Set clear boundaries
Setting boundaries is one key step to protecting your energy and making sure you and your employees don’t burn out. That means clear job roles with defined fill-in procedures in case of absence or vacations, in addition to consistently enforced working hours. Avoid overextending yourself, and encourage employees to say no when they’re above capacity instead of encouraging a culture where everyone says yes to everything.
Delegate effectively
When assigning job roles and tasks, be sure to delegate effectively. It might feel difficult to let go of tasks you know you’re great at, but empowering your team to excel in tasks is a hallmark of effective leadership that can also open up opportunities for growth and collaboration. Even when it comes to high-level tasks, if you’re overloaded and have employees with light schedules, break the task down and delegate elements to other team members. Not only can this lighten the load on you, but it also trains future company leaders.
Use time-blocking
Multitasking might make you feel like you’re getting a lot of work done, but science says it could be draining your brain’s energy. To protect your energy, use time-blocking, avoid multitasking and design employees’ work days the same way. Where possible, make sure you and your team focus on one task at a time to avoid some of the cons that come with multitasking.
Encourage open dialogue
To prevent burnout , it’s crucial that employees feel confident to speak up and say when they feel overloaded. As a leader, foster a culture in which people can express when they have too much work to complete it all to a high level. As long as team members feel comfortable telling you when they have too much on their hands, you can find a resolution. If they don’t, work might not get done, and you may not find out until it’s too late.
Personalize your space
Make sure you bring your personality to your desk space by personalizing it to create a familiar and comfortable environment and encourage employees to do the same. When you’re working in an area you love, you can operate from your own personal space and may feel less distracted by the surroundings.
Offer guidance on distractions
Most job roles require that employees use a computer or phone regularly, which can open them up to a world of distractions. Offer regular time-management guidance to employees by letting them know that distractions make it harder to finish work and get home on time. For example, encouraging employees to take intentional breaks from work instead of switching between work and distractions can be an effective method of energy protection.
Have a flexible work time schedule
Instead of being prescriptive about when employees start and finish work and take breaks, focus on the bigger picture and consider increased flexibility. Designing your workday around your life and family can be very motivating, and the same goes for your team. Set daily targets and ensure employees have all the resources they need to hit them. For roles where this is possible, it shouldn’t make a difference if employees start at 8am, 9am or 10am as long as they hit their KPIs.
Prioritize praise
You’ve probably had an experience where you were working very hard during a super busy time and felt the pressure, but a kind or reassuring word dissolved your stress. Fostering a culture in which praise and kind words are given throughout the day is one of the best ways to protect everyone’s energy.
Celebrate special events
A great way of protecting your team’s energy is by taking them out for work parties or hosting virtual team-building activities. When you need to put in extra effort in a project or task, having a strong bond between team members can make all the difference. A knowing look or reassuring nod means so much more coming from people you’re close to. What’s more, having special events to look forward to is a great motivator and a distraction during stressful times.
Use your vacation days
As a leader, you set the tone for employees and model how they should behave. Using your vacation days sets a positive example for employees and can encourage them to prioritize work-life balance . There’s no heroism in burnout, so be sure to set an example and take all your vacation days every year. Allocate a specific vacation manager to stay on top of requests and remind team members how many days they have left.
Establish a support system
One of the best ways to protect your energy at work is by having a support system in place. Seek support from a therapist if the pressure is too much, or speak to a leadership coach if you struggle to delegate and ensure all work is completed within the workweek. Where possible, offer employees free counseling sessions so they have somewhere to turn when they feel stressed or overwhelmed.
In many cases, employee assistance programs can provide secure and confidential resources to your employees. These include counseling sessions.
Lead with empathy
Last but not least, lead with empathy—not just for your team, but for yourself as well. If you’re having a tough time at home, don’t start adding new tasks to your schedule. Likewise, when an employee shows signs of stress or burnout, ask how you can help.
Instead of fostering a culture where people feel they need to push through stress, let them take a step back when needed. Always have a contingency plan in place, with someone trained and ready to cover for every task. When you can delegate and organize the team effectively, everyone’s fired up and ready to deliver their best when a busy period hits.
FAQs about how to protect your energy at work
What is protecting your energy?
Protecting your energy means limiting distractions and being in a position to focus your attention where it needs to be at a given time. If you’re overloaded, it’s significantly harder to step up in case challenges arise. It’s also about setting boundaries—with you knowing exactly what needs to be done and when, and employees know exactly what’s expected from them. If lots of people are trying to get everything done without enough direction, you may end up with duplicated work, conflicts and missed tasks.
Why do you need to protect your energy at work?
Protecting your and your employees’ energy means everyone has space to perform at their best. When people constantly push through stress and overwhelm, your company experiences high turnover and low levels of employee satisfaction, which could have a knock-on effect on customer experience.
Can you protect your energy without being rude?
Protecting your energy doesn’t mean being rude at all. Saying no when you need to is constructive, preventing the cumulative effect of taking on more work than you have the capacity to complete. Setting boundaries, having clear expectations and fostering a culture of open communication are all positive and uplifting ways of protecting everyone’s energy.
