Posted on August 6, 2013 by J.D. Meier

What if you could spend the same amount of time, but triple your results? You can, but what’s the secret? It’s your energy.

Your energy is your force multiplier.

You won’t get any more time in the day. You can prioritize all you want, but that will only get you so far. At some point, you have to actually do the work, if you want to achieve results.

You already know the impact your energy has on your work, but let’s recap. When you’re run down, or low on energy, a single task can feel like it drags on … and on … and on … and on … forever. On the flip side, when you’ve got your groove on, you can crank through your work, quickly and effectively.

In fact, sometimes this difference is so extreme that you more than triple your results. You 10X them.

But, to bring this kind of the energy to the table on a consistent basis takes some proven practices. Let’s run through a few, so you can take your game to the next level.

5 Ways to Amp Up Your Energy

Here are 5 ways you can unleash your best energy so you can be more productive in less time:

1. Change your physiology

This is the fastest way to get your juices flowing. Whether that means sitting a little taller, or breathing a little deeper, or acting as if you’re ready to take on the world, this is the fastest way to let your mind, body, and emotions know that you mean business.

For example, Amy Cuddy in her popular TED Talk has discovered one way that changing your physiology really makes a difference. Performing a one-minute power pose before a stressful situation can reduce the levels of cortisol (a.k.a. the stress hormone) to help you perform better.

[ted id=1569]

2. Envision a great end in mind

Are you struggling to get started on the project you have in front of you? Whatever it is, in your minds-eye, see what victory looks like to give yourself a compelling reason to start. We like to win. Imagine what it will feel like to finish the task before you. This will light your fire and keep your inspiration going along the way. Visualize your prize and go for it.

If you’ve started and obstacles are sucking at your energy reserves, it helps to imagine overcoming the hurdles that get in the way. In this study conducted at the University of California, students who were asked to imagine having good study habits outperformed those who were asked to imagine getting a good grade. So imagine what it will feel like to have good work habits and finish the challenging tasks before you.

3. Make it matter

It’s hard to keep our juices going if it’s just a meaningless task. Connect what you do, back to your values. For example, if you like to learn, then learn away. If you like to make impact, then turn your activity into an impact generating machine. If you like games, then make it a game to see how quickly you can get it done, and try to set a new personal record.

4. Spend more time in your strengths

According to leading psychologists such as Chris Peterson and Ed Diener, your strengths are activities that you could do all day long. They are the things that you are naturally good at, and are wired for. Maybe it’s brainstorming. Maybe it’s writing. Maybe it’s building slides. Whatever it is, if you can find a way to spend more time in your strengths, you’ll be able to recharge your batteries (and the batteries of those around you) faster than ever before.

5. Get rid of the things that wear you down

Maybe there are a few tasks or activities that absolutely suck the life force out of you. See if you can eliminate these, or at least reduce them. For example, rather than let the activity take all day (and it will, if you let it), set a time limit. For example, don’t spend more than an hour on it.

Doing less of the stuff that drains you, and doing more of the stuff that breathes life into you, will help you continuously drive your day, the high-energy way.

With that in mind, I want to throw in a bonus tip. If you are having a hard time kick-starting your energy, then practice an attitude of gratitude. Start you day by reminding yourself of all the things you are truly grateful for. If you get stuck, then just imagine what you would miss the most, if it suddenly wasn’t there.

If you can master your energy management, then you will make the most of any time management practices you ever attempt. Energy will always be your force multiplier and it will help you easily triple your productivity, if not more so.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robotropolis/