Illumin Blog

Energy Inspires

Energy is contagious. Think about it. Don't you just love working with people who have a lot of energy? Isn't it worth your time and money to do business with someone who not only provides a solution to your needs, but does so with enthusiasm, inspiration, joy, excitement and confidence--even if it costs more?

Ensuring that you maintain high levels of energy inspires clients, colleagues, partners and employees. Others derive energy from your energy and this makes for good business.

Optimize Your Energy

Develop energy saving habits and leverage energy saving tools to optimize the "fuel" in your tank. One of the best ways to do this is to start each day with a plan. Eliminating the anxiety, overwhelm and stress that result from beginning each day from scratch depletes your energy reservoir. To do this...

• Be purpose driven: Get clear about where you're going and why. Create a plan. Own it and share it with employees, partners and supporters so they can help you succeed.
• Leverage available resources: This includes your corporate collective knowledge bank, best practices, technology, industry experts and those in your networking groups.  
• Refuel often: Schedule exercise, leisure and downtime into your week to recharge and allow space for creativity and problem solving to flourish. Reward accomplishments often.
• Create routine or rituals: Eliminate chaos. Rewriting each day, reinventing the wheel and always "winging it" is draining. Routine optimizes energy resources.
• Build capacity: Get out of your comfort zone. Set goals that grow capabilities and mental capacity. Go back to school, exercise 15 minutes longer, make a speech--stretch it!  

Energy Thieves

Energy can be easily depleted or turn negative. What can be a powerful asset in your business can also have a negative impact on your business and your bottom line. Energy thieves include...

• Poor eating habits
• Environmental drains
• Not being challenged
• Negative, low achieving or non-supporting people
• Living in chaos

For example, constantly working in a state of chaos or confusion depletes energy. According to Dr. Sharon Melnick, "How business owners 'pour their TEA' (Time, Energy and Attention) into their business can help determine their success." By identifying the biggest time wasters and energy drainers, entrepreneurs free up to several hours a week." These are hours that can be used for promoting their business, networking, refueling, leisure, ideation, capacity building, and more. (Read more at Chaos to Control).

Environmental Energy Flow

Environmental factors are also a cause of energy depletion. Business luminaries like Oprah, Trump and Tiger Woods and industry leaders like Coca-Cola and Proctor & Gamble leverage Feng Shui to harness energy in their businesses.

According to Feng Shui expert Ann Bingley Gallops of Open Spaces Feng Shui,"Your office or workspace is your place of power in relation to the world, where you manifest your purpose and achieve your livelihood. Feng Shui has the ability to detect where "chi", or life force energy, is stuck in your office or business, and identify specific aspects of it that could be working better.  When the channels are opened up that allow chi to flow freely, it enhances your ability to achieve your goals -- and ultimately your bottom line."

Define Your Purpose. Harness Your Energy.

In The Power of Full Engagement, authors Loehr and Schwartz write about clients whose energy has been depleted by external demands and loss of personal purpose. Identifying the purpose of your business, how it aligns with your values and making a plan to fulfill that purpose, not only increases your energy, but expands it.

And, that makes for good business.