energetic for you?
When did you most feel like communicating and collaborating with others?
When did you most feel like being alone and contemplative?
If you see patterns in your energy levels, think about what can you do with that information. Are you more energetic and social in the morning? Try to schedule your challenging meetings then. Does your energy slump midday? Be mindful of your actions in team settings.
You may even want to consider tracking your energy over several months. Many people who struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder are not aware of its impact on their work life.
Getting to know your own energy patterns is part of noticing how you show up in different situations. You can explore this topic further in the WOW! Highlight AudioSM, which contains strategies to give your productivity an energy boost and strategies from all six of the modules in the full WOW! Program SM.