The Most Precious Resource for Mission-driven Leaders: Your Energy
5/1/26
The Most Precious Resource for Mission-driven Leaders: Your Energy
As a mission-driven leader, you are likely to carefully manage your time. Managing your time is important, but often, it's your energy that limits you. What is your energy budget? How do you invest your energy in your work, your family, your community, and in yourself?
The first step (and I hope you see a pattern here) is to become aware of your energy levels now. Take a moment and check in with yourself:
Are you energized, or bored, and ready for more?
Are you overwhelmed at the thought of facing what’s on your plate?
Are you tired or drained?
You may have mixed signals, and that’s ok. We are complex, ever evolving beings. You may also start with how you think you should feel, and don’t listen to the signals your body is sending. For example, if you are foggier than usual, you might discount that feeling telling yourself that you should feel ok because you got enough sleep, or already took a day off for a cold.
It might be your long held habit–to push through fatigue, rather than to rest. Of course, it's ok to push through. But many mission-driven organizations have cultures that push you out of balance, and its up to you to guard your own energy and find the right balance for you.
Whatever you do, don’t disconnect from those warning signals your body gives you. Those signals are your friends, and you need to pay attention to what they tell you. I know most of us (myself included) feel that we should bounce back more quickly from illness, surgery, tragedy, or even everyday challenges. When your body is telling you it's tired, it may mean you do need more time to recover or you may be processing something in the background.
Listen first, connect with yourself and know what’s going on. Bring self-compassion to yourself, maybe even self kindness. If you went through a traumatic job loss or your job just got more stressful–all of these are changes that drain you hard and keep on draining. Even if you think that you already grieved or already took care of a problem, your body tells you the truth. You can often see in hindsight with deep compassion what you needed. In the moment, you may push through without pausing first to offer yourself that insight and kindness.
Once you know your energy balance, take a look at your energy budget. You have energy vampires and energy fairies in your life.
What are your energy vampires?
Can you conquer any troublesome vampires, or minimize exposure?
What are your energy fairies?
How can you bring the energy fairies to your life?
How in balance are the vampires and fairies?
Manage your energy balance with care. Look for the energy vampires and see where you can avoid or eliminate them. If you have a path ahead that is unavoidably thick with vampires, invest in those energy fairies! You need them now more than ever.
I know that when my energy balance is high, I can invest my energy and even have an appetite for engagements that I know will drain me. I can handle them with little impact. But when my energy is low, I am more selective. I do what I need to and do my best to buffer, even if that’s planning something to look forward to later.
If your current situation is energy vampire ridden, do not discount that. There are tools to manage even the toughest situations. You may assume there is nothing you can do, but with reflection and support, you can find your way.
Whatever your situation, cherish your energy. Guard it, feed it and replenish often!
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