For years, I was obsessed with time management. Optimizing routines, and celebrating all the productivity hacks I could find.
The problem? I was managing the wrong thing.
Time Is Fixed. Energy Isn’t.
Here’s the truth: you can’t create more time, but you can create more energy.
We all get the same 24 hours. But some days you knock out your most important work in two focused hours. Other days, you’re not as dialed. Same amount of time, completely different energy.
This isn’t just my observation. Performance psychologists Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz spent decades studying elite athletes and executives, and their research led to a fundamental insight: managing energy, not time, is the key to sustainable high performance (Loehr & Schwartz, 2003).
The Four Dimensions of Energy
Loehr and Schwartz identified four sources of energy that fuel performance:
Physical Energy – This is your foundation. Poor sleep, bad nutrition, and no movement don’t just make you feel tired. They directly impact your ability to think, make decisions, and execute. You can’t think your way out of physical depletion.
Emotional Energy – Your relationships, stress levels, and emotional state either fuel you or drain you. That toxic colleague? The unresolved conflict at home? They’re not just annoying. They’re energy leaks that compromise your performance.
Mental Energy – Focus is finite. Every decision, every task switch, every notification costs you mental energy. Multitasking doesn’t make you productive. It makes you exhausted.
Spiritual Energy – This is about purpose and meaning. When your work aligns with what matters to you, you have energy. When it doesn’t, you’re running on fumes even if you’re “successful.”
Why High Performers Burn Out
Most of us in sales, business, and high-performance careers operate like machines. We schedule back-to-back meetings, answer emails at 11 PM, and convince ourselves that grinding harder is the answer.
But here’s the reality: elite performance requires oscillation between energy expenditure and recovery. Athletes don’t train at maximum intensity 24/7. They train hard, then they recover. They understand that rest isn’t weakness. It’s strategy.
Yet in business, we wear exhaustion like a badge of honor. We brag about how little we sleep. We take calls during lunch. We check Slack while on vacation. And we wonder why we can’t sustain our edge.
The Shift: From Time Blocks to Energy Audit
Instead of asking “How can I fit more into my day?” start asking:
- When am I naturally most focused?
- What activities give me energy vs. drain me?
- Am I scheduling my hardest work during my peak energy windows?
- What’s my recovery strategy?
Track your energy for one week. Notice when you feel sharp and when you feel depleted. You’ll probably find patterns. Maybe you’re sharpest in the morning but you waste that time on email. Maybe you’re scheduling creative work at 3 PM when your brain is fried.
Once you see the patterns, you can redesign your day around energy instead of arbitrary time blocks.
Practical Shifts for Sales Professionals
Stop: Scheduling calls all day with no breaks
Start: Blocking 15-minute buffers between calls to reset
Stop: Answering every message immediately
Start: Batching communication to protect focus time
Stop: Working through lunch to “save time”
Start: Taking real breaks to maintain afternoon energy
Stop: Grinding until you crash
Start: Building recovery rituals into your day
Energy Is Renewable. Your Career Depends on It.
Time management made me productive. Energy management made me sustainable.
The difference is crucial. You can be productive and still burn out. You can hit your numbers and still lose your health, your relationships, and your sense of purpose. I’ve seen it happen to too many people who looked successful on paper but were falling apart behind the scenes.
Energy management isn’t about doing less. It’s about performing at your best without destroying yourself in the process.
Reference:
Loehr, J., & Schwartz, T. (2003). The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. Free Press.
Note: This article also references their Harvard Business Review piece “Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time” (October 2007), co-authored with Catherine McCarthy.
Leave a Reply