Productivity isn’t just about time—it’s about energy check-ins. This simple weekly habit helps you fine-tune your focus, prevent burnout, and harness your natural rhythms—so you can do more in less time.
Why Weekly Planning Needs Energy Check‑Ins
Every week we plan what tasks we’ll tackle—but rarely do we account for when we’re truly energized. That’s where energy check‑ins come in. These brief self-assessments help you:
- Align tasks with energy highs and lows.
- Prevent burnout before it starts.
- Boost overall productivity and well-being.
From Time to Energy-Driven Planning
A Guardian article highlights that modern organizations are shifting from hours worked to energy managed—understanding individual energy rhythms is becoming key to productivity. Harvard Business Review also emphasized this with the message: manage your energy, not your time.
The Science Behind Energy Check-Ins
Energy as a Resource You Can Manage
Unlike time, which ticks away regardless of how you use it, energy is a renewable resource. This means that while you can’t get more than 24 hours in a day, you can influence how much energy you bring to each of those hours. Modern research and performance psychology show that energy is affected by factors such as nutrition, sleep quality, hydration, emotional regulation, and scheduled rest periods.
Tony Schwartz and Jim Loehr, co-founders of The Energy Project, pioneered the idea that managing energy—not time—is the key to high performance and personal renewal. Their research indicates that checking in on your energy throughout the day—what they call “energy audits”—can significantly enhance productivity and prevent burnout (Loehr and Schwartz 2003).
These check-ins aren’t about how much you’ve done but how well you can continue doing it. By breaking the day into energy intervals and incorporating renewal activities (like a short walk or a nutritious snack), individuals experience not just higher engagement, but also greater job satisfaction and well-being (The Energy Project 2023).
Emotional and Mental Energy Matter Too
It’s not just your physical state that drains you—emotional and cognitive overload are major energy sinks. Ignoring emotional exhaustion is a fast-track to burnout, a risk many professionals face in high-performance environments. Studies from Forbes and Zensai confirm that unchecked psychological fatigue leads to reduced motivation, disengagement, and health decline (Forbes 2022; Zensai 2023).
Mental energy is expended when making decisions, solving problems, or even engaging in social interactions. Without periodic psychological recovery—such as mindfulness, journaling, or simply saying “no”—this mental strain accumulates. Employers like Google and Microsoft have implemented “mental reset” strategies, such as no-meeting afternoons and quiet work blocks, to allow employees to recharge emotionally and mentally (The Guardian 2023).
By proactively assessing how you feel, not just what you’ve done, energy check-ins provide a more holistic metric of personal sustainability.
How to Do a Weekly Energy Check-In: A Guide
Integrating energy check-ins into your planning takes just 10 minutes weekly. Here’s how:
1. Reflect on the Past Week
- Rate daily energy: high / medium / low.
- Note when energy flagged and why (e.g., late-night work, poor diet, heavy meetings).
2. Spot Patterns and Trends
Tools like energy maps show what tasks drain you (e.g. back-to-back calls) and what energizes you (e.g., creative work).
3. Block for Energy Peaks
Schedule demanding tasks during your high-energy windows. Use low-energy gaps for routine or administrative work.
4. Build in Recovery
Add purposeful breaks (e.g., micro-breaks, walks, hydration, stretching) aligned with your energy dips .
5. Track and Adjust
Each week, note improvements: fewer slumps, better moods, sustained focus. Continually refine your blocks.
Weekly Energy Check-In + Weekly Planning = Boosted Results
Increased Self-Awareness
This habit sharpens your understanding of energy triggers—leading to better scheduling and performance.
Better Task Prioritization
Say “no” to distracting activities; focus energy on what matters most .
Consistent Energy Maintenance
Like muscles, your energy grows with consistent care and check-ins.
Prevention of Burnout
Early signs (e.g. fatigue, disengagement) can be caught before they escalate.
Applying This at Work and in Life
For Teams & Managers
Weekly energy check-ins complement status updates, giving leaders insight into morale. KPMG introduced energy check-ins to measure burnout risk. Performance check‑ins improve engagement and reduce turnover.
For Individuals
Use tools like calendars or journals to incorporate energy ratings into planning. Personal routines like start-up/shutdown rituals help maintain boundaries.
Real-World Tips & Tools
- Energy Journal – Daily quick logs (e.g., 3-point scale morning/afternoon/evening).
- Energy Mapping – Weekly view of tasks that energize vs. deplete.
- Use Planners with Check-Ins – Wellness planners embed weekly reviews.
- Energy Blocks – Time-block your calendar to match energy patterns.
- Review and Refine – Weekly adjustment during your energy check-in.
Case Study: A Week with Energy-Informed Planning
Mon: Morning creative burst -> blocked hours for writing.
Tue: Low energy post-lunch -> scheduled emails, admin tasks.
Wed: Slump afternoon -> walked and did a 5-min stretch.
Thu: Energized midday -> team meeting and brainstorming. Recovery built post-session.
Fri: High energy morning for deep work; light afternoon wraps with gratitude journaling.
Result: increased focus, fewer distractions, better flow—and weekends felt rested.
Overcoming Obstacles
Overcoming Obstacles to Regular Energy Check-Ins
1. Busy Schedule? Start with Micro-Commitments
- Problem: “I don’t have time for this.”
- Solution: Start by scheduling just three quick check-ins per week. Treat them like essential meetings—non-negotiable but brief. Just one to two minutes to assess your current energy and identify one small action you can take (e.g., drink water, stretch, pause notifications).
- Pro Tip: Pair this habit with an existing routine, such as right after your morning coffee or before your lunch break. This minimizes the friction of forming a new habit.
2. Remote Work Chaos? Use Your Digital Toolkit
- Problem: “My workday is too scattered.”
- Solution: Integrate energy check-ins into the digital tools you’re already using:
- Google Calendar: Create recurring “Energy Check-In” events with reminders.
- Trello/Notion: Add a “Wellness” column with cards for daily reflections or use a template for tracking energy levels.
- Slack: Set a recurring personal reminder with a prompt like “Pause: How’s your energy right now?”
- Why it works: Embedding check-ins into your digital ecosystem reduces the cognitive load of remembering and keeps your wellness aligned with your productivity tools.
3. Lack of Discipline? Automate It Into Your Weekly Review
- Problem: “I forget or lose motivation.”
- Solution: Attach the practice to your weekly review or planning ritual. Spend 5–10 minutes every Friday reflecting on:
- What drained you this week?
- When were you most energized?
- What changes can you test next week?
- Bonus Tip: Use a simple journal or app like Daylio or Reflectly to capture quick notes that can be reviewed weekly for trends.
Conclusion
Weekly planning isn’t complete without energy check-ins. They elevate your awareness, align work with natural rhythms, safeguard against burnout, and enhance wellbeing. By treating energy as a renewable resource that deserves scheduled attention, you transform productivity into sustainable performance.
Integrate energy into your planner—and you’ll not only do more, but feel better doing it.
References
Harvard Business Review. “Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time.” Harvard Business Review, October 2007. https://hbr.org
Garratt, Sheryl. “The Power of the Weekly Check‑In.” Medium, March 9, 2020. https://medium.com/creative-living/
The Guardian. “Time or Energy? How Managing People Is Changing in the Workplace.” The Guardian, July 7, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com
