How to be Fuel-Efficient at Work

When I was a new driver my dad explained to me that I used up an enormous amount of petrol every time I turned the key in the ignition to start the car – far more than allowing the engine to idle for a while.

(This was a very long time ago before car engines became as fuel efficient and eco-friendly as they are today.)

I always remember his words when I explain to my clients just how much energy they are using up – and wasting – every time they start up their brains.

How giving themselves an uninterrupted couple of hours to concentrate on their work is more productive and more fuel-efficient than it is to allow frequent interruptions which demand that they turn their brains off and on all the time.

How reaching a mental cruising speed is the best way to get their energy to take them to their destination.

It sounds like a silly analogy but the truth is that our brain is an engine, and our energy is the fuel that runs it. And, just as it’s getting more and more expensive to fill the tank of our car, so is it costing us more to keep our exhausted brains and bodies running effectively and efficiently.

Are you restarting your brain throughout the day?

Almost all of my clients who have burnout (or are on their way there) complain about how many interruptions they experience every working day, forcing them to work much longer than their paid-for eight hours.

They describe frequent phone calls, knocks on doors, WhatsApp messages… all asking for help or advice that will ‘only take a couple of minutes.’ And, while the disturbance may well be a short one, it still requires my clients to stop what they are doing, change focus for a while, then restart their engines when they are able to return to their own tasks – burning up previous fuel reserves in the process.

Those interruptions don’t just waste time, they also waste energy.

We cannot afford to keep stopping and starting our engines throughout the day. We need to maximise the fuel that we have at our disposal by building better boundaries, by planning to spend our energy and time wisely, and by ensuring that we keep ourselves running efficiently.

Try these ideas to help you stay fuel-efficient at work:

  • Put up a “do not disturb” sign on your door when you’re working on something that needs lots of brain-power and focus.
  • Set aside a couple of hours a day when you may be disturbed – and let everyone know what those hours are.
  • Keep yourself fed and watered throughout the day.
  • And, when your work day is done, make sure to switch off completely and not waste energy by mulling over the day that has passed.

Ready to spark into life some new ideas and energy-saving tips, so you can do your best at work (without burning out)?

Join the next Make Work Work For You Workshop in Johannesburg on 24 or 25 May 2024.

Hello there, I'm Judy.

I'm a Master Life Coach, facilitator, trainer and published author from sunny South Africa. I'm passionate about helping people make things go right in their world of work and in their lives - by rediscovering and building on their resilience, resourcefulness and creativity.

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