The Impact of Energy on Productivity
Lin Fisher
Vice-President of Marketing and Play Operations
Baker Communications, Inc.
Energy is vigor, get-up-and-go, or, to put it bluntly, "oomph." We often refer to energy as if it were a physical element. Our energy "level" is high or low. Our "tank" is full, or we are "running on fumes."
Energy is the capacity to work, the force which, if we don‘t have enough, pulls us down and lets us wear ourselves out. The result is that a lack of energy reduces the amount and the quality of work we can perform.
According to Wikipedia, for most of us the terms energy and power tend to mean the same thing, but actually they don‘t. Power is the rate at which energy is converted to perform work. That leads us to our focus: the impact of energy on your ability to be productive.
Your life‘s energy is a combination of four key areas:
Mind
Body
Spirit
Emotions
Each area is key to balancing your level of energy. If you don‘t have the energy and stamina to accomplish what the day demands, then your life becomes a struggle. You feel "run down" or "behind the curve."
How many of us have worked 12 hours straight? All of us, more than likely. How many days a month do you work more than 8 hours, or 10 or 12? Do you think that working 60-hours week after week is possible? Sure it is, but at what cost? What does it do the worker‘s physical and emotional health? What is the impact on families and other obligations?
When we have too much demand on our lives, but not enough energy to deal with it effectively, we call this syndrome "Burn-out!" We‘ve run out of fuel.
Studies show that the total number of hours the average worker puts in has risen steadily over the past several years. It‘s not difficult to understand what has caused this: the intensity of demands to succeed, an economic down-turn that requires doing more with less, and our culture‘s valuing hard work and "results."
Researchers Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy, writing for the Harvard Business Review July 2010 in "Guide to Getting the Right Work Done," contend that "organizations need to shift their emphasis from getting more out of people to investing more in them, so they are motivated—and able—to bring more of themselves to work every day."
Have you ever been faced with a task that you just don‘t like doing? Haven‘t we all? Now, think about that how you might approach that task if you had an abundance of energy as opposed to very little energy. When you are energized, you will tend to power (an appropriate term) through those tough tasks. If your energy is at low ebb, however, then the task seems monumental. The assignment has not changed, but the condition of your energy has.
Energy is linked to the Four Key Areas of Life
Mind:
Mental strength and confidence are linked. If you feel good about the project you are working on, you are more likely to think better. It‘s how we are made.
Avoid multi-tasking when possible. "Easier said than done," you‘re probably thinking. The research referred to in the HBR article, however, says that "Distractions are costly," and that when attention shifts from one task to another, it takes longer to finish the primary assignment.
Know that you have limits and where they are. Taking breaks during the day restores mental energy, especially if you leave your desk, your office, and your cell phone and change your setting for a few minutes.
Body:
You‘ve heard the following so many times, but the reason for the repetition is that the information is accurate--and is ignored at your own risk. Physical energy comes from adequate nutrition, exercise, sleep and rest. The body is an engine of sorts. It needs the right kinds of food (fuel) and exercise in order to function on all cylinders. Sure, you can violate these principles and get by with it, but ultimately that‘s where your energy level will be: in the "getting by" category.
Spirit:
The combination of the energy from your Mind and Body will produce the passion in life that you need to accomplish your goals, but it goes deeper than that. Spirited work comes from doing what you do best and what you get the most fulfillment from. For most people, this includes devoting time to areas of life such as family, friends and service to others, and living out the answer to the question "What do you want to be remembered for?"
Emotions:
The combination of Mind, Body, and Spirit will produce your emotional state. Your emotions speak to how you "feel." When you feel like you are "on top of the world," you are much more likely to give a "peak" performance in your tasks and assignments. Positive emotions create productive energy. Negative emotions—anger, fear, insecurity, impatience, etc.—tend to produce destructive energy.
Without a doubt, the impact of energy on productivity is real, and it is essential. Energy provides the capacity to do work, to be efficient, accurate, reliable and creative. It enables us to work harder and to work smarter. Energy can be consumed and it can and must be replenished. Managing your energy will help you manage your life.
Walter Rogers is the President and CEO of Baker Communications. Baker Communications is a sales training and development company specializing in helping client companies increase their sales and management effectiveness. He can be reached at 713-627-7700.
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