How to save so much mental energy

If you want to save a lot of mental energy, spend more time planning.

And by planning I mean making all decisions about what you’re doing - and when - in advance.

So in each moment, you know exactly what you’re focusing on.

Because you’ve already decided.

When you have bits of to-do lists in your notebook, the notes app, a scrap of paper by your keyboard, your inbox and some even swirling in your head - you’ll constantly ask yourself “what should I do now?”

Which is why you're feeling overwhelmed and jumping back and forth between your inbox and the slides for the investor meeting tomorrow.

Every time you ask yourself "what should I do now?" you have to make a decision about what to focus on.

Decisions require energy.

And so making lots of these micro decisions is tiring for your brain.

What you want to do instead is make all these micro decisions ahead of time.

Batch them all together and do them in a one-er.

To do this, simply sit down at the start of each week and decide what you're doing and when.

Then put it all on your calendar ready to go.

And so in each moment throughout the week, rather than asking yourself "what should I do now?", you'll know exactly what you're doing: whatever is on your calendar.

It’s the difference between getting in the car without a map to go to a park you've never been to before, having to make a decision at every junction whether to go left, right, straight on or turn around - and getting in the car with the park plugged into Google Maps on your phone, which tells you exactly when to turn and in which direction.

Which approach feels simpler and more doable?

Which one allows you to listen to your podcast or chat to your friend more?

When you plan your week in advance, you turn your calendar into Google Maps.

It tells you what to do and when; all you want to do is follow it.

And when you do this, you’ll feel lighter and more energised.

Because your brain won't be tired from making all these tiny decisions in each moment.

One of the most satisfying results my clients share when they do this work is how present they feel.

They’re no longer thinking ahead about the next thing to do. Or worrying about what’s not been done.

They know that everything they want to get done is already planned, with a day and time allocated to it.

So it’s as good as done. They give it zero head space.

And so they’re fully present - in the investor meeting - at dinner with their kids - on a walk.

Being present in every moment no matter what's happening is 100% possible for you too.

Simply decide what you want to get done and by when, put it in your calendar and do it.

It really is that simple.