The 3 Secrets to Success When Your Energy is Low
Improve productivity whilst putting your needs first
I’ve suffered from an energy-limiting illness for two decades. Yet, I’m told I inspire people by how much I can still achieve and get done in a day. Even on a bad day.
What’s my secret?
My secret can be found in three little words.
No, not those three little words, but I do love you for reading my articles.
The three little words are:
Prioritise, Plan and Pace.
Prioritise
When I say prioritise, I want you to immediately ditch two words that also begin with ‘P.”
People Pleaser!
My life coach screamed at me to drop this habit many years ago; it’s a game-changer. Put your needs, your goals, and all that matters most to you first. Do this for all aspects of your life, work, and/or business.
Prioritise your loved ones.
Prioritise your most important friendships. (Sorry, fairweather friends — I haven’t got the energy).
Prioritise the most important tasks in your work. This means learning to say “No!” That’s the toughest one for me to implement.
And for goodness sake, don’t feel guilty about prioritising your self-care.
Plan
Every week I look at my diary and after prioritising my list, I plan. I build in rest. I have to.
Two great tools that will help you with this are:
- Time Blocking. Block in time for each task you need to complete during the week, but don’t just do this for work tasks. Do this for everything such as date night, time with your family and friends, walks with the dogs, and downtime. I know life might still throw you a curveball, but it’s always best to start as you mean to go on.
- The Eisenhower Matrix. Visualised as a box with four categories (Do, Decide, Delegate, and Delete), this tool will assist you in planning and prioritising what is most urgent and what is important. It also assists in helping you to identify what needs to be ditched!
Pace
Pacing is a strategy and rehabilitation approach that balances rest and activities in daily life. This one is absolutely key to success when energy levels are low.
Pacing is advised for many people with medical conditions where fatigue and post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PESE) are problematic. Fatigue is the enemy of productivity, therefore it’s essential to manage energy levels meticulously.
I’ve written more about pacing in this article and the benefits of it for everyone, not just those with certain medical diagnoses.
There you have it. My secret to productivity and success, all wrapped up in just three little words.
Prioritise! Plan! Pace!
To receive my free workbook on how to discover your business mission, vision, and values, and to subscribe to my email list, please CLICK HERE.