How often do you find yourself feeling completely drained at the end of your workday?

A number of clients I have worked with found themselves feeling this way more often than they would like to admit. While there a number of factors can contribute to burnout, one factor that is often overlooked involves how you manage your energy. That’s right – how you manage your energy, more so than time (see Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz’s book called “The Power of Full Engagement” for more details on this concept).

If this idea resonates with you, try this exercise: Sit down and list all of the tasks/activities you perform in a typical day (this may be at work, in your personal/home life, or both). Which of those tasks/activities bring you energy? Which ones drain your energy? Often, people discover they are performing a number of energy-draining activities back-to-back in the course of their day, which makes them feel drained by the end of the day. When this pattern goes unchecked for weeks or months, it can eventually lead to burnout.

One way to prevent this energy drain is to insert an energy-boosting activity between more draining tasks. Not only can this technique improve your energy, it can also boost your mood and motivation. For example, someone might find checking work e-mail to be draining, while having a conversation with a coworker gives them energy. Someone else might find attending meetings draining, while taking a short walk outside helps them recharge.

What is one change you could make in your daily schedule to manage your energy better?