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Now that you have a bit more awareness of how you are energetically spending your time, and those things that add to and take away from your energy, complete and Energetic Calendar Audit using these 5 steps:
Step 1: Using your calendar as a guide, in your journal, write down all of the activities you have in a week, both personal and professional (1:1 Meetings, Team meetings, client meetings, exercise, practices, sleep, time in the car etc…) No need to be particular about formatting, just get it all down on paper.
Step 2: On your paper, circle the activities where you experience anabolic energy.
Step 3: On your paper, put a line through the activities where you experience catabolic energy.
Step 4: Analyze.
Practice
What is the ratio of circles to lines and how do you feel about that?
Is every activity on your calendar necessary? Is there anything weekly that you can change to monthly or quarterly?
How many anabolic activities do you have scheduled on your calendar? What can you add? (exercise, lunch breaks, art classes etc…)
For the activities that have a line through them, what can you say no to or delegate?
For what you can’t say no to or delegate, how are you buffering your time?
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Want help with the Energetic Calendar Audit? E-mail Amy with questions at Amyyoung@redefinepossibility.com.
For instance, if you know that a meeting will be catabolic, block off the 15 minutes before and after the meeting to get some fresh air or go off camera or in a private room to breathe. If you have back to back catabolic meetings and cannot move them, block a full 30 minutes or hour afterwards to do something that gives you energy.
Step 5: Take Action
Schedule the buffer breaks. Move meetings around. For instance, is it better for you energetically to have all of your 1:1 meetings on the same day, or spread over time? Are you scheduling in your exercise, your lunch breaks and your coffee chats while at work, or are you leaving the space open, praying that someone doesn’t schedule over it? If you don’t have them on there, do it now.
Remember, if you don’t set your boundaries and priorities, someone else will for you.
I recommend that you complete this energy audit each week. Take note of how you feel with each meeting and activity. Notice the people you spend time with. Do they add to your energy or detract from it? The more you begin to notice, the more you will want to change.
Want support completing your Energetic Calendar Audit, or implementing these changes? Schedule a free, 30 minute consultation to learn more about how a coaching session can help! Book your free consultation here: 30 minutes with Amy
3) How many hours of the day do you
generally spend in anabolic energy (joy,
hopefulness, acceptance, confidence etc…)?
4) What activities give you energy?
5) What activities drain your energy?
Great! Let’s now take what you uncovered and put it to work.
Buffer time for nervous system regulation when working in catabolic environments is a non-starter. You must have it if you want to avoid burnout.