The Energy Audit
A Self-Reflection Exercise
Most leaders are skilled at managing their schedules. Their calendars are structured, and their priorities are clear.
But a well-managed calendar does not guarantee a full tank. When energy is depleted, even the most organized leader shows up distracted, reactive, and less than their best.
This exercise invites you to look beyond time management and ask a different question: where does your energy go, and what are you doing to replenish it?
You will identify your peak performance
windows, your biggest energy drains, and the recovery practices that actually work for you. Then you will create one simple protection strategy for the second half of the year.
Time Required: 20 minutes
Materials: A journal, notebook, or a blank document
Step 1: Set the Stage
(2 minutes)
Find a quiet spot. Put your phone away.
Read this prompt before you begin writing:
You are not here to solve a problem or build a plan. You are here to notice. Be honest. There are no right answers. Resist the urge to jump straight to solutions. Awareness comes first.
Step 2: Map Your Energy
(8 minutes)
Answer these questions in writing. Spend 2–3 minutes on each:
When are you at your best as a leader?
What time of day?
What type of work?
What conditions?
What drains your energy most consistently? (Think about tasks, people, dynamics, or situations. Be specific.)
What do you need to feel restored? What actually works, not just what you think should work?
What have you let slide this season that you actually need? (Sleep, movement, quiet, connection. Name it.)
Do not edit yourself. Write quickly and honestly.
Step 3: Notice the Pattern
(5 minutes)
Read back what you wrote. Then ask yourself:
Is there a pattern in what drains me?
Am I protecting my peak performance windows, or giving them away?
How long has this been true?
Is it getting better or worse?
Circle or underline one or two things that feel most important to address.
This is not about judgment. It is about information. You cannot protect what you have not yet named.
Step 4: Choose One Protection Strategy
(5 minutes)
Based on what you noticed, identify one concrete thing you will protect or restore in the next 30 days. Keep it specific and simple:
What will you do?
When and how often?
What might get in the way, and how will you handle it?
Write it down in one sentence:
"For the next 30 days, I will __________ in order to __________."
One thing. Not a system overhaul. Start with one thing and protect it like it matters. Because it does
Looking Ahead: Using Your Energy Audit
Return to this exercise in 30 days. Notice what changed.
Did you protect the one thing you committed to?
Has the pattern shifted, or is it holding steady?
What would you add, remove, or adjust heading into fall?
Share your one protection strategy with someone you trust. Remember, accountability is not weakness.