The Brain Energy Budget: The Holy Grail Of Time Management?

Many employers offer workshops on stress management techniques, helping staff to cope with the demands of modern corporate life. These strategies can be useful for some people, but in the end, we all have the same 24 hours in a day and the demands on our time and energy are unique to us.

Much of the advice about stress management will already be familiar: take regular exercise, get a good night’s sleep, eat healthily, see friends and family, spend time outdoors and make time for hobbies and interests. However, when we are chronically stressed, many of these behaviours are difficult to achieve, not least because we simply don’t have time. 

Pressure and deadlines are an unavoidable part of life, and sometimes it can be beneficial, helping us to focus and bring our best game to the table. However, when we are constantly overwhelmed with tasks, this can lead to a state where we constantly feel as though we are teetering on the brink of burnout. 

Why time management hacks fail 

If you are juggling a demanding career with other life commitments and don’t feel as though you are able to step off the treadmill, then chances are you have already explored a range of time management techniques. However, these productivity hacks often fail to deliver the transformative results they promise. 

This can perpetuate the stressful situation, as we feel guilty and frustrated that the technique is not working for us, and is just adding to the mental overload.

The problem is that most of these tools are designed by and for a narrow subset of people, and do not take into account different personalities, working environments, and the nature of the tasks involved. Even for people who use the tools successfully and become more productive, this just tends to lead to a pile on of more work, and the cycle continues.

The brain energy budget

Neuroscientists developed a theory in the early 21st century that is described as the ‘brain energy budget.’ The average brain takes up two per cent of the total body weight, but uses about 20 per cent of the oxygen and calories used by the body. 

Therefore, when our internal system that manages our energy, attention span, and emotional balance is running in deficit, we are operating in constant low power mode. This makes it more difficult to concentrate and make decisions, and increases the tendency to procrastinate. You might feel constantly fatigued or irritable.

Managing the brain’s energy budget

Prioritise tasks based on the energy they take, not the time

We all have some tasks that we find easier than others, based on our natural talents, preferences and skill levels. For example, some people are a natural whizz and finance and administrative based tasks, but find decision making or creative thinking more difficult. 

Some of us are the opposite: creative work or communicating energises and sustains us, while routine or logic-based tasks drain our mental and emotional energy. Divide your day into high, medium, and low energy tasks, and arrange your schedule according to your energy levels. 

Work with your natural energy levels

Neuroscientists recommend tracking the natural arc of your mental energy levels throughout the day. Some people are at their peak of focus first thing in the morning, while others are at their best towards evening. Plan your most mentally draining tasks for your peak times.

Identify your energy vampires

We all slip into habits that feed on our energy without giving anything in return. Be vigilant for behaviours such as doomscrolling on news websites, attending or arranging meetings when an email would suffice, multitasking, or working through break times.  

So there you have it: maybe the holy grail to time management is not actually thinking about how much time you have, but how much energy you have. By learning how to work intuitively with our bodies and energy levels and adjust our schedules accordingly, we can always bring our best game to the table. 

When to reach out for help 

Sometimes, chronic stress might have a deeper and more complex cause than the everyday demands of a busy job and lifestyle, and these issues can be difficult to resolve without professional help. 

At our Harley Street hypnotherapy practice, we use advanced techniques to tap into the unconscious and help release and defuse hidden stressors. If you would like to find out mo