There are ways our work spaces are depleting us.
Experts Help You Manage Time At Work So You Don’t Get Burned Out
Did you know that a whopping 82% of employees are at risk of burnout?
Over half feel totally “used up” by the end of their workdays.
Traditional time management techniques, like color-coded calendars and time-blocking, often miss a key point: our personal energy is limited and changes throughout the day, which affects productivity.
- Most of us have just 90-120 minutes of peak focus each day before needing a break. If we don’t keep our energy in mind, the rest of the work hours might not be worth it.
- According to experts Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, we have four dimensions of energy: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Think of them like muscles that need to be exercised and recovered.
- If we neglect any one of them, our performance and well-being can take a hit.
- The common idea of “doing more with less” only adds to fatigue and drives us deeper into a cycle of burnout.
- To keep our performance up without burning out, we need to manage our energy better—not just cram more tasks into our day.
- The experts say to work in 90-minute focused blocks, then take 10 to 15-minute renewal breaks. These are not fake breaks at your desk.
- You should involve movement, nature, or social connection.
Also, respect your limits. Most people can handle 3-4 quality focus blocks per day. Trying to force a fifth or sixth produces diminishing returns.