One Apple A Day #260
Guilt is indeed an intense emotion. And a tricky one too.
The typical pattern is made of two parts.
First I feel guilty because I’m not doing enough. So, I keep pushing on whatever I think I should do even if I am tired, or distracted. But I can’t do my best without energy and focus, so I spend hours to get poor results. At this point, it’s time for the second part of the pattern. The part when I feel guilty because my results are not good enough and I didn’t take the time to recover even if I knew it was necessary.
Did it happen to you too? How often do you keep pushing through things when your energy is low only to feel drained and unsatisfied at the end?
Most of our planning is based on time.
How much doing can I fit into my schedule Today?
But what about my energy?
I know I have a finite amount of energy that, like fuel, need to be replenished before running out of it. I also know that my level of energy change during the day. My body doesn’t release the energy available as a continuous homogeneous stream. It comes in waves, instead. Moments when I feel powerful and moments when I can’t focus on anything.
I’m also aware that there are activities that drain my energy and others that energise me.
The trick is to do the things that are more important and that require more energy when the tank is full.
To do so, it is vital to learn to listen and observe. When am I more energised? What does require more energy? Listen, measure and plan my energy, not my time.
And when the energy is low. Rest. This is the hardest part for me; to appreciate the extraordinary value of recovery time. Time without the energy to use it, it’s pointless, and it is a source of guilt.
I’m not guilt-free yet, but I’m working on it. After some rest.