Stop Chasing Time: Master Energy Matching Instead

Ever since my first job, I've been on a mission to make the workplace better for everyone, especially women. For decades, we internalized myths about what our lives, both personal and professional, should look like. It's easy to get stuck in the comparison trap, where we measure our own success against some impossible ideal we see in others' lives, careers, and even post-career journeys.

Ready to move on from your structured corporate job and start your "Executive Encore"? Whether that means flexible freelancing, starting your own business, or pursuing social impact projects and fun personal activities, you're about to start an exciting new chapter. It is a chapter where you deserve not just to succeed, but to thrive with purpose, and on your own terms.

Many visionary women expect ultimate freedom upon leaving the corporate world. You might have anticipated doing what you want, when you want, and exactly how you want to do it. Yet, you will quickly realize that simply transferring your incredible skills into a entrepreneurship, social impact, or rewarding recreational activities does not automatically unlock a wealth of free hours. You might still carry that sinking feeling that there simply are not enough hours in the day.

In the recent episode of the Executive Encore video podcast, I sat down with Tara Lehman, a leadership coach and the founder of Amplifying Leadership. Tara brings over 23 years of experience in executive roles and actively supports leaders who feel weighed down by their responsibilities. Together, we explored how women executives can fundamentally shift their perspective on and approach to productivity. By shattering outdated time myths and embracing energy matching, you can build something quite different and fulfilling and embrace a set new standards for wellness and impact.

The Myth of "More Time"
Listen closely to your own internal dialogue. Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I wish I had more time," or "I just hope I have time to work on this project later"? I've fallen into the self-talk trap so often, my inner monologue deserves its own meme and emoji.

Tara points out that this is a dangerous myth. Time is completely static. It is 24/7, and it never changes and we all have the same number of hours in a day. As Tara quips, unless you have a magic genie sitting on your desk, you cannot magically create an extra hour. Continuing to fight the clock and chase time only leads to frustration and burnout. Recognizing that time is finite empowers you to stop wishing for a miracle and start managing the hours you actually have in a healthy way.

Is your to-do list laughing at you? The problem might not be your time management skills.

Energy Matching vs. Time Management
Traditional time management is nothing without energy matching. Time-blocking in your calendar is a great practice that I wholeheartedly support with my clients and family. But, it's only part of the story; only one piece of the puzzle. Time-blocking on it's own fails if you do not account for your biological rhythms. Energy matching involves aligning your deep work, important projects, and most critical tasks with the times of day you feel most alert and vibrant.

Everyone has a unique natural rhythm. For example, Tara experiences her highest energy levels between 9:30 AM and 1:00 PM. She reserves this window exclusively for strategic planning, deep work, and high-level decision making. By mid-afternoon, when her energy naturally dips, she tackles low-energy tasks like sorting through emails, updating social media, or organizing notes.

I have found that I have energy fluctuations on certain days, in different environments, and with different kinds of work - like research, creative writing, and being present for my clients versus email processing, report-writing, and business administration. I also like to book-end my days with routines that support easing into my energy in the morning and winding down at night. My point is, it's not a cookie-cutter approach and it's definitely not easy. But when you find and respect your own rhythm, it's like discovering a new superpower.

By aligning your most demanding tasks with your peak energy hours and optimal environment, you can accomplish more in less time, and feel great doing it.You also protect yourself from the heavy, draining feeling of forcing deep thought when your brain simply needs a rest. It also serves as an antidote to exhaustion and disappointment.

Leading by Example: Your Blueprint for Wellness
Whether you are leading a team in your new business, guiding a non-profit board, or simply leading yourself through daily life, your wellness sets the tone. "What you do is exactly what they do." as Tara says. If you constantly show up exhausted because you failed to match your tasks to your energy, people around you notice. They may misinterpret your fatigue or struggle to communicate effectively and shut down their communication with you. Furthermore, our culture has long treated constant busyness as a badge of honour. The time-hack productivity and side-hustle culture has exacerbated unhealthy expectations. Working 60-hour weeks and constantly rushing from one crisis to another is not a sustainable model for personal and business excellence. Cracking that badge of honour is essential. True leadership, whether it's personal, professional, or inner-leadership, requires establishing a healthy work-life balance that allows you to thrive with purpose.

Practical Action Steps to Reclaim Focus
You can immediately implement Tara's straight-talk strategies to transform your daily routine. Here are a few practical ways to reclaim your focus:

• Control Your Messages - Stop checking your email and text messages every time you hear a notification ping. Each interruption forces your brain to refocus, wasting valuable time and draining your mental battery. Turn off your visual and audio alerts entirely. Instead, commit to checking your messages just two or three times a day during your low-energy blocks. You can even set an auto-responder to manage expectations, politely letting clients know you review messages at specific times so you can dedicate your full focus to their work.
• Cure Your Meeting FOMO - Before accepting any calendar invite, ask yourself if you genuinely need to be there. Meetings can completely consume a calendar. Let go of the fear of missing out. If you are not actively contributing or receiving critical information, decline the invitation and ask for the meeting notes instead.
• Step Into Your Executive Encore with Purpose - Your post-corporate transition is a time to thrive on your own terms. You are no longer bound by rigid corporate policies and expectations. You get to define your own best practices, establish healthy boundaries, and build a fulfilling life that leverages your vast expertise.

Take the next step toward your meaningful impact. Listen and watch Tara's featured video podcast episode now! 

Shattering Time Myths: Energy Matching in Your Encore

• Spotify Podcast
• YouTube Video 

Read my previous blog on "book-ending", Releasing Traps to Re-energize High-achievers