Getting more tired and worn out each day? Is the workday merry-go-round moving faster, and you’re leaving work exhausted?

Not only should you NOT get used to it—you’ve got to find a way to do your job and go home prepared to enjoy the rest of your life as well. That means you have to do your best, but budget your energy outlay, as well. And, actually, if you’re worn out halfway through the afternoon, you can’t be very productive anyway. Worse, you’re leaving yourself vulnerable for more frequent and more costly mistakes. My suggestion is twofold: energize yourself during the day, and plug any personal energy leaks.

The Institute for Management Excellence (www.itstime.com) offers some greainsights into the dynamics of workplace energy. Their monthly on-line newsletter is packed with good techniques for helping employees keep their energy high during the workday. Some excerpts:

Energy Dynamics

People who work for an organization contribute their talents, skills and energy in exchange for a salary, benefits, etc. This is really an exchange of energy flowing from the employees to the company and back to employees, in a constant cycle.  Keeping this energy flowing smoothly is what generates higher productivity, higher morale, healthier working environments, happier employees and higher profits.

Empowering Employees to Succeed

To focus employees' energy, the leadership of a company sets certain goals— increasing sales, creating new products, serving customers better, performing more efficiently, etc. You can better conserve and focus your workplace energy by making sure that you:

• Know what the goals are

• Know why your efforts are critically important to achieving the company’s goals

• Know how success (or failure) will be measured

• Know how to recognize success (or failure)

• Know what the benefits are -- to them, to co-workers and to the company, and

• Know the consequences for failing to support the company’s goals.

Each Person Affects the Overall Energy

Positive energy forces are released when people feel creative, have the freedom to express their opinions, and have the respect of their management and their peers. Your individual contribution to the collective positive energy comes through using your own creativity, communicating well, having respect for others, adapting to changing situations, working with others and enjoying what you do. Negative energy creates hostile workplace situations - including violence, sexual harassment, discrimination, verbal abuse, lack of respect, loss of productivity as well as all dysfunctional or addictive work situations.

What Constitutes "Positive" Energy?

Think about what makes you happy as a person.  Is it having friends, spending time with your family, creating something that shows your talents, having quiet time, traveling to new places, laughing, hearing music, feeling joy, seeing something beautiful, spending time in nature? Focus on these positives to build your storehouse of energy. Consider these examples of positive workplace energy:

• Spending time with your co-workers on a project you feel is worthwhile

• Creating a new system, a new product or a new way of serving customers

• Spending time quietly thinking about a workplace challenge

• Working in an environment where you can have a few minutes of quiet time

• Using humor at work and encouraging other people to laugh

• Playing soft music near your workstation.

• Celebrating your success; acknowledging others’ contributions; celebrating birthdays or company events

• Decorating your office with attractive colors, paintings, art work, color-coordinated furnishings and other symbols of beauty

What Constitutes "Negative" Energy?

Think about what makes you unhappy as a person.  Is it—

• having few or no work friends • feeling like you cannot express yourself

• too much noise around you

• feeling trapped

• being constantly criticized

• feeling like nobody cares about you

• pressure to meet deadlines

• not having the freedom you want

• often feeling tired/sad/angry

• seeing others harassed or treated poorly

• being bored by the routine

• being afraid of being fired or disciplined

All these can generate negative energy on the job. Look hard for opportunities to eliminate these unhappy factors from your job. Nurture yourself with positive energy—despite the pressure of daily work—and you’ll go home more enthusiastic about living the other, non-workplace, and well-deserved other aspects of your life.