Hi

Day Crafting is about the skilled use of time and energy – as a foundation for what we want to do with our days. Recently, I've been diving deep into the concept of energy and how we can tap into our hidden reserves.

There is a short video version of this post you can find on YouTube or on the Day Crafting Facebook page.

The Energy Budget

Within each of us lies an energy budget controlled by deep, automatic systems (the elephant) that predicts and regulates energy use throughout the day. Naturally, we're wired to conserve energy for survival, which explains why so much of what we do is habitual. But this leaves us with a Day Crafting challenge: How can we access more energy?

We've all experienced days where energy seems abundant and others where we feel depleted despite similar circumstances. If your maintenance routines remain consistent, how can you find more energy?

Three Keys to Unlocking Energy

I believe there are three powerful ways to unlock more energy in your day:

1. Purpose

Have you ever noticed that you seem to have more energy when your actions align with your purpose? Purpose acts as an internal motivator, allowing us to persist in tasks without the usual fatigue. When we work with a clear sense of purpose, we tap into a hidden reservoir. Too much work with no purpose can shift the balance towards disengagement and even burnout. (The Productivity Workbook takes a deep dive into purpose if that's relevant for you.)

Practice: Reflect on your daily tasks. How do they connect to your purpose? Can you reframe them to make them feel more meaningful?

2. Play

Think about the boundless energy of children at play. As adults, we can harness this same principle. By framing our tasks and activities as play, we can sustain our energy levels more easily. Or more subtly, we can allow play to arise. Playfulness engages us in the present moment, reducing cognitive and emotional strain. Play needs to be allowed to surface, but in many work cultures, that seems to be hard. 

Practice: Choose one "serious" task today and approach it with a playful attitude. How does this shift your energy?

3. Connection

The right social interactions can significantly boost our energy. When we're around people who energise and uplift us, our internal energy budget shifts, making more available to us. Think about times you've been part of a brilliant team or engaged in a lively conversation – these experiences release energy in ways that solitary work cannot. A further challenge if you're a manager or leader is to work out how to create a culture that allows others around you to tap into this.

Practice: Identify the people in your life who consistently energise you. How can you incorporate more connection with them into your days?

Putting It All Together

To maximise your daily energy:

1. Start with good maintenance – take care of your basic energy needs.
2. Ensure your activities align with your purpose.
3. Approach tasks with a spirit of play.
4. Work in connection with others who lift your spirits.

Implementing these practices gives you more energy for the day's challenges and opportunities. This is a skill you can craft every day, and it's built into the foundation of Day Crafting.

How will you tap into your hidden energy reserves today?

Yours,

Bruce