WATCH: How Well Are You Managing Your Energy?
Today, I’d like to talk about ‘The Dynamics of Energy’ and there’s a really great model developed by Loehr and Schwartz in their great book ‘On Form’, well worth a read, where they look at energy and they look at ‘Positive and Negative Energy’ but also ‘High and Low Energy’.
Energy
Because high Energy is just not sustainable. We need to be able to be in a flow of high energy and then into a flow of low energy and be okay with that low energy. Because if we can maintain it on the positive side, life stays really good. And to be aware of when we’re drifting into the negative side of high energy or low energy and what we need to do about how to get out of that.
So, examples of high energy, we feel ‘Energised’ on a physical level. We can feel ‘Happy’ on an emotional level. We can feel ‘Determined’ on a mental level. And on a spiritual level, we feel ‘Impassioned and Passionate’ about stuff. About stuff that has meaning, about purpose really. And, that’s the interesting thing that, we can look at these energies on these different domains of Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual. And then look at high energy but also low energy.
Where you feel ‘Relaxed’ and you feel ‘Peaceful’ and you feel ‘Thoughtful’ and ‘Empowered’ in a relaxed calm way. And, knowing that that’s actually a very healthy place to be. And to give yourself time to do that. To maintain that mindfulness and to maintain that say energise when you go to the gym, great exercise but also give yourself time to relax and have a bath or chill completely.
But in a healthy positive way, maintaining good mental and emotional health. Because if we can get a lot of stress, we can end up drifting into ‘Tension’ and ‘Defensiveness’ becoming ‘Aggressive’ or ‘Intolerant’ of other people or other people with other beliefs.
And, if we fall into low negative energy, it’s things like feeling ‘Exhausted’ and completely listless and not able to do anything. ‘Depressed’ emotionally, ‘Self-Critical’ mentally and ‘Powerless’. If we’re on a spiritual level where we’re just like feeling that we have no power to do anything.
So, think about where you are in your life. How are you managing your energy? Are you giving yourself time to be energised but also, time to relax? Because that’s the key thing with this model. To know that there’s a flow between the two. A pulse between the two. And, are you giving yourself enough down time?
So, think about that and above all. Stay Curious!
With best regards,
David Klaasen
Talent4Performance help business leaders clarify complexity. We inspire people and drive continuous performance improvement, so they can convert thinking into action and results.
©David Klaasen – 2014
