In his book Seven Choices for Success and Significance – How to Live Life from the Inside Out, author Nido R. Qubein focuses on measuring your time in energy, offering many practical solutions for making the most out of the energy you have. Here are 5 of his excellent energy-management tips for the workplace:
- Regulate your email. I get literally hundreds of emails a day and could spend my entire day meticulously going through them. But Qubein has a better way to handle emails. He has asked those who regularly send him emails to regulate the emails to six lines or less with one question per email. While it may seem silly to have someone send multiple emails with one question in each, it does make it easier to quickly respond and get through them. An interesting strategy for sure!
- Manage your Meetings.Too often the end of meetings drag on long after they should have been concluded—we are essentially done with the meeting, but without a quick getaway time seems to ramble on and we are inclined to waste time. Quebin conducts his meetings standing in the other person’s office. This means he has complete control over the beginning and ending. Once the purpose of the meeting has been accomplished, a quick exit can be made ensuring no wasted time.
- Delegate. Valuable time and energy is often wasted because we do not delegate tasks when we are able. Do what you need to get done, but trust your team and delegate the rest!
- Be Mindful of Meetings.When you do have to attend a meeting, make sure you only attend those that are necessary. Keep them short, clear, and focused on the agenda. If not conducted effectively, meetings can become one of the largest time wasters for anyone working in a corporate environment.
- Always Pursue Your Goals:Above all, Qubein urges you to always be pursuing your goals. Make your decisions based around these goals and ultimately completing them. Your energy is limited, so be aware of how you are spending it. If something isn’t necessary, beneficial, or productive to your goals, skip it.
Where can you adopt some of these tips? Do you struggle with delegating, or do you feel your days are wasted by meetings? Think about each of these tips and see where you can start using your energy more efficiently and effectively in pursuit of your goals.
