Are You Leaking Energy?

I went to my amazing PT, Lauren Polivka for a check in this week. I credit her with my ability to play competitive lacrosse at nearly 48 years old. I also leave our sessions energized by our conversations. While getting one of my adductors needled, we started talking about energy leaks. The context of the conversation was the efficiency of movements in the body. For example, an energy leak could happen with improper squat form resulting in a reduction of overall power. 

The idea of energy leaks stayed in my brain for hours after the conversation. 

During my time as a CrossFit coach, I’d witness these leaks in real time. One of the most common happened during kettlebell swings. I’d notice athletes shrugging their shoulders, wincing their faces, and gritting their teeth while they swung the kettlebell. Did that help them swing the kettlebell longer? No, it was just a default reaction to the body under stress. Sometimes we leak energy without even knowing it, and this extends into mental energy as well.

Some say time is our most valuable resource, but time + energy is a more accurate statement. If you have time but aren’t feeling your best, the result of the production within that time is reduced. Keep in mind not all moments need to be productive. Sometimes the best use of time is to do nothing at all. Whatever you do with your time, you’ll probably agree that maximizing moments with good energy is important.

Energy leaks can be like death by a thousand cuts. If you catch them early you’ll find a little energy boost to do all those things you may have been putting off. While it’s harder to quantify, we have a particular amount of energy every day. If you are mindful of it, you can even find situations that feed your energy, at least mentally. 

So how can you maximize your time + energy equation?

Two mental energy leaks that I try to keep in mind:

#1 - Interacting with a negative relationship that you know will not change

#2 - Trying to control things that are out of your control

These two have consistently reduced my available energy.

Let’s run a quick thought experiment. How would you approach directing your time and energy if you operated with an energy budget? We have all kinds of budgets - personal finance, construction, caloric, and many others. Why not energy budgets? Money, building things, and calories are more tangible and easier to quantify. Let’s simplify things. What if you assigned either an E+ or e- to activities and interactions? How do you feel after a day full of E+ moments? How do a number of e- moments affect your mood? 

Watch your energy leaks and see where a full tank leads.

What are your keys to staying energized both mentally and physically? Share your stories with [email protected] and get free access to a WTKY experience.