As creative entrepreneurs, we often hear about (and seek out!) time management tips. But what about our energy management? I know for me, when I look at all of the things I need to get done in a day (or week, or month), it’s one thing to put it on a calendar and it’s another thing to actually sit down and get the work done. As creatives, I'm sure we've all sat down at our desks (or easels), intending to tackle focus-heavy work, only to discover ourselves feeling uninspired and not much farther than where we began several hours later. Today, I want to walk you through 5 energy management tips that I’ve found helpful over the years, and I hope you’ll find them to be the same!

Before we jump in, I have something to help you with this! Make sure to grab your free copy of The Art of Time Freedom, where I'm sharing three rules for getting back your time (and sharing some time audit strategies to help you clean up the areas that are keeping you stuck)!

Audit Your Time (+ Consider Your Energy)

As creative entrepreneurs, it's easy to fall into the trap of measuring productivity purely by the clock – the hours spent at the desk, the checkmarks on our to-do lists. But let’s face it. As small business owners and entrepreneurs, that kind of stuff doesn’t always affect our paychecks. The first of the energy management tips I want to share with you is to take a moment to audit your time. I’ve shared this before when talking about time management, but this time, I want you to take it one step further and write down how much energy each task takes you. When you look at the amount of time you spend in your inbox, for example, does that light you up or drain you?

By auditing your time with an energy lens, you can begin to craft a schedule that respects your natural rhythms. Allocate your high-energy periods to the tasks that require the most mental effort and save the less demanding ones for when you're winding down. This looks different for everyone so give yourself permission to experiment with it. Often, you’ll hear traditional business advice tell you to do your most challenging or demanding tasks in the morning, but as creative entrepreneurs, we need to lean into what works best for us. For example, I’m able to tap into the more creative tasks and strategic tasks in the morning when my energy is high vs in the afternoon when I’m feeling more on the sleepy side. The afternoon is when I cross off the tasks that don’t require much thought or the ones I could do in my sleep.

Create a Batch-Working System

This is one of my biggest energy management tips for creative entrepreneurs. Like most people, I resisted batch-working for many years, or when I did it, I would decide it flippantly (like if I was in a YouTube recording mood, I would batch-record those videos). As you can imagine, this wasn’t the most efficient way to do things and as I grew with a team, I needed to be even more mindful of who might be waiting on things to get their own tasks done.

Let me just say this, I’m very Type B, so if you’ve resisted sticking to a schedule before, you’re in good company. However, thanks to my operations manager Kelly, we have now structured my to-do list into “batch weeks” and I’m actually surprised by how much I enjoy knowing exactly what I need to work on at any given time. By removing the task of “deciding” what to do next, I find I have a lot more energy to dive into the work that needs to get done.

Make Mindfulness A Priority

I’ve shared my own struggles with burnout in the past, so I feel like I can’t share energy management tips for creative entrepreneurs without talking about making mindfulness a priority. In my experience, both meditation and deep breathing exercises are both powerful tools for reducing stress and enhancing mental clarity. I personally recommend an app called The Breathing Room, which I use regularly. In my course, The Art Within, I share more about exactly how I incorporate these techniques into daily life to not only help me with energy management but also to improve focus and creativity.

Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate

Let’s back up to the first tip where I told you to perform an audit of your time. Is there anything that consumes a lot of time or energy that you could more effectively delegate to someone else? Every minute you spend overwhelmed by draining tasks steals a minute from doing the things you do best. By delegating these energy vampires to someone who is perhaps more suited to them, or simply has the bandwidth to take them on, you free up so much more than just time. You may just find yourself finding more joy in your work again!

Set Strong Boundaries + Learn to Say No

Last but not least, you need to learn to say no and set strong boundaries. I had to include this one on a list of energy management tips, because I’ve learned this one the hard way (and have since become a huge advocate for setting stronger boundaries in your business). When I first started out, I was the ultimate ‘yes' person. I jumped at everything that came my way. Back then, running on pure inspiration (and adrenaline) felt like the only option. You can guess what happened though, right? Eventually, I hit a wall. I felt wiped out, my creative tank was empty, and, ironically, my work began to suffer because of it. It was then, out of necessity, I learned to say no.

I know when you’re in the thick of it (and if you’re reading a post on energy management tips, I can only imagine that you are), it can feel hard to say no to things that feel like they could be the next big break. But in my experience, learning to say no was ALSO learning to say a big fat yes to what really matters—my health, my passions, and recognizing my own value.

Top Energy Management Tips for Creative Entrepreneurs

Embracing things like auditing your time, setting strong boundaries, and learning the art of delegation aren't just one-off fixes. They're part of a broader, ongoing process of self-reflection, adjustment, and growth. My hope for you is that by consistently applying these tips, you'll not only manage your energy more effectively but also enjoy new levels of creativity, passion, and joy in your business. If you haven't yet, make sure to grab The Art of Time Freedom where I go even deeper into avoiding the pitfalls that keep you stuck and overwhelmed. I want to help you spend more time doing what you love in your life!

Was this helpful? If you're dying for more candid, real-talk advice that cuts through the fluff and gets down to the nitty-gritty of what it really takes to grow as a creative entrepreneur, I've got you covered. Follow me on Instagram where I continue the conversation. It's over there that I'll share behind-the-scenes from my own journey, and offer up tips to help you navigate the complexities of running a creative business.