Using Your Energy Effectively

In Physics it is known that energy can change state, but it cannot be destroyed. When a ball is held in the air it has gravitational potential energy. Once this ball is dropped this energy becomes kinetic energy as it moves towards the ground. When it hits the floor some of this energy is lost as sound energy and heat energy. The ball then squashes and the remaining kinetic energy becomes elastic potential energy before bouncing back up with kinetic energy.

This is not a science lesson, don’t worry. I give this example to point out how energy moves through the universe and the world, it changes state. This illustrates how we can view our own energy. When we invest energy into a particular activity sometimes the activity is not fruitful and we feel like we have hit a dead end. If we do nothing after this and move onto something else the energy spent doing the activity is lost.

But if we were to pivot and used what we have learned and the experience we have had to move in a different direct the momentum we have built up moves us forward and we are more likely to succeed. The building up of momentum matters. A train going at speed can break through a brick wall, but a train standing still cannot move if you put a one inch block in front of its drive wheel.

Failures often cause us to stop, but they are really opportunities to pivot and move in a different direction. With this mindset our lives will flow more than stop and start and we will be more successful and happier as a result.

Pace Yourself

One of the things I have to always be aware of while having Fibromyalgia, is that after standing or walking around for a while my legs begin to hurt and I need to rest. I need to know my limits and plan my day accordingly.

We all have our limits, for our energy or patience or attention span, etc. Everyone has different limits. Mine will clearly be less than others, but may be greater than others. The point is that if you know your limits you can plan your day and week around what you know you can handle.

It will also help you choose the right job. If you have little patience, then working with challenging young people, for example, will be a bad mix. If you have a low attention span, work that changes repeatedly will suit you well. Knowing your limits will allow you to work and play to the maximum benefit of you and those around you.