I drive an electric car. No, it's not a Tesla. And I have to say, that car is pretty smart. It tells me lots of things, mostly about the battery and all kinds of metrics related to energy. And that's good because the last thing you want in an EV is a dead battery. It's not as simple as getting a jump from the guy in the F150.
We've all become more energy conscious because of our devices. In addition to EVs, there's mobile phones, smart watches, laptops and iPads to keep charged. We only have to search for an outlet in an airport to understand how pervasive and sometimes urgent the need to recharge can be.
But when our energy has been depleted or our blood sugar is in the basement, it affects how we think and how we show up. It's time for us to up the ante on our EQ. And by EQ, I am referring to our Energy Quotient, not our Emotional Intelligence. Although that's important too. And in fact, the two EQs are strongly correlated. When we're out of energy, it's likely that our emotional sensitivity is lagging a bit too.
So what is energy? Here is the simplest definition of energy: Energy is the capacity to do work. But CEO Energy is more encompassing than that. Yes, it is about the work. And that work includes how you show up, how you lead, how you make decisions and how you manage your responsibilities. It’s exhausting. Not to mention the stress, unexpected surprises, and trying to get it all done.
Unfortunately, we think we can ignore our personal energy consumption and just power through. And sometimes we have to do exactly that. It goes with the territory. However, there has to be an offset, a recovery. Otherwise, the risk of misplaced priorities, poor decisions, inappropriate behaviors, stress and ultimately burnout present an unfavorable progression of outcomes.
In the mind of many CEOs, time is their most valuable currency. Often when asked for a meeting or to attend an event, a common response is “I don’t have time.” And in some respects that’s true. There is always more to do. And most CEOs can create a to-do list pretty easily. But the more important currency is energy. Without it, the lights don’t come on, literally and figuratively. Energy is what powers the equipment in your business, the motor in your car and the screen on your devices. And how often do we check the battery percentage on our mobile phone and the fuel gauge in our car? Ever freak out just a little when the power grid goes down and you’re wondering if this is a temporary thing or will the power be out for a while? As a CEO, your energy is pretty much the same.
The difference is that, as a CEO you don’t have a ready made fuel gauge. And yet, your energy is being drained from the moment you wake up until you return to bed at the end of the day. And let’s be honest, often when we start the day our mobile phone is more fully charged than we are. We are pretty clear about what drains the power in our devices, how to conserve it and when to recharge. However, our personal energy is more complicated. We don’t have a personal energy meter and are often unaware of when our energy is being drained.
The reality is that for many CEOs, business is now 24/7/365. Our mobile phones, laptops and tablets mean that we are reachable any day, any time. It’s always something isn’t it? Something that seemingly needs our attention right now. There is no off buitton. The truth is, there will never be enough time to get it all done. It’s a race against the clock to do it better, faster and cheaper than our competitor.
Personal energy management is an essential part of CEO Mental Fitness because it is a function of the fundamentals of sleep, nourishment, exercise, stress management and so on. Achieving and maintaining CEO Mental Fitness requires us to make an intentional commitment to our well-being and mental fitness, to set personal boundaries that we unequivocally enforce upon ourselves and to align our calendar with our priorities. This is nonnegotiable.
How to Optimize Your CEO Energy
Get your zzz's. That's right. Sleep is one of the most important things you need. And you need it every night. There are no make-ups. Aim for a solid seven every night.
Food is Fuel. Our brain is only as good as the the quality of the food we eat. Aim to eat 30 different fruits, vegetables, seeds, and spices a week. It's not as hard as you might think. And you will feel better and make smarter decisions.
Hydrate. Over 60% of your body is water. When you are dehydrated your energy plummets and your cognitive ability significantly drops. Easy fix. Just sip on water all day about every 15 minutes until late afternoon.
Balance your energy demands. Look at your schedule and be reasonable with yourself. Zoom after zoom followed by long meetings and triaging 400 emails is a prescription for a dead battery.
Movement. Yep. Get up and move around. Walking or light movement for about 90 seconds every half hour will keep the blood, water and oxygen flowing through your body and brain
Alignment. Make certain your calendar and unread emails do not consume every last drop of energy you've got.
Ok, there you go. A simple guide to maintaining both your energy and stamina so you can "live and lead better."
Seriously. That's CEO Mental Fitness.
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