Part 1: The Core Philosophy: Optimizing Energy, Not Time

For decades, productivity has been a game of time management. The result, for many entrepreneurs, is a perfectly color-coded calendar that leads directly to burnout. One user, a self-described „time management obsessive,“ captured this frustration perfectly: „I was a time management obsessive… But I’d still hit 2pm feeling completely drained even though my schedule looked perfect on paper“.

This experience reveals a fundamental flaw in traditional planning: we are „optimizing the wrong metric“.

Energy-Based Planning is the solution. It is a fundamental shift in perspective built on a simple, powerful truth: Time is finite and out of your control; energy is renewable and in your control.

This methodology isn’t about scheduling every minute. It’s about aligning your most important tasks with your natural energy cycles. It is the „next level capability“ that moves you from being a „machine that should operate at consistent output“ to a „human with natural rhythms“. For the entrepreneur, this system is the key to escaping „task-switching fatigue“ and reclaiming control.

Part 2: A 3-Step Guide to Implementing Energy-Based Planning

This system is practical and can be implemented immediately. It involves three phases: auditing your energy, creating themed blocks, and matching your tasks to your natural rhythms.

Step 1: Conduct Your Personal Energy Audit

Before you can manage your energy, you must understand it. For one week, become an objective observer of your own internal capacity.

• Track Your Levels: Multiple times per day (e.g., morning, noon, afternoon, evening), rate your energy on a simple 1-10 scale.⁴
• Identify Patterns: Note what fuels you and what drains you. The patterns that emerge are often eye-opening. One user discovered that „three consecutive video calls? I’m done for the day regardless of how much ‚time‘ I have left,“ while „deep focused work can be energizing“.
• Find Your Peak: Identify your 2-3 hour window of peak cognitive performance. For many, this is the first few hours of the morning.³ This window is your most valuable asset.

Step 2: Create Themed „Energy Blocks“

This is the central mechanism of the system. Instead of scheduling rigid, specific tasks (e.g., „2:00 PM: Write Q3 Report“), you create broad, flexible themed blocks based on the type of energy required.

A user who successfully made this switch explained it perfectly: „Then I started using ‚energy blocks‘ instead of time. When I had mental energy = deep work. When I was tired = basic work, low-stakes stuff… Productivity went noticeably UP. Stress went DOWN“.

Step 3: Match Your Tasks to Your Blocks

You now stop asking „When do I have time for this?“ and start asking „When do I have the energy for this?“. Categorize your to-do list by the energy required and place those tasks into your new themed blocks.

A typical entrepreneur’s energy blocks look like this:

• High-Energy Block (e.g., „Maker Time“ / „Deep Work“):
  • When: Reserved exclusively for your peak performance hours.
  • What: Your most complex, high-stakes work. This is for „creativity,“ „problem-solving,“ and „deep work“. This time should be treated as sacred and non-negotiable.
• Medium-Energy Block (e.g., „Manager Time“):
  • When: The periods when you are alert but more open to interaction.
  • What: Collaborative and communication-based tasks.
  • Examples: „Client calls and management“, team meetings, or „Coaching Calls & Client Work“.
• Low-Energy Block (e.g., „Admin Time“):
  • When: Your natural energy troughs (e.g., the post-lunch slump).
  • What: „Basic work, low-stakes stuff“. This is for „routine tasks, administrative tasks“ like clearing emails, processing invoices, or general „admin catch-up“.

This approach gives you the structure of a plan but the flexibility to choose the right task for your current state.

Part 3: The Hybrid Method: Structure Meets Flexibility

Energy blocking does not mean abandoning your calendar. The most effective system—often called the „Hybrid Method“—uses both time blocks and energy blocks for different purposes.

• Time Blocks act as the „Containers“: Use your calendar for „meetings and hard deadlines“. These are the fixed, non-negotiable appointments that create the „frame“ of your day.
• Energy Blocks act as the „Content“: Use your themed energy blocks (Maker, Manager, Admin) for the „actual work“. You schedule these flexible blocks into the empty spaces between your hard commitments.

This hybrid model is the antidote to the „fragile“ plan. It provides a clear structure for your commitments while giving you the flexibility to manage your most important work according to your energy, not just the clock.

Part 4: Advanced Strategy for Entrepreneurs: Day Theming

For entrepreneurs juggling multiple projects or even multiple companies, energy management can be applied at a macro level through Day Theming.

This strategy dedicates an entire day to a specific theme or type of work, drastically reducing the „task-switching fatigue“ that drains entrepreneurs. Instead of jumping between creative work, client calls, and financial review all in one day, you assign a single focus to each day.

A themed week might look like this:

• Mondays: Strategy & Team Meetings
• Tuesdays: Marketing & Content Creation (A deep „Maker“ day)
• Wednesdays: Coaching Calls & Client Work (A high-touch „Manager“ day)
• Thursdays: Product Development & Financials
• Fridays: Admin, Catch-up, and Planning

This allows you to achieve a state of „deep focus“ by grouping similar energy-level tasks, making your entire week more productive and less chaotic.

Part 5: The Tangible Results: Beyond „Productivity“

Switching from time management to energy management yields transformative, measurable results.

One user who tracked their metrics after implementing this system for six months reported :

• A ~40% Increase in Productivity: Measured by an increase in „deep work hours“ from 8-10 per week to 12-15 hours of „actual productive time.“
• A Dramatic Reduction in Anxiety: „Sunday anxiety basically gone.“
• A Shift in Well-being: The end-of-day feeling was no longer „drained“ but „the ‚good tired‘ where I actually got meaningful stuff done.“

Ultimately, this system is a rejection of the idea that productivity requires you to „force… yourself to be a robot“. It provides a practical framework to do your best work by honoring a simple truth: „You’re human. Work like one“.

⚙️ Putting Your Energy Plan into Practice

The best way to visualize your energy blocks without cluttering your main schedule is to create a separate, private calendar. This lets you toggle your „ideal week“ on or off with a single click.

On Desktop (Google Calendar):

1. On the left sidebar, find „Other calendars“ and click the + icon.
2. Select „Create new calendar“.
3. Name it „My Energy“ (or „Ideal Week“) and click „Create calendar“.
4. Go back to your main calendar. Click and drag to create your blocks (e.g., „Maker Time“).
5. Set them to „Recurring“ (e.g., „Weekdays“).
6. In the „Calendar“ dropdown for the event, assign it to your new „My Energy Blocks“ calendar.
7. To hide/show your blocks, just check or uncheck the box next to this calendar’s name in the left sidebar.

On Mobile (Google Calendar App):

Note: First, create the new calendar on your desktop using the steps above.

1. Open the app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-left corner.
2. Scroll down to your calendar list. (If you don’t see „My Energy,“ tap „Settings,“ find it in the list, and ensure „Sync“ is on).
3. To hide or show your blocks, simply check or uncheck the box next to the „My Energy“ calendar name in the menu.