Recently I have been thinking about energy.
During this time of year, I notice a slight decrease in my energy levels, and I often attribute it to the weather. The cold and darkness make me feel unmotivated. However, even on the frostiest mornings in Tassie, I try to shift my thinking and consider what drives my energy. In the past month or so we have been doing LOTS of workshops. These are workshops with passionate and motivated people all wanting to make a change somewhere in their lives, their organisation or their community.
They come along to a workshop to have their say, and it is my job to facilitate that discussion and to make sure everyone leaves feeling that they have been heard and that their opinion matters – and of course to make sure they have a bit of fun!
Interestingly, these workshops serve as a great source of motivation for me as they boost my energy levels and remind me why our work is so crucial in driving change. However, at the end of each workshop, I always feel emotionally drained. I have been reflecting that this is because for that 4 or 6 or 8 hour workshop, I have been responsible to ‘hold the energy in the room’. I need to be ON! I need to make sure the workshop runs on time and on task. I need to make sure everyone is involved at a level that they feel comfortable. I need to read the room and push people a little but not too far. I need to capture the outcomes so I can report them back later. I need to make sure the breaks and meals all come on time. I need to make sure the room is not too hot or too cold or too bright. I need to make sure the tech is working and they I use my props and resources at the right time in the right way. I need to make sure everyone is having fun whilst still being productive. I’m smiling, chatting, laughing, directing, challenging. I am facilitating. I am ‘holding the energy in the room’. While I thoroughly enjoy every minute of these workshops and feel energized in the moment, I feel utterly exhausted afterwards.
You know what I've realised? It's perfectly fine to feel exhausted, because completing a workshop also gives me an immense sense of job satisfaction. So instead of attributing my energy levels solely to the weather, I should acknowledge the natural ups and downs in our energy and recognise that achieving something worthwhile does require energy. What I should focus on is identifying what truly drives my energy: workshops, tackling new projects or problems, working in different communities or sectors and then... taking time to reflect and rejuvenate. I wonder, what are the energy drivers for you?