5 tips on Energy management in the office
Introduction
It’s amazing to think that we need Time management when all the top of their game focus on something more specific — Energy management.
It’s all about the Energy management when it comes to playing the game of:
- not burning out,
- learning something new, and
- rehearsing your skills as a web developer at your job.
But enough said, there are 5 tips on Energy management in the office, especially as a web developer.
Eat nuts, and other complex carbohydrates before work
Having nuts, wholewheat grains, and anything else considered as ‘complex carbohydrates’ also known as ‘complex sugars’ will help maintain a stable energy output throughout the day.
A heaping bowl of whole grains is enough to cut the mustard when it comes to keeping a steady energy level as the day progresses — and so do your successes.
Breathe voluntarily when you catch yourself not doing so
Controlled deep breathing brings to attention your presence in the area you are in, keeping you alert and ready and reinvigorated.
Be present, always. It helps clear your thinking on so many levels.
This is evident in people like Sir Richard Branson who go all eyes-wide-open every few seconds, to ‘realise his presence‘. Yeah he’s not a web developer, but people around his sphere of influence do this!
I mean, look at Sir Richard Branson in this quick video!
Quick Homework: Find someone who frequently inhales deeply, and that person is usually someone of great energy!
Quick Homework #2: Do the same thing.
*breathes deeply for a split-second*
Have 5-minute mind breaks of total disconnection every 25 minutes
Remember that drastic burn-out at the end of the day (mine is usually between 3-4pm) where you feel like you didn’t accomplish much today so you wish not to rest, therefore you keep working and solving problems and making logic decisions.
That is highly inefficient.
Our goal as web developers is to be as productive and efficient as humanly possible.
So to avoid Burn-out as a web developer, there are two quick ways:
- After 25 minutes, go and disconnect yourself from your job for 5 minutes.
- Go drink water, use the toilet, volunteer to brew tea/coffee, or walk around.
You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish as you keep doing this!
Oh and whilst you’re at it, incorporate that breathing tip above, to keep yourself refreshed as ever.
Eat fruits and veggies to avoid the afternoon daze
And when high noon strikes, your complex carbohydrates might still be doing their trick of keeping your satiated even until now. But you might want to get a slight energy boost through some freshening fruits and/or vegetables.
This will simulate yourself having a nice afternoon at a beach with your fruits (and maybe some greens?).
The important piece here is attaching an emotion to the fruits that you eat, so that you daze off and daydream (albeit intentionally) of the memory/experience.
I highly recommend going on a holiday to capture that memory!
Volunteer to do the brewing of tea/coffee
Easy one. This is in lieu with ‘mind breaks’.
Make the beverage run for your team when you can. It’s best though once you’ve completed a task, so that you can make a solid excuse to rest for 5 minutes.
This way, you are intentionally:
- saving time for your company,
- avoiding burn-out for yourself,
- becoming more productive for your company,
- improving your self-esteem, and
- serving good drinks!
Final Thoughts
What we just covered are amazing stuff to get you blazing your trail in a win-win-win situation — good for the company, good for you, and good for the team!
Next step: do it now.
Easy stuff to do:
- Eat complex carbohydrates before work (you can Google it yourself if you forget)
- Breathe, so that you stay present, in the zone
- Intentionally rest for 5 minutes after 25 minutes of work (no one will notice it)
- Do drinks for your team, or something better
- Bring fruits to eat, because they are refreshing to eat!
If you like this post, you might also like to know about my thoughts on the Default Mode Network, and how we apply it as Web developers.