How To Increase Efficiency - Self-development

In recent years, people have devoted more and more time to work, which inevitably leads to burnout. This process is disadvantageous for neither the employee nor the employer. And in this situation, as never before, what ensures efficiency - energy. The more energy, the faster and better you can do the job.

Time is running out, which cannot be said about energy. It has four sources - body, emotions, mind and spirit, and in every aspect it can be systematically expanded and renewed. Tony Schwartz, author of the Energy Project, talks about skills that promote renewable energy. For example:

• periodic breaks in activity help renew physical energy;
• rejection of the role of a victim and an optimistic outlook on life minimizes negative emotions;
• avoiding distracting "technological temptations" increases mental energy;
• meaningful activity raises the strength of the spirit.

Dossier

Tony SCHWARTZ is an American journalist and writer, author of several best-selling books, founder and CEO of The Energy Project. Tony Schwartz's latest book, The Way We Work, doesn't work. Proven Ways to Manage Life Energy”- was published in 2010. Since May 2013, Schwartz has written a weekly column, DealBook, in the financial news section of The New York Times.

A group of Wachovia Bank employees participated in an energy management experiment. They managed to outperform the members of the control group in terms of improving customer relationships, productivity, and personal satisfaction. This approach has also proven effective in other companies such as Ernst & Young, Sony and Deutsche Bank.

Let's give an example of the changes that can occur in your life. Steve Vonner, a respectable 37-year-old partner at Ernst & Young, is married with four children. A year ago, he worked 12-14 hours a day, constantly felt tired, he did not have enough energy or time to communicate with his family, which made him feel guilty and dissatisfied. He slept poorly, had no time for sports, and rarely ate well. Like many of us, he sacrificed physical, mental and emotional health for his job.

Time is not as important as energy

As part of a project to learn how to manage energy, Vonner changed his habits and behavior, and this turned his life upside down. He began to go to bed earlier, stopped drinking alcohol, as a result, he wakes up rested and ready for physical activity, which he now does every morning. In two months, Steve lost seven kilograms. After morning sports activities, he sits down to breakfast with his family. He is still at work for a long time, but now he knows how to recuperate regularly. He leaves his workplace for lunch and usually goes outside in the morning and afternoon. Coming home in the evening after work, he is less stressed and able to communicate with his wife and children.

How to increase efficiency?

Most large organizations invest in the development of skills, knowledge and competence of employees. But few contribute to the formation and reinforcement of their performance, taking this resource for granted. And after all, an increase in efficiency contributes to an increase in productivity. A recent scientific experiment at the Wachovia bank network has confirmed this.

The program influenced their personal characteristics of the project participants. 68% of them noted a noticeable improvement in customer relations, 71% confirmed a significant positive change in the area of productivity and productivity. What is the peculiarity of this program and how can you apply it in your life?

1. Determine the energy absorbers

It is hardly news to anyone that a lack of sleep, nutrition, physical activity and rest depletes a person's energy reserves and his ability to control emotions and attention. How do we lose energy at the physical level? We skip breakfast, we forget to express our gratitude, we can't concentrate on one thing, we don't devote enough time to things that give meaning to life. Check if there are any such energy absorbers in your life.

2. Defining rituals for creating and renewing energy

In addition to sleep, proper nutrition and timely rest, regular breaks at regular intervals with the obligatory departure from the workplace can become such rituals. The benefits of these breaks are due to our physiology. Ultradian rhythms are 90-120 minute cycles during which the energy level of our body slowly decreases. At the end of each cycle, the body needs rest. How do you know when it's time for a break? Certain signals will help.

Signals: physical anxiety, yawning, hunger, concentration problems. Most people are used to ignoring these signs and keep working. The result is that our energy reservoir burns out during the day.

It's important to know

Taking short, regular breaks replenishes physical energy. The length of the break is not as important as the quality. It is possible to have a good rest in a short amount of time - a couple of minutes is enough - if the rest allows you to break away from work and really switch. It can be like talking with a colleague about anything other than work, listening to music, or even walking up and down the office stairs.

Of course, there are other techniques and techniques to renew energy in a timely manner. In the next article, based on research by Tony Schwartz, we will discuss the effect of emotions on our energy.