Forget Time Management in 2023
Here’s my opinion. Too much of our culture promotes productivity at all costs. Too many books, articles, and social media posts center around accomplishing as many things as humanly possible each day. I have definitely bought into this lifestyle at times, and from my experience, it leads to burnout and a hollow sense of unfulfillment. Can you relate?
Here’s what I’m interested in 2023: shorter to-do lists, fewer purchases, less clutter, more open space (literally and figuratively), more quality connection, and better energy.
But what does any of this have to do with health? Honestly, everything. Our ability to set intentions, keep promises to ourselves, and do the hard work of meal prepping, exercising, getting outside, and spending time with loved ones depends on our physical energy and mental wellbeing.
In order to manage our mind and physical energy better, I propose something different for 2023. Forget time management. Let’s focus on energy management.
Here’s how:
Take a look at your calendar for the next month or two and pencil in your plans, obligations, big deadlines, and major to-dos. Then, mentally–or on paper–give them a rating between negative three and positive three. Negative scores mean that they are mentally and/or physically draining. Positive scores mean that they are mentally and/or physically uplifting. Based on what your calendar and scores look like for the weeks ahead, you will get a good sense of your emotional and physical capacity at different times.
For example, if you know that you have a work trip coming up that is sure to be stressful and physically draining, consider how you might buffer your calendar before and after that trip with lots of downtime, an opportunity to prep some healthy meals, and perhaps a yoga or pilates class to help with stress management. “Managing” your calendar in this way can prevent overbooking, burnout, and getting sick—especially in these winter months.
If you notice that your calendar is jam-packed for a week or two and you don’t have the option to rearrange, make a plan for outsourcing some of your healthy habits. For example, instead of planning to home cook every meal, can you rely on some food you’ve already made that’s in your freezer? Or can you pick up some frozen “fast foods” like burgers or premade meatballs from the grocery store? Can you plan a healthy takeout option for a couple of nights? We don’t need to be perfect. We do need to manage our energy and we can prevent one busy week from spiraling into a month of “giving up.”
So, it’s time to get to work! Let’s manage our energy, not our time, this year. Break out the calendar and get planning.
XO,
Kara
For more articles on this topic, check out:
The Best Way to Effortlessly Keep Your Health on Track
