5 tips to manage energy for higher productivity

There's this basic principle in the productivity community - time management is everything. The obsession over calendars, the Eisenhower matrix, planners, lists and so forth, is a direct reflection of this.

But is "time management" really the best and most foundational principle we should look at in order to become more productive?

FTC: This video is sponsored by Brilliant.

[NHarts]

Something no one points out: if you are a person that has a menstrual cycle this also determines your energy progression over the month/length of your cycle. I think people dont talk about it because many people still view it as a taboo subject to talk about publically. But keeping track of your cycle helps you know when to expect your energy levels to be high or low

[rebeca]

Timestamps:
1:58 prioritise your energy hours
3:43 fully engage or fully disengage
5:11 focus on finishing instead of accumulating
6:18 energy cycles are not only daily, they can be weekly, monthly and even seasonal
8:24 stop thinking you are lazy

[rebeccasperring]

I’ve been calling myself lazy but it’s not true. My last holiday was almost 6 years ago, I don’t get enough sleep, work is busy and I have a four year old. I’m not lazy. I’m exhausted. I actually need more rest, breaks and gentle exercise to improve my productivity, not introduce more tasks into my day.

[dinorahbarbosa]

I'd like to add few things to this discussion. It IS normal to feel tired one day or another however feeling constantly tired every day IS NOT NORMAL. If you happen to experience this here are some things that could be causing that (from my experience)

- You might not be eating well enough. Lack of some vitamins such as B12, anemia and eating lots of fast food can cause you to drop energy levels. In particular, if you are a vegetarian like me you *must* be ingesting B12 vitamins daily and most importantly in higher levels than non-veggies, since our bodies naturally have inefficiency in absorbing this vitamin. Also try to avoid going more than 4h without eating anything. Sometimes I feel tired and realize I was just hungry even if I wasn't feeling like eating. Some snacks can help you gain more energy, specially those with protein. I've been into smoothies lately and I usually put a teaspoon of peanut butter. Obligatory "drink lots of water" here too.


-You might need to exercise more. Moving your body, specially doing aerobic activities, will better your metabolism and you'll fell less tired on a day-to-day basis. I usually exercise in the morning, going out for a walk. But when I don't have the time I do at least 15min of yoga just to wake up my body and feel more alert.

- Your tiredness can be emotional. I think it goes without saying that the past years have been hard on everyone and this affects our energy levels. Depression and anxiety (among other mental health issues) can make you feel very tired even when you are getting enough sleep. For such cases it is indeed common that you experience low energy levels on a regular basis. Keep in mind that even if you are taking meds you should still consider eating well and exercising, (and therapy!) because they will help you regardless.

If you think that anything I have said makes sense to you, please consider seeking professional help. I am not a medical professional at all, this is just my opinion on the topic (although what I said does have strong scientific base). I hope you stay safe!

[ASentientBlockofSwissCheese]

It’s like she knows exactly what I need at the moment. Mariana, your videos help me get through college.

[readsamread]

"Discipline and productivity do not reflect your value as a person." Needed to hear that today, thank you!

[christianvasquez]

I'm feel sad for this channel. This channel isn't 1 Million of suscribers, and I don't explain why. Mariana's videos are high quality as Matt D'Avella, Ali Abdaal and Thomas Frank. Mariana is a Queen of Productivity and Study.

[limeparticle]

I do call myself lazy, but I try and think of it as a way to frame the adage of ”work smarter, not harder.” I’m ”lazy” because I don’t want to burn out, and therefore, anything that helps me to work more efficiently or make the most of the time I spend working, is more than welcome. Which is why I thank you for this video ❤️❤️❤️

[MinecraftandManga]

Thank you for making this video! When I started college I ended up developing a chronic illness along with already existing mental health problems. One of the most important things I've learned is that managing my energy is just as, if not more, important than purely managing my time. I had to learn that one day I might be able to be super productive get all of my work done in a few hours in the morning, but the next I might not be able to really be "awake" until the afternoon, if it all that day. I'm still hard on myself sometimes, thinking I'm lazy, but I've gotten better about it. I think a lot of people who don't struggle with these kinds of things (or don't realize that they do - like me when I struggled with mental health but before I developed physical health problems) think of themselves or others as lazy which is very disheartening.

[totbatzorig]

Just watching this video heightens my productivity

[gloomydaysunshine]

1.Prioritize high energy hours
2.Fully engage or fully disengage
3.Focus on finishing instead of accumulating
4.Energy cycles are not only daily ; they can be weekly, monthly and even seasonal
5.Stop thinking you are lazy

[tapas]

"We are what we repeatedly do.”
_Aristotle.

[mynameis]

My new semester will start tomorrow (February's 1st) so this video is vey helpful for me!! Thank you

[yyyelou]

I always struggle with time management and accomplishing things 'cause I feel unmotivated and to tired to finish anything. I started to research about this energy management technique not much ago and it's making wonders on my studies. Thank you for explaining more about it and the tips!

[lheslie]

I've been following you for the past 4 years, now I am finishing college. Thank you for your content, greetings from Peru 💕💐

[improvewithsoo-selfdevelop]

"Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellent, intelligent planning and focused effort." -Paul J. Meyer

[jannatkhusbo]

I’ve been following you for YEARS. After every mental breakdown, I come back to these videos and it’s all put together again ❤️

[siphokazisnotebook]

And I’m still wondering why yt hasn’t verified her.
Mariana your videos are also so useful and also make me more productive. Thank you for the video.

[ms.pretty]

Wow this is great thank you! I appreciate how you cite all your sources.
I have ADHD and have to take different approaches to time management but you explain things that are eye opening for me. When you talk about switching tasks and the energy drain you spoke directly to me and I thank you

[ms.pretty]

I am curious why you use a laptop, tablet and writing notebook. Could you share the benefits you get out of each one?