5 ways we waste our energy at work and how we can avoid it

5 ways we waste our energy at work and how we can avoid it

Health & Lifestyle

Froilan Aloro

Froilan Aloro

235 week ago — 5 min read

Our daily lives seem to be tormented with ‘busy’ as the new normal and ‘toxic’ as the new healthy, which results in an overdose of the widely used word: STRESS.

Every day we can sense from our employees, friends, and even ourselves the sign of exhaustion – to the point of bursting our rants to others or on social media. But sometimes, we have to admit that we only accomplish 25-50% of our work and the rest is pushed to the following day and so forth, spending most of the day with so-called ‘priorities’ and ‘urgencies’ that are often irrelevant tasks.

Also read: 7 easy health care hacks for busy entrepreneurs


To avoid these ‘energy-wasters’, I’ve compiled a list of the most common scenarios in business and how we can overcome it.


1. Choosing communication channels

Because technology has allowed us to adapt and do everything online, our best option of communication channel usually goes like this: email-call-talk. The danger with this is that since emails are flat, it can lead to miscommunication, which results in more email exchanges until someone decides to pick up a phone or even call for a meeting, if possible.


You are not born to work for the rest of your life, rather, you work to learn, live, and laugh for the other two-thirds of life outside your business.

 


As it goes further, time has already lapsed and emotions are heightened. Should the reverse had been used (talk-call-email), it could have saved everyone’s time, effort, energy, and even the potential sales or profit. Emails should only be used to document the agenda, and not the other way around.


Also read: 7 tips to make your conversation engaging

2. Meddling in other’s business

Admit it or not, we sometimes love to meddle in other people’s business that we forget we also have our own. This is perhaps because of our culture, influence, or simply our own choice. Nevertheless, it is not bad to reach out and help others as long as we don’t meddle too much.


3. Dealing with unnecessary issues

With our knowledge and experience, we love to give unsolicited opinion which can escalate especially when it’s about sensitive issues. I would say, sometimes, it wouldn’t hurt to keep your opinion to yourself and save everybody else’s resources.


4. Seeking validation

We seek affirmation and recognition from our managers, colleagues, and team members, and when we don’t get it, we get disappointed.  Sometimes, it’s better to seek it from yourself first. Depending upon validation from elsewhere usually results in frustration, anger, and even disengagement. If you don’t get a pat on the back you so much craved for, it is ok because you come to do your work and get it done. And remember that it’s not your duty to please everyone. Your great work is already your reward, keep that in mind.


5. Spending time with people

Spending 8-9 hours or more in a day with people for your business merits a two-way experience. If you see the relationship is a one-way street, you have to do something about it. You should make the relationship with people around you healthy in a way that they can learn from you and vice versa. You better choose wisely the people that surround you as these people can influence your life and even business decisions.

Also read: 5 effective ways to lead your team


At the end of the day, let’s keep in mind that after doing our business, there’s still much in life. If we spend 75% of our energy on 30% of our lives, we are not getting the most out of it. You are not born to work for the rest of your life, rather, you work to learn, live, and laugh for the other two-thirds of life outside your business.

 

Image courtesy: unsplash.com


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