Handy advice for home and workplace

The Power of Full Engagement: Managing energy, not time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal, is a captivating undertaking by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. The authors, in a measured, deliberate, even repetitive approach, prod and provoke readers into re-evaluating their lives. They have done their research, reworking Philostratus’ precept that we could maximise our energy output if we alternate periods of activity, with periods of rest. This, they have proven overtime, working with professional athletes and corporate executives.

In placing premium value to a purpose-driven goals, the authors have also repackaged Abraham Maslow’s self-actualisation concept, making it more amenable to modern day consumption. They write: “The most compelling source of purpose is spiritual, the energy derived from connecting to deeply held values and a purpose beyond self-interest…We become fully engaged only when we can care deeply, when we feel that we are doing what really matters.” In a nutshell, “purpose creates a destination.” And to further bolster their thesis, they have resurrected a deftly penned poem by psychiatrist RD Lang, of which the first line reads: “The range of what we think and do, is limited by what we fail to notice..”

Loehr and Schwartz view life, not as a marathon, but as a series of short sprints that can be successfully completed, if energy is properly managed. They theorise that improper management leads to a host of psychological and somatic problems, distraction, irritability, anger and injuries, that adversely impact the environment and those with whom we interact daily. They debunk the much touted belief in time management, and view self aggrandisement for clocking infinite hours at work, as misguided. The book contains case studies that are all too familiar, invariably hitting its mark regardless. In an age of technology we are constantly plugged into the frenzied pulse of the world—even on vacation. We are failing miserably, as we juggle domestic and professional responsibilities. The message is unmistakable.

The authors are more than motivational speakers, at times, the consummate psychologists. They employ a multidisciplinary approach, devising a qualitative methodology to identify emotional, cognitive and nutritional patterns that adversely impact health, relationships and professional productivity. They liken our need for energy expenditure and renewal, to the rhythm and pulse of nature, “the ebb and flow of the tides, the movement between the seasons, and the rising and setting of the sun.” They argue that we ignore the natural impulse of the body for rest and recovery, testing nature to its limit with a host of stimulants. And “when we can’t relax naturally, we begin to rely on alcohol, marijuana and sleeping pills to calm down.” It clearly raises irrefutable points: that the under-use, or over use of energy is counterproductive, and that “too much recovery without sufficient stress leads to atrophy and weakness.”

Loehr and Schwartz present a host of strategies to reconfigure our thought and behavioural patterns. Even seemingly simple rituals—listening to a favourite song, a deep breathing exercise, a brief chat with a loved one, a walk, a healthy drink—can prove efficacious. “All great performers have rituals that optimise their ability to move rhythmically between stress and recovery,” they argue. I don’t believe that Engagement is the sole panacea for a life that is riddled with work related anxiety or unrealised potential. Life remains too complex to successfully administer a singular cure for such problems. Surely, never has a single size fit all. However, this “page-turner” does help us to prioritise, to focus, to balance stress and recovery—thus removing the clutter of a fast paced, digitised world. In so doing, we are better positioned to enhance our sense of well being—the corollary of which is productivity in every endeavour.. Engagement clearly offers solutions for those willing to invest energy and commitment to heed its counsel.

****Highly Recommended
The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal
by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
Free Press 2003
ISBN-13:978-0-7432-2674-5