It’s that time of the year when many people feel a sense of impending doom about work getting very busy and stressful again now that Summer is (almost) over.
When you’re feeling this way, one of the best things you can do is to get a head start by planning your time and energy in advance.
I realise that this will probably feel like the last thing you want to do, however, getting on top of what’s to come will actually make you feel more in control, which will alleviate the anticipation. Then you can relax knowing everything is in hand!
What you don’t want to do is completely avoid thinking about work until the morning of the day you’re dreading!
A lot of people are still on holiday this week, so if you feel like next week or the following week is when things will really start getting hectic, then NOW, today, this weekend is the best time to start getting ready.
This doesn’t need to be anything heavy or super time-consuming either. I suggest looking at what’s happening this month and for Q4 and start thinking about how you need to manage your time.
Managing your energy is about looking at your schedule and planning adequate rest: time off after a big deadline, weekend breaks and anything else that you can look forward to.
This will make Q4 feel more manageable rather than an uphill battle until Christmas.
This principle also applies when you feel a sense of dread coming back after a holiday. Or if you’re someone who gets the ‘Sunday scaries’/’Sunday blues’…
Planning your upcoming week on a Friday or over the weekend will stop or lessen those feelings of dread and will mean that you can relax and enjoy the whole weekend, not just Friday night and Saturday!
Time and energy management means just that – you’re not only planning your workflow, deliverables and deadlines. You’re also factoring in and planning to optimise your energy and wellbeing around your workload so that you can perform to your best and feel good in the process.
Kate x
