Treat your energy as if it's expensive

"When announcing her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, on the New Heights podcast, Taylor Swift said, "You should think of your energy as if it's expensive. . . . Not everyone can afford it." She was encouraging people to have a healthy relationship with social media and not get sucked into online drama and endless scrolling."

"As a working mom with three kids, this hit me deeply-about much more than social media. I have spent a good portion of my adult life talking about productivity, apps, and tools to save time. But Swift used a different word: energy. I can do dozens of things to save time in my day, but if I don't have any energy left, what have I really gained?"

"Think of a block of time in your day-maybe for a meeting or picking your kids up from school. What drains your energy far beyond the amount of time on the clock? Years ago, I was part of a book club that I really enjoyed. But then the group started fighting about everything from the books we chose to the members we accepted. As much as I loved the people I met through the group, it was draining too much of my energy. So I left."

Personal energy functions as a finite, expensive resource that requires active management. Assess daily time blocks and identify activities that drain energy far beyond their clock time. Notice tasks or interactions that occupy excessive mental space, provoke lingering upset, or leave one feeling defeated or exhausted. Set boundaries around those energy-draining commitments, and remove or limit involvement when costs outweigh benefits. Reframe priorities to favor activities that replenish energy and offer meaningful returns. Limit attention to online drama and endless scrolling, and delegate, simplify, or decline demands that deplete energy while juggling work and family responsibilities.

Read at Fast Company