Check and top up your energy

I USE a quick energy audit to keep track of my energy patterns and identify opportunities for change.

Draw a circle.

Divide it into eight segments. Identify important areas in your life where you want to invest energy (work, family, school, partner…) and label one segment for each area.

Give yourself a score for each segment on a scale of 0-10, with 0 meaning ‘I have nothing in the tank’ and 10 meaning ‘I am full of energy’.

What does this audit reveal? Are there any patterns?

Are there any areas I can set aside and come back to at a later date?

Where do I have high energy? What strategies have I used successfully in this area?

Can I apply these strategies to any of the other areas in which I would like to increase my energy?

What other or new energy sources or resources can I think of?

THIS EXERCISE is not about judging yourself, it is a temperature check to determine what you can set aside for the moment, what you can capitalise on, and which new sources of energy, or external resources, you can identify as you move forward.

One of my clients identified ‘helping my children with homework’ as a high priority area where she had low energy – which produced a lot of guilt. By exploring alternative sources of energy, she was able to identify a

neighbour – a widower and retired teacher – whom she could call on for support. This allowed her to get assistance, support her kids and provide purposeful activity and social connection for her neighbour.