Energy Management vs. Getting Things Done

I've been trying different techniques for managing my energy level at work. With the idea that time management requires energy management, I hope to get more done by "recharging" myself with tasks I enjoy when I begin to feel drained.

However, there is a compromise. Sometimes energy management means putting off important work, such as the up-front effort of organizing your "to do list" for later when you have a chance to do it. This approach - keeping your inboxes empty - is one of the central ideas of David Allen's "getting things done" strategy.

For me, the end result this week was that I let my organizational tasks pile up in favor of doing the hands-on work I'm fired up about. Well, I let something slip, and let's just say that until now I'd never gotten a call from quite that high up in my company. No harm done, but I sat up and took notice.

It's pretty clear that there has to be a balance between doing what needs to be done and maintaining enough energy to keep doing it. Ideally, of course, you want to be in a job where you're excited about most of what you're required to do. That's what they mean by 'passion'.