September Intentions: Managing Energy and Stress

Is your energy level different in September than in July?

Welcome to September! I have always enjoyed back-to-school time and associate it with childhood memories of new school supplies. When my kids were younger I would get excited about returning to the routine of the school year only to realize the added demands of the school schedule didn’t match the image in my head.

Now that my kids are adults, the beginning of the school year involves them moving into new apartments while I wonder about their transitions. Even though the demands on my time are very different, I still notice my energy level can drop due to the change and uncertainty.

My goal for this month is to manage my energy and stress.

Last month I focused on the obstacles that were preventing me from being who I want to be and tested a new tracking sheet with space for 31 entries. I enjoyed using the tracking sheet for most of the month. It helped as I dealt with a surprise sewage issue and complicated travel plans. Sadly, I didn’t return it to my desk when I got home from traveling and didn’t use it during a busy week. In the end, I “caught up” on Sept 1.

This month I’m aiming to be more consistent with tracking my progress.

I’ve done several energy audits in the past to look at how my energy changes throughout the day so I’m starting with a basic awareness. This month I plan to dig deeper to examine connections between my feelings, energy level, and behaviors.

Below is an example of the Energy Awareness Log I’m using to track my energy level (see the Mapping Feelings to the Energetic Self-Perception Chart blog entry). After testing my original version, I realized I wanted to determine my energy level by first figuring out if I’m feeling like I’m needing, having, or being. From there, I can assign my energy level as a number from 1 to 7. I updated the feelings words and moved them to the right side so I could look at them after picking a number. The new log allows me to reflect on how I feel before mapping my feelings to the narrow range based on the iPEC Energy Leadership Program.

I’m curious if seeing a plot of my energy levels is useful. In my initial tests, I enjoyed mapping a number first and then writing about it on my form.

Below is the tracking form I’m testing. It has more space for recording a feeling word along with the situation and behavior. I find writing the situations and behaviors helps me to examine what is, compare it to where I want to be, and start making changes. It’s always fun to see how small things can lead to new insights and how new insights can drive change.

How does your energy change throughout the day, week, and month?

I hope these resources are helpful for you.
Reach out if you want to explore further how you can maximize your energy.