Energy Audit 31.5.26
Over the years I have a practise where I audit my energy in relation to what gives me energy and what drains it. I have noticed I tend to re-visit the practise when I begin to notice my energy is feeling consistently low over a period of days and weeks. However, what I know is for anything to make a long term sustainable difference it needs to become a daily practise. And daily practises are more likely to happen if we associate the habit with something else, we already do. This is something that James Clear talks about in his book Atomic Habits.
So, I have started to keep a journal again and am going to reflect on it before or after my nighttime routine when taking my makeup off. This will increase the chances of me sticking to it.
Over the years I have journaled in many different ways, some structured and some not so structured. When I audit my energy, I find it useful to do it in a more structured way. I have a number of key areas and questions I ask myself.
1. Situation: What happened?
2. Emotional Response: What did I feel during and after the situation?
3. Energy Effect: Did I feel more energised, neutral or low? Sometimes it helps if I also score it as a Likert scale.
10 (Most Energised) 9-8-7-6– 5 (Neutral) 4-3-2-1– 0 (Very low/drained)
4. Contributing factors: Who was involved? What was the environment? What were the expectations from myself and others? Where was the pressure coming from? How tired was I feeling?
5. Interpretation: What meaning was I placing on the situation? Why is this possibly affecting me in this way?
6. Change: What potential changes do I need to make based on my reflections?
If this feels like too much detail for some people to journal, then I would suggest you start with the 2 basic questions. What brought me energy today? What took my energy away?
Whether you follow those 2 simple questions or something more detailed, what you are doing in essence is increasing your ‘energy awareness’. At first you may notice moods, feelings and emotions. And some isolated moments. But eventually you can begin to identify patterns between your choices and your internal state. Over time this can contribute towards moving from a journal to more of a decision-making system. So eventually you can begin to see feelings as signals. Repeated patterns become data and the data can guide your decisions and create more clarity.
I noticed this when I first started to audit my energy. Some of my journal entries were initially quite short and individual moments.
e.g. I felt anxious towards the end of that meeting.
I felt really good around those people.
I am frustrated I have wasted time scrolling on social media.
I felt really energised and inspired after that Coaching group.
After a few weeks I began to notice a couple of themes show up. There were a couple of people that I notice I am being more ‘careful around’ with what I say. I am holding my body and feel a little more alert. Also, the conversation does not flow that much unless I instigate the conversations. In those examples I also became aware my thought processes begin to kick in where I am making my own meaning around that. Which in turn leaves my energy depleted.
At first, I noticed I felt bad for feeling this way. And a little guilty as I want to genuinely give others a chance without making judgements about others. But then I reminded myself that is not a helpful part of the process. The goal of this process of journaling is not to judge myself. It’s to identify:
What genuinely nourishes me
What depletes my energy
What stimulates me temporarily but may not nourish long term
What aligns or conflicts with my values
What distinctions I am noticing
I know from experience that excitement is not always nourishing energy. In the same way comfort and familiar does not always nurture and restore long term. But may be useful short term to aid a task that needs completing. Being productive for a period of time does not always mean it is sustainable. In Coaching terms these are what we call ‘distinctions’. The ability to recognise subtle, often unseen differences between similar concepts, emotions or behaviours.
I will be continuing to journal my reflections for my Energy Audit, my insights, learning and structures used. And will share more in my next blog.
if you need any further support, please contact me at mandy@knowlimitscoach.com
And my poem ‘Remnants’ can be found @mandygutsell5940
I offer supportive strategies to honour the past, accept the present and look to the future with peace of mind.
If you need any further support, please contact me at mandy@knowlimitscoach.com
And my poem ‘Remnants’ can be found @mandygutsell5940
Click Here to head over to our YouTube reading of this Poem.