Making Room for Recovery
“Energy, Not Time, Is Our Most Precious Resource” ― Jim Loehr, PhD
How’s your energy? For some, the fact that I’m even asking that question might provoke a visceral “you’ve got to be kidding me!” Over the past few weeks I’ve been hearing from colleagues across a wide swath of specialties who are “hitting the wall” – who feel like they’re running on empty physically, emotionally, cognitively, even spiritually. And while I wouldn’t claim “wall status” for myself (yet), I’m definitely having more “on the verge” moments as omicron continues to overwhelm our region.
If that at all describes you, I want you to meet Jim Loehr, whose work I was first introduced to almost 2 decades ago through a book he co-authored with Tony Schwartz called The Power of Full Engagement. By regularly practicing the precepts I learned back then, I have managed to stay on this side of the “verge” on many occasions over the course of the pandemic.
The premise of book revolves around 3 basic principles:
It is essential to manage our energy, not our time, as energy is our most precious individual resource.
We must attend to all four sources of internal energy in our life: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
It is important to both acknowledge and accept that we each have limitations, though we likely underestimate what we are capable of when we learn how to better manage our energy.
A vital part of managing one’s energy is an understanding of the importance of recovery, which is about practicing regular rituals for the renewal of your energy and also continually re-focusing on your priorities in order to optimally focus that energy. As Loehr says, “Knowing how and when to recover may prove to be the most important skill in your life.” In other words, recovery does not happen by accident.
Intentional recharging and recovery happen on many levels, starting with frequent brief breaks during times of transition throughout the day as well as healthy eating, restorative sleep, regular physical activity, alignment to meaning, and connection with others. There is then the need for longer periods for rest, recharge and reconnection. These longer periods come in the form of weekly days off as well as periodic longer times for reflection and rejuvenation. In the military and some other organizations, this is called R&R (rest and recuperation) and is particularly vital for those who work under hazardous, stressful and/or difficult conditions. Sound familiar?
So how are you doing with your energy management? Are you carving out regular time for recovery? When’s your next vacation or even mini-vacation? In our 23rd month of the pandemic, maybe it’s too much to be thinking about “thriving” right now, but taking steps to stay grounded and plugged in is more important than ever. I am committed to making this happen for me – and I’d invite you to do the same and allow others to help support you in those efforts. And it all starts with a decision to be sure you’re attending to managing your energy through creating times for regular recovery, and, of course, consistently connecting with life-giving family and friends. Let’s get through this … together.