Energy + Motivation (HBR Emotional Intelligence Series)

4

Four Ways to Manage Your Energy More Effectively

By Elizabeth Grace Saunders

Almost anyone can muster enough gumption for a short burst of high-energy effort. Maybe it’s making a shining impression your first few weeks on a job, hitting the gym with fervor at the start of January, or spending a weekend on a remodeling project exhibiting all the peppiness of an HGTV star.

But what about after that initial burst? Do you still feel the same a few months or even a year into your new job, goal, or project? Have you abandoned your ambitions? Do you continue to push on while fighting signs of fatigue or burnout? Or do you wildly vacillate between hyperproductivity and getting nothing done?

The key to success at work and in life isn’t really starting ...