Energy management
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Set a rule to stop using screens after a specific time.
It helps prevent losing track of time.
- You must stick to the rule.
one person who lived it
Cut out things that don't get you to your goals, even things you love.
It is necessary.
- That's not easy.
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Work smarter rather than harder to get better results in fewer hours.
Smart work yields better results than hard work.
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Take a recharge break of up to 20 minutes.
It makes a huge difference.
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Limit your 'switched on' work to about 10 solid hours a day to avoid bodily backlash.
Trying to spend more than 10 solid hours switched on leads to negative consequences.
one person who lived it
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Prepare your outfit the night before so you can leave immediately in the morning.
Prepare clothes, food, and a short task list the night before to reduce decision fatigue and increase consistency.
By the end of the day, you're following the path of least resistance, i.e. habit or even complete passivity; making choices ahead of time helps keep you going.
3 people, independently
- Simplify daily choices, such as wearing the same outfit, to reduce decision fatigue.1
Do not sit down immediately upon arriving home; keep moving to maintain momentum.
Sitting down zaps energy and ends the evening's productivity potential.
8 people, independently
- Jog or exercise immediately upon getting home to ensure you do it before settling down.1
Start a 30-minute countdown timer when you get home; allow yourself to rest only after it ends.
It helps to get started, and often you continue because momentum has begun.
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Choose one path to commit to; do not chase two conflicting goals simultaneously.
Chasing two rabbits leads to catching neither one.
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Learn to say 'no' to others so you can say 'yes' to yourself, rather than trying to please people who did not pay off in the past.
People-pleasing quietly destroys you.
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Balance stress and rest to get growth.
Too much stress causes injury and too much rest yields no results.
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Adopt a one-minute version of a habit to ensure you do something rather than nothing.
Doing the minimal action helps avoid feeling like you wasted the day.
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Avoid doomscrolling after work, even for short periods.
It tends to expand and waste time.
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- Stop doom-scrolling.1
If you work demanding shifts, schedule a specific day for guilt-free rest.
One person found this helpful after 10-hour factory shifts.
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Be aware of your most productive window of time and focus on the most important tasks to fit within it.
3 people, independently
- Block specific times on your calendar for daunting tasks to ensure they get done.6
Find a gym that offers classes to create a community feel.
Classes make it more like a community.
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Schedule exercise at the time of day when you are most likely to complete it, rather than forcing morning workouts.
Evening walks had an 85% completion rate compared to only 15% for morning workouts.
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Try these three constraints for 21 days: start work no earlier than a set time, stop work no later than a set time, and do not work on weekends.
Constraints can accelerate productivity and creativity; deciding on a schedule prevents the assumption that you have an unlimited number of hours.
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Set strict start and finish times for your workday to force efficiency.
It forces you to be more efficient, say 'no' more often, and focus on essential tasks.
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Run errands and do chores before sitting down to eat dinner, so you can relax afterward knowing you are done for the day.
One person finds they won't get back up once they sit down.
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Plan your day or week using paper and pen to prepare for what needs to be done.
It prepares you for the tasks ahead.
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Reframe missed training sessions by focusing on the regret of not going rather than the effort required.
People typically regret not going more than they regret the session itself.
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Do not let yourself sit down until you have completed some necessary tasks, maintaining momentum.
One person compared stopping movement to dying, like a shark.
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Set very small goals for after-work activities.
You'll get better bit by bit.
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Set small daily goals to improve how you feel.
One person reported it makes them feel better.
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Practice actual stillness for 10 minutes.
After this time, the brain stops craving stimulation.
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Set modest goals so that you can achieve or exceed them, rather than setting ambitious goals that lead to exhaustion or feelings of failure.
Ambitious goals may not be possible or will cause exhaustion.
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Stop thinking about productivity while unwinding; allow yourself to chill with activities like playing video games or drinking a beer.
Having down-time is okay.
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Wear headphones with loud white noise and display a 'super focus' sign to drown out office distractions.
White noise drowns out the office better.
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Read 'The One Thing' by Gary Keller for accessible insights on focusing efforts.
It goes deep into the topic while remaining accessible.
2 people, independently
Plan meals and lay out clothes on Sundays to conserve decision-making energy during the week.
It saves time and prevents poor decisions when tired after work.
one person who lived it
Use earplugs, an eye mask, and a cool room to ensure deep, uninterrupted rest.
These tools produced immediate results in sleep quality.
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Work through a music theory workbook to study music in depth.
It opens up possibilities and allows for deeper study beyond just learning songs.
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Break tasks into smaller pieces to reduce overwhelm and avoid burnout from trying to do everything too fast.
Smaller steps are less overwhelming than rushing through large tasks.
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If you despise your job, update your resume and apply for new jobs instead of starting a side hustle.
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Complete desired activities like going to the gym before relaxing, so you can feel comfortable without guilt.
It prevents your mind from berating you while you relax.
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Cut down on decision-making by planning tasks ahead of time to save willpower.
Making decisions can decrease your willpower.
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Set up a distinct workspace at home, such as using a different browser, to separate work from play.
This mimics having a separate work desk versus a play desk.
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If you struggle with falling asleep while meditating, try practicing with your eyes open.
It helps prevent drowsiness during sessions.
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Treat focused work like physical exercise by applying progressive overload.
Ramping up work volume can cause you to become more energetic than before.
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Complete important tasks before work begins.
They are unlikely to get done otherwise due to post-work exhaustion.
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Spend part of the weekend doing big chores and prepping meals for the week.
It reduces workload for evenings, especially late nights.
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Use natural focus blocks of 45-50 minutes instead of rigid 25-minute timers if the shorter intervals interrupt your flow.
The standard Pomodoro Technique broke the author's flow, while data showed natural focus lasts longer.
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Unwind with a long hot shower or green tea paired with meditation instead of alcohol.
One person finds a long hot shower as effective as alcohol for relaxation.
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Build deep knowledge and expertise so you can perform tasks quickly without sacrificing quality.
Lack of knowledge kills productivity faster than anything else.
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Go directly from work to an activity or destination without going home first to avoid slipping into 'comfort mode'.
When at home, the brain slips into 'comfort mode' and doesn't want to leave it, making subsequent activities a struggle.
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Create a buffer ritual, such as a shower, tea, or short walk, before intentional evening activities.
It makes the transition feel less jarring.
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Read 'Deep Work' by Cal Newport to learn techniques for boosting productivity.
The book answers how to boost productivity through focused effort.
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Make the transition to intentional activity tiny, such as reading one page or drawing for two minutes, to overcome resistance.
Once started, the activity usually flows.
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Alter your physical environment to break automatic relaxation habits, such as rotating the couch 90 degrees or moving the TV to an uncomfortable place.
Creating changes in the environment makes the route change noticeable.
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Treat productivity guidelines as flexible suggestions rather than biblical commandments to avoid guilt and self-blame.
Treating productivity books like gospel drove the author to beat themselves up when they couldn't follow them perfectly.
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Practice meditating in public spaces, such as on a bus, to build the ability to meditate anywhere.
It removes barriers to practice.
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Shower right after arriving home from work.
It serves as a relaxing and recharging activity that boosts your energy.
3 people, independently
Track every habit attempt and productive session for six months to identify your personal rhythms instead of following generic advice.
Data from this tracking revealed that perceived laziness was actually a mismatch with forced schedules.
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Create a daily to-do list with simple household tasks and relaxing activities to keep a sense of accomplishment and avoid passive scrolling.
Feeling accomplished getting things done daily keeps you from just sitting on the couch.
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Avoid using learning as procrastination, since it feels useful but helps you dodge the messy work that creates results.
Learning can feel useful while actually serving as a dangerous form of procrastination.
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Define consistency as not giving up: take breaks when needed and return without guilt.
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Do a dopamine fast periodically.
The benefits you'll reap are wonderful.
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Start projects with low-quality drafts or imperfect outputs to overcome perfectionism and maintain momentum.
Waiting for everything to be 'just right' prevents getting started; starting with imperfect output is fun and allows progress.
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Prepare your outfit the night before so you can leave immediately in the morning.
11 people, independently
Color-code tasks by energy level (energizing, neutral, draining) to identify productive work that is actually depleting you.
It reveals that some 'productive' work is destroying you.
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Secure support from a partner or others for cooking, cleaning, and organizing when attempting extreme work schedules, as handling these chores can lower productivity and mood.
Having to cook and clean instead of resting lowered productivity and killed mood in subsequent sessions.
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Incorporate meditation and journaling into your mornings to uplift mood and sharpen decision-making.
It uplifts mood and sharpens decision-making.
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Cancel streaming services and cable subscriptions to force yourself to find alternative activities.
It removes easy entertainment options.
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Review goals every Sunday.
Better preparation makes execution easier.
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Work alongside someone, even virtually, to increase productivity.
One person found this made them dramatically more productive.
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Do the minimum required practice daily rather than persisting past your productivity point.
Persisting past the productivity point is unhelpful, while doing the minimum is better than nothing.
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Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
Force yourself to run or jog a mile after work, then drink water or coffee and wash your face.
It helps.
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Ride your bike to and from work.
The exercise prevents lazy mode and gives you energy.
2 people, independently
Work out in the morning or on days off/work-from-home days to avoid post-work exhaustion.
Work zaps energy.
one person who lived it
- Move workouts to the morning or lunch break if you lack energy after a long workday.1
Consider that job conditions may be the root cause of low energy rather than personal habits.
One person reported switching jobs resolved their lack of energy without changing routines, revealing the previous work hours were the actual problem.
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Take cold showers at night.
It gives a boost of energy.
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Do difficult mobility or rehab exercises when you are fresh and save easy tasks for when your energy is low.
It works better than fighting your natural energy levels throughout the day.
one person who lived it
Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
I have personally observed increased energy levels after consuming significant amounts of water.
4 people, independently
Tackle difficult problems, writing, brainstorming, and maker time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when energy peaks.
Tuesday and Wednesday are the peak of energy.
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Increase general fitness through activities like short runs outside of work to boost energy levels.
4 people, independently
- Run miles regularly to build shape and increase post-work energy.1
Schedule meetings, especially those requiring consensus, on Thursday when energy begins to ebb.
Energy begins to ebb on Thursday.
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Exercise regularly, even when unmotivated, to gradually build energy throughout the day.
Staying active increases evening energy, while inactivity decreases it.
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Allow yourself guilt-free rest and gaming time after a draining job.
Resting lets you walk the longer road and prevents burnout, which is hard to recover from.
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Read a book instead of watching Netflix, or prepare nutritious meals in a slow cooker instead of ordering takeout.
These passive activities do wonders in the long run.
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Distinguish between restorative rest and passive entertainment.
We often mistake passive entertainment for restful restorative actions.
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Distinguish between resting and actively recharging your energy.
Resting alone will eventually deplete your energy unless you take action to recharge it.
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Skip lunch or eat a lighter lunch to avoid post-meal drowsiness.
Eating can cause drowsiness.
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Stay hydrated and eat a light dinner instead of indulging in heavy meals.
Eating better helped me feel better and less drained every day.
one person who lived it
Take a 10-15 minute walk after dinner.
It provides a boost of energy to counteract the tiredness caused by eating.
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