As an innovative Multi-Passionate and high-achieving Entrepreneur you know better than anyone that your energy is a finite resource. Your time, alongside both your physical and mental energetic capacities are all assets that require careful management in order to reap the ultimate benefits. That’s why knowing where your time is being spent, how it’s being spent, and the results of those investments are crucial. Whether it’s an outdated system, limiting belief, or a task that leaves you feeling drained, these small energy leaks can easily go unnoticed, yet over time compound to significantly impact your ability to show up as your best self both in business and in life.
So, how do we know if we’re leaking energy in our business or life? And more importantly, how can we fix it?
In this post, we’re diving deep into how to conduct an energy audit—a process that helps you identify the time, tasks, and habits that are draining your energy (without giving you the results you want), and how to create systems that plug those leaks. Whether you’re a high-achieving entrepreneur or someone navigating the hustle of life and business, this audit will give you the clarity you need to be more effective, aligned, and energised.
(If your looking to increase your capacity check out our previous blog post – Internal vs External Capacity)
What Is an Energy Audit and Why Is It Important?
An energy audit is a process of assessing where your time and energy are being spent—what’s working and what’s draining you. Just like how you would audit your business’s finances or productivity, auditing your energy helps you assess the effectiveness of how you’re showing up in your business and life. This is important because if you don’t know where your time is going, how it’s impacting your energy, and whether it’s producing results, you can’t make adjustments that lead to improvement.
Why Do You Need an Energy Audit?
- Clarity: To understand where your time and energy are being spent, and whether that’s aligned with your goals.
- Efficiency: To identify and eliminate bottlenecks, distractions, or outdated systems that no longer serve you.
- Focus: To move away from feeling “scattered” both in and outside of business.
How to Complete an Energy Audit?
Step 1: Track Your Time and Energy for a Week
The first step in conducting an energy audit is getting a clear picture of where your time is actually going. Track your habits and time meticulously for at least one week.
What to Track:
- Time spent on tasks, projects and habits – both in business and life.
- How you feel while doing each task – energised, drained, frustrated, or excited?
- Results achieved after each task – did you feel accomplished? Did you move the needle on your goals?
This process might sound tedious, but it’s absolutely essential. As Rhi often says, “You cannot change that which is not tracked.” If you’re not clear on how you’re spending your time, it’s impossible to know where you’re leaking energy or where you need to make changes.
Step 2: Review Your Week and Identify Energy Leaks
At the end of your week, take a moment to reflect on what you tracked. Look at:
What to review
- Time spent vs. how you felt vs. the outcome.
- How you feel – Which tasks drained you, which lit you up inside
- Results – Which tasks/time blocks gave you the results you were hoping for and actually pushed the needle forward on your goals? Which fell short of your expectations or on reflection feel not worth the outlay?
This is where you’ll start to identify energy leaks and bottlenecks. These are the things that waste your time and energy without moving you forward – whether it’s tasks you’re doing but shouldn’t be, or processes that aren’t working as efficiently as they should.
Here are some common energy leaks you might spot in your business and/or personal life:
- Inefficient systems: Outdated workflows or manual tasks that could be automated.
- Lack of boundaries: Saying “yes” to everything and everyone, even when it compromises your energy.
- People-pleasing: Taking on tasks or projects that drain you for the sake of others’ expectations or reluctancy to let go or outsource.
- Procrastination: Delaying tasks that you dread doing, causing stress and wasted time.
Step 3: Implement Systems to Plug the Leaks
Once you’ve identified the leaks, it’s time to take action. Here’s how to begin plugging those energy drains:
- Refine Your Processes – Look at the systems and workflows that are draining your energy. Are there tasks you’re repeating unnecessarily? Can you automate anything?
- Set Clear Boundaries – Boundaries are key to protecting your energy. If you’re answering emails at midnight or constantly saying “yes” when you mean “no,” that’s an energy leak.
- Delegate and Get Support – You don’t have to do it all. If you’re holding on to tasks that could be done by someone else, you’re robbing yourself of energy that could be better spent elsewhere.
- Prioritise Rest and Recovery – As entrepreneurs, we sometimes feel like we need to be working all the time. But ignoring rest is one of the biggest energy leaks you can create.
Step 4: Repeat the Audit Annually (at least 👀)
If you know me then you know that I’m borderline obsessed with the concept of continuous growth and refinement. (It’s kind of my thing 💅). therefore personally I track my time meticulously every week and review this monthly to ensure me and my companies are continuously evolving, building and refining systems that actually support our ever-changing needs and staying ahead of the curve.
By conducting this energy audit at least once a year, you’ll ensure that you’re continually optimising how you spend your time and energy. You’ll be able to adapt to changes in your business, spot emerging energy leaks, and implement new systems as your needs evolve too.
Final Thoughts: Audit, Adjust, and Thrive
The key takeaway here is: you cannot change that which you don’t track. When you regularly audit your energy, you create space for the activities that truly align with your vision, goals, and personal well-being. It’s not about perfection; it’s about continuously improving the way you work and live so that you’re not constantly drained or stuck in overwhelm. Remember, if you’re feeling “scattered” this exercise is especially beneficial for you. Get clear on your energy leaks and start taking action today.
GET STARTED NOW
Start your energy audit today: Download our 52 Ideas to Clean Up Your Business and begin identifying energy leaks in your business.
Join our Blended Membership to get more support in building a business and life that fuels your freedom, with systems and strategies that work for YOU.
