Seeker Magazine

Workplace Spirituality -
Balancing Time and Energy

Susan Kramer

We have 24 hours a day. What we do during that time is up to us - and up to our energy level.

Each person has their own priorities and responsibilities at work, and with family and friends. It is up to each of us to set aside the time for what we consider most important and most necessary to accomplish in our 24 hours.

Our personal energy level has a great bearing on what we can mentally and physically accomplish with our time without becoming stressed; showing up as an illness from pushing ourselves too hard and becoming run down.

Each person is an individual, and each person has a different set of priorities and differing stamina in their position in life. Perhaps a workaholic is so wrapped up in their quest to get ahead in the world that they let their family life slide. That is how that person has prioritized.

Another person may just put in their 8-hour work day, and then leave it behind to pursue recreation. Another person may put family time first and the job second, perhaps just working part time to give as much time as possible to family life.

The bottom line is that each of us have both our personal priorities and responsibilities to balance with our time and energy level. As adults we each make those choices for ourselves.

If you are feeling like you want more energy available, here are some hints

1. Eat a diet that is easy to digest, and time your eating so that you do not feel lethargic. A good eating plan is outlined in the book "Fit For Life" by Marilyn and Harvey Diamond. They present food combinations that digest most easily, meaning less of our available energy is used in digestion, and more is available for our priorities.
2. Exercise daily. Our bodies are machines that can do even more when we do more.
3. Reflect and meditate on the day's events, and plan for tomorrow, so tomorrow's events will go more efficiently.

In summary, everyone sets their own pace in living according to their available energy. When we maintain a positive attitude we actually draw more energy into our body, our mind and body are tied together in this way. Therefore, for the most energy in living hold positive attitudes, eat cleanly, and exercise regularly.

At work, take regular mental timeouts to keep time in as productive as possible. At home, time with family or friends can be quality time, just not quantity time. In today's fast-paced world that seems to fly by, it is by making the most of our time, that allows us to keep up with our busy schedules.