Is anyone else finding it busier as we move into the holiday season? Deadlines are looming, projects need wrapping up, there are school concerts, last-minute emails, holiday errands, and somewhere in between you’re supposed to shop, cook, clean, and still get actual work done. 

The logical solution we’re taught is time management, right? Make a better schedule. Prioritize harder. Block off hours. Try a new planner. Wake up earlier. 

But here’s the problem: Most of us already know how to manage our time. We’re just trying to squeeze more and more into days that are already full, and it’s exhausting. If time management worked on its own, December wouldn’t feel chaotic every single year. Maybe the issue isn’t that we need more time – It’s that we’re running out of energy to keep up with everything we’re putting on the calendar. 

 

Energy Management over Time Management 

If there is anything that consulting has taught me, it is about the importance of energy management over time management. Traditional time management techniques try to maximize hours, but the more exhausted and overwhelmed we become, the more time everything takes. For many neurodivergent employees, this struggle is even more pronounced – Time management tools designed for neurotypical brains can feel frustrating and limiting.  

Energy management, however, is the practice of aligning work with natural energy patterns, focusing on the right tasks at the right time based on attention, motivation, and mental clarity. 

 

Energy Management Strategies 

So what does energy management look like in practice? It can, and has to be, different depending on your role. Some helpful energy management strategies for me have been: 

• Scheduling your hardest, or what I like to call, your “big brain” activities when you feel most productive. For me, that’s the morning (After my first cup of coffee). For others, it’s 9pm after they’ve put the kids to bed. If your job hours are flexible, leverage it to get more done in less time! 

• On the opposite hand, schedule tasks that don’t take much brain power for when your energy is lower. I always feel mine start to dip at 4-5pm, so I’ll try to catch up on more admin work and answer emails during those times. 

• Do not, I repeat, do not, skip your lunch (and other breaks!) Get up. Move. Eat something. Refuel your body. I know it’s tempting to work through your lunch hour so you can get more done, but you’ll just end up burning yourself out.  

• Cut back on multitasking where you can. It overloads the brain, and we’re simply not wired to manage multiple tasks at once all day every day. Not only does it increase burnout, but it also makes things take longer.  

 

Introducing Energy Management to your Team 

Are there any managers out there reading this right now? If you want to improve productivity on your team, create conditions where energy management is possible. 

Consider: 

• Asking employees when they prefer to have meetings. You may not be able to accommodate everyone, but adjusting meeting times can help staff protect their highest-energy hours for deep, focused work. 

• Offering flexibility in work hours where possible. Not everyone hits their peak productivity at 9 a.m. Giving employees room to structure their day can significantly improve focus and output. 

• Introducing the concept of energy management to your team. Educate and empower them with strategies to work with their natural energy patterns. 

It’s time we stop squeezing more into the day and start making the day work for us by protecting the energy that makes productivity possible. 

 

Addy Smith, CPHR, is an HR Partner at uptreeHR, an outsourced Human Resource department for small to medium-sized businesses. Addy and the team are based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

To book a complimentary 30-minute consult with uptreeHR, click here.