Too Much on Your Plate? Practical tips to free-up space and reclaim Energy

Do you ever feel like every minute of your day is filled, with no space left to breathe or think?

Many of my clients come to me exhausted from having every inch of their calendars—and their minds—occupied. They’re overwhelmed by a constant stream of thoughts (overthinking, anyone?), endless tasks, commitments, social gatherings, podcasts, exercise routines, and the list goes on. It’s a cycle that leaves them operating at full capacity, with no room for rest or new opportunities.

I’ve been there myself, operating at 96% capacity, which left little room for anything new, until I realized something had to change.

To create space for growth, innovation, and creativity, you need to evaluate how you're spending your time and energy.

One of the most effective ways to optimize your routine is to identify what drives you and what drains you.

Think of this as categorizing your daily activities into "drivers" (energizers) and "drainers" (those that sap your energy). The goal is to increase the time spent on activities that act as drivers and minimize or reframe those that are drainers.

How to Identify Drivers and Drainers

Take a typical day and list everything you do. Then, evaluate each activity based on how it makes you feel. Does it energize you, leaving you motivated and satisfied? That’s a driver. Does it make you feel exhausted or anxious? That’s a drainer. By reviewing your routine with this lens, you’ll likely find clear patterns.

For instance, a morning workout might be a driver for one person, while for another, it could feel like a draining obligation. Similarly, answering emails could feel like a drainer, but perhaps with the right tweaks—like setting a specific time to batch-process them—it could become more manageable.

Turning Drainers into Drivers

Sometimes, an activity that feels like a drainer might have the potential to become a driver with a few small changes. Let’s say you find team meetings exhausting because they lack structure and tend to drag on. By proposing a more organized agenda or suggesting standing meetings to encourage brevity, you might shift this activity into a driver category.

On the other hand, some drainers are simply unavoidable. Tasks like managing household chores (in my case, that is a surprising driver), commuting, or dealing with administrative work (definitely a drainer for me) might feel draining, but they aren’t something you can easily eliminate. In these cases, focus on how you can make them more bearable. For example, listening to a podcast or audiobook during your commute can turn this otherwise draining time into an opportunity for learning or relaxation.

Another strategy is to place draining activities between two drivers in your schedule. This way, the low-energy effect is neutralized by the boost of energy of the upcoming activity.

Choosing Between Two Good Things

One of the biggest challenges is deciding between two activities you enjoy but only have time for one. A helpful strategy is to ask yourself: Which one aligns more closely with my values or long-term goals? Sometimes, both options are appealing, but only one will bring you closer to what truly matters. In some cases, you can alternate between the two, ensuring that neither is completely sacrificed over time.

Another useful approach is to ask yourself: What story do I want to tell about the choice I made? Visualizing your future self can give clarity and help you confidently say no—with no regrets—to something you like but can't prioritize right now. This perspective helps you make peace with your decisions, knowing they serve your bigger picture.

Letting Go and Making Space: The Keep, Drop, Create Exercise

To create room for new opportunities, it's essential to make conscious decisions about what stays and what goes in your routine. A highly effective strategy for this is the “Keep, Drop, Create” exercise. This tool helps you identify which activities to continue, let go of, and introduce in your life to free up mental and physical space.

• Keep: Start by listing the activities that energize you and align with your goals. These are your drivers—tasks and routines that contribute positively to your life. For example, daily exercise or time spent on creative work might be something you want to keep.
• Drop: Next, evaluate the drainers—activities that sap your energy without providing much in return. Ask yourself if they are necessary. Can they be delegated, automated, or completely removed? Dropping these will open up more space for what truly matters.
• Create: Finally, think about what you’d like to incorporate into your routine. What new activities or habits would bring you joy, inspiration, or personal growth? Maybe it’s making time for a hobby or learning something new. By consciously creating this space, you’re prioritizing activities that fuel your progress and fulfillment.

Putting It into Practice

Set aside time weekly or monthly to perform this exercise. By regularly refining your routine with the Keep, Drop, Create framework, you’ll make sure that your schedule remains aligned with your evolving goals and aspirations.

Operating at 96% capacity is not a sustainable way to live, no matter how productive it may seem. By regularly evaluating your routine and optimizing it for more drivers and fewer drainers, you’ll create a routine that not only keeps you on track but also fulfills and energizes you for the long term.

Want to learn more about managing your drivers and drainers, and how to effectively use the Keep, Drop, Create framework? I’ve put together some free resources and practical tools to guide you in creating a more balanced and fulfilling routine. Let’s talk!