There is much talk in the nation about renewable sources of energy. I believe we need to include renewing personal energy in the discussion – with as much gusto as renewable sources of energy for our cities, our cars and our homes.
Jim Loehr has written the consummate guide to renewing your personal energy, in the book The Power of Full Engagement. Loehr makes the point that we all have exactly the same amount of time. The differentiator between high performers and all the others is the amount of energy one brings. Optimal energy, which yields high performance, occurs when you are:
- Physically energized
- Emotionally connected
- Mentally focused
- Spiritually aligned
Loehr drew his insights from working with top sports professionals and then extrapolated them to folks like us. While we might see stress as what robs us of energy, Loehr would tell us that stress is what makes us better and enables a higher level of performance. But that only happens when stress is followed by recovery. Balancing stressing our minds or bodies (think hard physical work out) with recovery (think rest, hydration, nutrition) results in increasing strength and higher levels of performance.
Loehr advocates the development of supportive habits for leaders that enable them to build recovery from the stresses of their jobs. His suggestions:
| Physical Energy | Emotional Energy | Mental Energy | Spiritual Energy |
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Want to see how you stack up? Loehr offers a free online energy and engagement assessment at http://lge.perfprog.com/
