Increasing your energy: the test in 4 spheres

You are in a meeting. It’s 2:30 p.m. and you already feel like you’ve worked two days. To increase your energy in the long term, you must first understand where it is lost. Your concentration is letting go. You answer automatically. You know you’re not at your best, but you keep going anyway.

It’s not a question of laziness.

It’s a question of energy — and above all, of leaks that we don’t see.

I use a test to make this point with my clients. I adapted it from a tool from the Management Coaching School, adding my own color. It explores four spheres: relationships, finances, well-being and the physical environment. This is often where the real answers are hidden.

The test: assess your energy level in 4 spheres

Answer true or false to each of the statements. Be honest. No one is looking.

Sphere 1: relationships, the first source of energy or flight

This sphere is about the people around you and the quality of your interactions with them.

• I don’t have relationships that bore or depress me.
• I get along well with my boss, my colleagues and my collaborators.
• I make requests to others instead of complaining to everyone.

Sphere 2: finances and your relationship to work

This sphere concerns your relationship to money and your work as a source of income.

• My career, my job, or my business are on a personally and financially rewarding path.
• I rarely miss work due to illness.
• I pay my bills on time.

Sphere 3: well-being, the leader’s basic fuel

This sphere concerns your health and your daily lifestyle habits.

• I take care of myself immediately when I am faced with emotional or physical problems.
• I exercise regularly, 2-3 times a week.
• I take a vacation at least once a year, and twice when possible.

Sphere 4: The physical environment, which is often overlooked

This sphere concerns the places you frequent: your home, your office, your workspaces.

• I live in a place that I have chosen and that I love.
• I don’t accumulate or store things that I don’t use.
• I breathe well in my living and working spaces.

Reflection questions

• In which sphere do you have the most fakes? This is often where the real energy leak is hidden.
• Was there a statement that particularly hooked you? Why?
• Does your current energy level reflect your best self? If not, what has changed?

How to increase your energy: build an action plan that works

Identifying leaks is the beginning. But you still have to know what to do with it.

Here’s how I structure an action plan with my clients to make the changes really last.

Step 1: Choose one item at a time

It’s tempting to want to correct everything at once: relationships, exercise, clutter at the office.

In practice, it doesn’t work.

Success is achieved in small steps. Only by taking it step by step can you incorporate a new habit into your life without your brain resisting. So choose the element that weighs you the most, and start there.

Step 2: Write the new habit on paper to increase its chances of success

I know, it seems outdated. But there’s something about handwriting that helps the brain retain and engage. I believe in it, and my clients who do it see the difference.

On your sheet, write:

• A) Your new habit, clearly formulated.
• B) Three sources of motivation to achieve this. Not obligations. Reasons that are really yours.
• C) Possible obstacles. Life will put it on your way, guaranteed.
• D) How you will get around them. A plan B written before the obstacle arrives, it’s a decision already made.

Also, for digital enthusiasts: take a picture of your sheet and keep it as a wallpaper. The intention is to see her often.

Reflection questions

• What is the most likely obstacle that will prevent you from maintaining your new habit?
• What has already made you let go in the past, and how will you do differently this time?
• Who in your entourage could support you or hold you accountable?

Why increasing your energy is a leadership issue

When your energy is low, everyone around you feels it.

This is because your team reads your state before you even open your mouth. The non-verbal speaks. Patience is shorter, decisions less clear-cut. As a result, you react instead of acting.

On the other hand, a leader who manages his energy makes better decisions. He is more available for his team and more present in the moments that matter.

So it’s not a luxury. It’s a responsibility.

To go further on managing your stress and emotions:

Training — Stress, Emotion and Energy Management

And if you want to explore how your inner state influences your decisions:

How to manage your inner voice

How to manage stress in 4 steps

8 tips to bounce back with more energy

Reflection questions

• How does your current energy level affect the way you lead your team?
• If your team had to describe your energy right now, what would they say?
• What are you ready to change this week to get back to a better level?

Energy can be managed. It can’t be endured.

No one has a perfect energy level at all times. That’s not the goal.

The goal is rather to know where you stand, to identify what is draining you, and to take a concrete action, just one, to reverse the trend.

In short, the 4-sphere test is a starting point. What you do with the results, that’s where it counts.

A leader who takes care of his energy takes care of his team. Not the other way around.

Frequently asked questions about the energy of leaders and managers

Why do leaders lack energy?

Because they often give more than they receive. Meetings, decisions, conflict management, constant availability for the team. As a result, energy drains without us realizing it, especially when we don’t monitor the four spheres: relationships, finances, well-being, and physical environment.

How to increase your energy quickly?

Start by identifying the sphere where you have the most fakes in the test. This is where the main leak is hidden. Then, pick one change, write it down, and take concrete action this week. One step at a time works better than ten simultaneous resolutions.

Does a leader’s energy influence his team?

Yes, directly. The team reads the leader’s state even before he speaks. Thus, low energy translates into more responsiveness, less presence and less clear decisions. Managing your energy is therefore a leadership responsibility, not a personal matter.

How long does it take to change an energizing habit?

It varies depending on the person and the habit, but the principle remains the same: one element at a time, a written plan, anticipated obstacles. Sustainable change is built in small steps, not in total revolution. Some habits take root in a few weeks, others take a few months.