Tips for Managing Energy During Long Work Cycles

Here are 8 habits I rely on (and often suggest to others) to stay ambitious without burning out: 1️⃣ Give your ambition a time limit. Think of deep work like a meeting with your future self. Block 90 minutes early in the day, silence your phone, and go all in. When the time’s up, stop, even if you’re mid-flow. Boundaries build focus and prevent work from spilling into everything. 2️⃣ Have a “minimum viable evening.” Pick one thing that helps you unplug, cooking dinner, a walk at sunset, reading to your kid, and treat it like it’s non-negotiable. That one ritual signals the end of the workday and gives your brain a clear off-switch. 3️⃣ Check your energy, not just your to-do list. Every Friday, jot down which tasks gave you energy and which drained it. After a few weeks, you’ll see patterns. Start removing or outsourcing one draining task at a time. Over time, your schedule will start to feel less like a grind. 4️⃣ Stick to two big projects. If you’re wired to chase new ideas, this one’s hard, but worth it. Limit yourself to one main focus at work and one personal goal. Everything else goes into a “not now” list you revisit monthly. Less chaos, more progress. 5️⃣ Plan for lighter weeks. Athletes don’t train hard every day, and neither should we. Once a quarter, block a week with fewer meetings, more sleep, and no extra side projects. Building in rest makes you more resilient and keeps burnout at bay. 6️⃣ Move your body, clear your head. Doesn’t have to be fancy. A short workout, a run, yoga, anything that gets your heart rate up will help you reset and stay sharp. Exercise isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a focus tool. 7️⃣ Short naps, big reset. Around that post-lunch slump, a 10–20 minute nap can seriously recharge you, no grogginess, just a clean mental reboot. Set a timer, close your eyes, and treat it like hitting refresh. 8️⃣ Group your tasks by vibe. Instead of switching between totally different things all day, chunk your time into themes, meetings, deep work, admin, etc. Then batch similar tasks together. Your brain stays in one lane longer, which helps with momentum. Start small, try one of these this week. You don’t need to slow down your ambition to feel more in control.

I worked in a gym as a trainer for five years. After my first year in tech at an office, my health fell apart. I used to be on my feet all day and moving. Then I started commuting by car and sitting at a desk all day.  On my a$$. Staring at a computer and on calls. And I felt awful. → For every 2 hours of sitting, Type 2 diabetes risk increases by 7%  → If you sit more than 8 hours a day, your mortality risk rivals obesity and smoking → Sitting for long periods may increase the risk of heart attack and strokes in inactive folks by 147% → Extended sitting time may increase chances of developing certain types of cancer I followed these tips for 21 Days, and felt like a different human: 1. Try a standing desk ↳ Start with just 5 minutes and work your way up ↳ Experiment with various surfaces or even a balance board ↳ Laptops can turn almost anywhere into a standing desk  ↳ Don't freeze up - move around a bit and even stretch 2. 20-20-20 Rule  ↳ When your eyes fatigue, you fatigue; give them a break     ↳ Every 20 minutes, look at something 20' away for 20 seconds     ↳ Try some box breathing during these mico-breaks      ↳These 20-second resets can save hours of productivity 3. Walking Meetings  ↳ Remember life before Zoom? Being on video     takes WAY more energy than voice or in-person ↳ Suggest a walk instead of a conference room ↳ Audio-only means you can pace indoors with a headset  ↳ Try AI note-takers to free you from writing or typing at your desk 4. Exercise Snacks  ↳ Multiple bursts of movement can be as beneficial as a long workout  ↳ Just 2 minutes can boost endorphins and bring down cortisol  ↳ Try wall sits, air squats, jumping jacks, and push-ups ↳ For every hour of desk time, do a 2-minute snack 5. Optimize Your Desk  ↳ If you have to sit, position your knees below your hips ↳ Experiment with a yoga ball and ergo chairs  ↳ Reclining 100º to 110º can reduce low back pressure  ↳ Music and natural sunlight can boost your mental state P.S. The hardest part about standing desks is actually using them! 😂  Have you ever tried one?   

"You must be a robot." 🤖 I hear this all the time. Whether it's after a full day of meetings, a late-night writing session, or a weekend workshop, people often ask how I keep my energy so high. The truth? I'm not a robot (promise). I’ve just learned that managing energy - not just time. It's a real game-changer. ⏳ Time is finite. We all get 24 hours. ⚡ Energy, though? That’s renewable. And it’s the secret to showing up fully, consistently, and joyfully. Here’s the difference: Time management is about scheduling. Energy management is about sustainability. You can have a perfectly planned calendar and still feel drained. But when you manage your energy, you can do more of what matters - with presence and purpose. Here are 5 practical ways I manage my energy (and how you can too): Start with your body, not your to-do list. 1️⃣Movement, hydration, and sleep are non-negotiables. I treat them like meetings with my future self. 2️⃣Batch work by energy type. Creative in the morning? That’s when I write. Low-energy after lunch? That’s when I do admin. Match the task to the energy, not the clock. 3️⃣Protect your peak hours. I block off focused time for deep work and fiercely guard it. No meetings. No multitasking. Just momentum. 4️⃣Build in recovery. Breaks aren’t a luxury; they’re a strategy. I use short walks, music, or even a quick cat snuggle to reset between tasks. 5️⃣Do more of what fuels you. For me, that’s mentoring, writing, and helping others grow. When I spend time in my zone of genius, energy flows naturally. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, try shifting the question from “How can I fit this in?” to “How can I show up with energy for what matters most?” Because when you manage your energy, you don’t just get more done. You do it with heart. 💬 I’d love to hear from you: What’s one thing you do to recharge your energy during the day? Found this helpful. ♻️Share with others. #QuickBitesofInsight #EnergyManagement #Productivity #Leadership #CareerGrowth #Work