Management of your personal energy will have a profound effect on your resilience. You cannot and should not operate at full throttle all the time. Recovery is essential to renewed energy and long term physical and psychological health.
In this post we’ll look at the importance of personal energy management, and in the next post we’ll discuss some tips on how to do it.
Personal Energy Management
In their book “
“The concept of maximizing performance by alternating periods of activity with periods of rest was first advanced by Flavius Philostratus (A.D. 170–245), who wrote training manuals for Greek athletes. Russian sports scientists resurrected the concept in the 1960s and began applying it with stunning success to their Olympic athletes. Today, ‘work-rest’ ratios lie at the heart of periodization, a training method used by elite athletes throughout the world.”
Their model links the level of energy (High/Low) to the quality of that energy (Positive/Negative) to define four states:
- Survival Zone: High/Negative Energy
- Performance Zone: High/Positive Energy
- Burnout Zone: Low/Negative Energy
- Recovery Zone: Low/Positive Energy
Clearly the most desirable state is High Performance where you are in a High Positive state however this clearly cannot last forever and you should have Recovery time – Low Positive.
The most challenging states are when either you are Low Negative – the Burnout quadrant – or High Negative – a state where you are literally fighting to keep your head above water. The Survival zone.
You can move between any of these zones depending on how your attitude and energy are changing.
The key to maintaining and building your resilience is recognizing how to maintain a positive state or transition to a more productive zone for you at any particular time.
So, how do we manage our energy to maximise our productivity?
Tune into the next post for some top tips!
Resilience Masterclasses
Sun and Moon run a series of Resilience Masterclasses. Check out this testimonial from Lloyds Bank from a workshop we ran for them last year – and watch me in action! Perhaps this will whet your appetite to get in touch and let us run a workshop for you?
David Solomon
Managing Director, Sun and Moon Training
@SunMoonDavid
Photo copyright: stockbroker / 123RF Stock Photo