3.2 MANAGING YOUR ENERGY

MANAGING YOUR ENERGY
3.2

Your best plans will not work if you do not have the energy to make them happen. You may plan to spend a couple of hours on your math homework before you go to bed in the evening after a busy day. However, you may find that you are too tired to concentrate and solve the math problems. While learning to manage your time effectively, you must also learn to manage your energy so that you have more control over your life and can achieve success in college.

Along with time, energy is an essential resource, and we have a choice in how we use it. Although energy is renewable, each one of us has a limited amount of it in the 24-hour day. Each person has a daily pattern of physical, emotional, and mental activity. For instance, some people are early risers and have a lot of energy in the morning to get things done; others feel the least energetic and productive in the morning and can accomplish tasks at the end of the day more effectively, especially those tasks that require mental energy and concentration. You can better manage your energy by recognizing your daily pattern and establishing a routine around it. Use Table 3.1 to record your high, average, and low energy level every day for one week. Use H for high, A for average, and L for low to identify which times of day you feel more or less energetic.

Time Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat
Energy Level
Early morning
Late morning
Early afternoon
Late afternoon
Evening
Late evening
Late night
Table 3.3: TABLE 3.1 > Monitoring Your Energy Level

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What did you learn about yourself by completing Table 3.1? What are the best and worst times for you to study? Considering your daily energy level, obligations, and potential distractions, decide whether you study more effectively in the morning, afternoon, evening, or some combination. Determine whether you are capable of getting up very early in the morning to study or how late you can stay up at night and still get to morning classes on time.

Your energy level also depends on your diet and other habits such as exercise or lack of it. If you are juggling many responsibilities across several locations, you can use some very simple strategies to take care of yourself:

Establishing a Routine

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Consider what you have learned about yourself by completing Table 3.1. Now that you have a sense of the best and worst times for you to study, establish a study routine that is based on your daily energy pattern. The more firmly you set a specific time to study, the more effective you will be at keeping up with your schedule. If you have more energy on the weekend, for example, take advantage of that time to review or catch up on major projects, such as term papers, that can’t be completed effectively in short blocks of time. Break down large tasks and focus on one thing at a time to make progress toward your academic goals.

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Stay Awake Like this student, you probably have a lot of demands on your time. Make sure to effectively manage your energy by getting enough rest, eating properly, and pacing yourself, or you might find yourself falling asleep while studying.
© 237/Sam Edwards/Ocean/Corbis

Schedule some down-time for yourself to regain your energy. Different activities help different people relax and get energized. For example, you may watch TV for an hour or take a nap before you start doing your homework. Just make sure that you do not go over the amount of time you set aside as your down-time.

YOUR TURN > STAY MOTIVATED

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Are you trying to do too much, and is your crazy schedule reducing your motivation for college? Are you working too many hours? Are you feeling really stressed out? In a small group, discuss strategies for reducing your stress level and maintaining your motivation for being successful in your academic work.

Being Overextended

Being overextended, or having too much to do given your available resources, is a primary source of stress for college students. Determine what a realistic workload is for you, but note that this can vary significantly from one person to another, and only you can determine what is realistic. Although being involved in social and family life is very important, try not to allow your academic work to take a backseat to other time commitments. Take on only what you can handle. Learn to say “no,” as this is an effective time-management strategy! Say “no” to requests that will prevent you from meeting your academic goals. Remember that even if you can find the time for extra tasks, you may not be able to find the energy. If you are feeling stressed, reassess your time commitments and let go of one or more. If you choose to drop a course, make sure you do so before the drop deadline so that you won’t have a low grade on your permanent record. If you receive financial aid, keep in mind that you must be registered for a minimum number of credit hours to be considered a full-time student to receive your current level of financial aid (you will read more about financial aid in the next section of this chapter).

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YOUR TURN > WORK TOGETHER

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Energy management often requires the use of the word no. Discuss with another student how saying “no” relates to the way you can manage your energy.