How can you manage your energy levels to meet deadlines?

Personally I like to do most stuff early in the morning. Effective master scheduling and teamwork with strategic partners help me manage my energy levels throughout the day. I work remotely for a Dutch firm and a lot of travel is required to accomplish our missions. It can be easy to not be aware and overdo it. It’s important to make sure you’re coming first in your work and life.

Morning bird or Night owl? I am BOTH. Over a period of several years including my student life, I learned the importance of identifying my peak hours. When I say I am both, I mean I can be both depending on the situation however I cannot be both at the same time, after all, I am a human and I need my 6.5 to 7 hours of sleep. Depending on what kind of projects, roles, and teams I will try to understand how I need to play. If I am on a stretch assignment that needs me to double down my efforts for the next 3 months I can flex and do the needful. But when I sense an opportunity to slack, I will do it shamelessly because I need to prioritize my health, concentration, and focus levels. And you know what, ONLY I CAN DO THAT for myself.

I completely agree with this! Everybody has unique patterns for productivity, therefore it's important to determine yours so you can plan your most essential tasks around them.

You know YOU best, it would be easier to find what works for you best even if you haven't given it much though until now. There are people who can easily doze off at the dawn and there are people who could easily be an all nighter if needed. Once identified, prepare your schedule and time block your best hours to do your best, more challenging and creative work. As they say if your job is to eat frogs, eat the bigger one first.

Understanding your own circadian rhythm at work is important, as is how you fuel to prepare for peak hours. Your brain needs glucose and works in windows of maximum productivity. Fuel yourself with healthy snacks or a meal just before your peak hours and you’ll make more progress.

Prioritization and delegation are essential skills for managing energy effectively as a consultant. The Eisenhower matrix is a valuable tool for sorting tasks and ensuring you focus on what truly matters. By delegating or eliminating less important tasks, you can streamline your workload, reduce stress, and maintain your energy levels while meeting tight deadlines and client demands.

Make sure you make a list of the most important tasks of the following day, in the evening so you can be more focused in the morning. Do the 3 most important tasks first thing in the morning to feels and sense of achievement early in the day and reduce stress, whilst allowing you the flexibility to deal with issues that might arise efficiently.

Partnership and collaboration is key. Do what you are strong at, and work with others who can complement your work and do the things that take up more energy for you. With the advent of new technologies, this can also be done by new AI tools or other technology tools that can take the pain out getting some tasks done.

A power nap is a short nap, typically lasting 20-30 minutes. It is a way to quickly improve alertness and performance. Power naps have been shown to improve cognitive function, creativity, and mood. They can also help to reduce fatigue and improve reaction time.

I always prioritise the gym, because it means my mind and body are in tune. Find an exercise routine that works for you to keep you at your best. That could be a walk in nature, the backyard or a run around the block. Make it a daily habit.

When I was working in the corporate world prior to becoming a Certified Nutritional Practitioner, one of my colleagues asked me why I didn’t experience the afternoon slump and need coffee. I told him it was all about having a good breakfast with protein and staying well hydrated. Almost everyone I worked with started their day with coffee and a muffin or donuts if someone brought them into the office. Staying hydrated is a habit I emphasize and many people are not aware that our hunger signal is stronger than our thirst signal, always have a glass of water first before reaching for something to eat.

Lack of planning = lack of results. Remember, food provides energy, but there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Find what works for you best and plan ahead. Don’t be afraid to experiment and play around with meal timing, composition, and frequency to fuel your brain and body adequately.

Sleep is your superpower, its proven again and again by science. Its one of the best way to rest, recover, heal, grow and rejuvenate. There are so many tools and ways to fall in sleep and get your best sleep once you know how your environment, routine, sleep positions, what you do and think before sleep and your overall disposition during the day. A few of the TED Talks are a great to listen.

Technology again is your friend. Find a tool that helps you if, like me, sleep isn’t your friend. I use the Oura ring but there are so many tools out there that help you find the right data to make sleep and rest a priority.

Getting enough sleep and rest is indeed a foundational element of maintaining energy and productivity as a consultant. Quality sleep is like a reset button for your mind and body. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine and avoiding late-night work or screen time can make a significant difference in your well-being and performance. Additionally, short power naps can be effective for a quick energy boost during the day, further aiding in avoiding burnout.

Self-awareness is key to managing your energy. That's what enables you to know exactly which activities are depleting and which activities are re-energizing. Although some activities have a consistent outcome (such as sleeping better being restorative), we are all different and what energizes me might well deplete someone else. Once you understand what works for you, you can organize your day smartly, mixing depleting and re-energizing activities to keep a balanced energy level throughout the day.

Managing your energy as a consultant is crucial for long-term success. Monitoring and adapting your habits is a valuable practice. By keeping track of your energy, mood, and productivity, you can identify patterns and tailor your strategies for peak performance, helping you navigate demanding clients and tight deadlines more effectively while maintaining your well-being

I find it helpful to track my recovery, strain, and sleep with a WHOOP. It also allows me to keep track of my behaviors and provide insights into how certain behaviors impact recovery – for example; I found out that hitting the sauna right before bed leads to a more restorative (and efficient) sleep (at least for me).

Pace yourself! You can't sprint a marathon. (Heaven knows I've tried.) With a big deadline looming in a few weeks, clear away all unnecessary activities and meetings. Make sure you understand the dependencies and map out the critical path that will get you to the deadline. Get the simple things done first and develop momentum so your team knows what is expected of them. Use daily meetings to create a sense of urgency. These will also tell you if you are off track and need to increase the velocity. By the final week, everyone will be focused and ready to get to the deadline.

One of the best ways to manage your energy is to set healthy boundaries. Boundaries are the guardians of our energy. Recognize when you're stretching yourself too thin, (e.g., overcommitting to tasks or neglecting self-care). Saying "no" to one thing often means saying "yes" to your wellbeing. The spaces we occupy profoundly impact our energy. From digital devices that incessantly demand our attention to the physical spaces we inhabit, being intentional is crucial. Dedicate specific times for disconnection, curate calming spaces, and be mindful of stimuli that either drain or rejuvenate you. Finally, communicate your boundaries to others, stick to them, and redirect when needed. Boundaries keep the beneficial in and the energy draining out.

One thing I’ve found helpful is to really prioritise own well-being as part of your action plan. You have to put your own oxygen mask on first to be able to be most effective to help your clients and be there for your family and community. It’s easy to say, but harder to do. Once you get into the habit, keep it up and remind yourself regularly. Every two months I take a whole weekend just for myself to recharge and spend time at home by myself. Find what you need to make that a reality.

If you don't know where to start try one (or both) of these two things: 1. Treat it like an experiment. As you review this article and suggestions know that not everything works for everyone. You need to take the time to find out what works best for you, and what is most effective for your life. 2. There are copious time management and boundary setting techniques available at your fingertips. Such as the Pomodoro technique for time management and the previous point, find what works for you. ?? Tip: Don't be afraid to combine, curate, and/or create your own system. It's all about what supports you the best.

I have proposed some innovative solutions when top-level executives have approached me with difficulty in meeting deadlines. Some of these executives have several deadlines and they are working simultaneously to fulfill them. Suppose a person has four deadlines to meet, the solution is to add one more deadline within the same timeframe. This suggestion might look unusual but I have seen it working effectively. The energy level increases so much by doing this, that many have wondered why they didn't think of it earlier! However, one caution is that the extra task should be chosen by the individuals themselves and should not be imposed on them by others.