In our leadership training sessions, one of the hardest challenges we set is deceptively simple: find just 10 minutes a day for yourself.
At first, most participants laugh. “Of course I can find 10 minutes!” But in reality? Very few do. Between school duties, family commitments – whether that’s young children or ageing parents – and the general chaos of daily life, carving out even a short moment can feel impossible.
But here’s the deeper question: Even if you manage to find those 10 minutes… what about the other 23 hours and 50 minutes? Are you happy with how you’re spending that time?
Zoning Out vs. Topping Up
When I ask school leaders what they do to unwind in the evenings, the answers are remarkably similar: Netflix. A glass of wine. Scrolling on their phones. Online shopping.
None of these are inherently wrong, but most people admit they’re not what they want to do. It’s simply all they’ve got the energy for. That’s the key: it’s not a time problem, it’s an energy problem.
Imagine I gave you a free extra hour every day. If you’re already exhausted, overwhelmed, or emotionally depleted, how useful would that extra hour be?
Why ‘energy management’ matters more than ‘time management’
We spend a lot of time talking about managing workload, organising diaries, and setting boundaries. But rarely do we talk about managing energy, and yet it might be the most important factor of all.
When your energy is depleted:
- You can’t focus, even if you have the time.
- You make short-term decisions that don’t serve you.
- You slip into reactive habits rather than intentional choices.
On the flip side, when your energy is well-managed, you’re not only more effective at work, you’re more present with your loved ones, more patient, more creative, and better able to care for yourself.
One simple starting point
Here’s a small but powerful idea:
Create a short “wind-down ritual” before your evening begins.
Just 10 minutes. Not to collapse, but to reset. Choose something that genuinely replenishes you whether it’s:
- A quick stretch or walk
- A few minutes of journaling
- Breathing exercises or meditation
- Reading a book
- A quiet cup of tea away from your phone (and your family!)
It doesn’t need to be perfect. But doing something intentional to shift your energy can stop you from defaulting to “zoning out” and give you a bit more agency over how your evening unfolds.
Final thought
Time management matters, but without energy, time alone isn’t enough.
When you start to prioritise your energy, even small changes can have a big impact. You’ll show up more fully for your team, your family, and yourself.
💬 Reflection prompt:
What’s one small thing you could do today to restore your energy, not just your time?
