There\u2019s only so much time in a day\u2014just twenty-four hours last I checked. And there\u2019s no optional upgrade or booster pack available. Time is fixed. But your energy has flex.<\/p>\n\n
Our energy expands or contracts through the day based on variables like rest, nutrition, and exercise. But another critical variable\u2014and one we often forget\u2014are the people we spend our time with.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe undeniable reality is that how well you do in life and business depends not only on what you do and how you do it . . . but also on who is doing it with<\/em> you or to<\/em> you,\u201d says Dr. Henry Cloud in his new book, The Power of the Other.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Our relationships have tremendous impact on us. I\u2019ve seen this in my own life, and I bet you have too. Some of my most significant personal and professional experiences have come through interactions with friends and peers.<\/p>\n\n What\u2019s great about The Power of the Other<\/a><\/em> is how Dr. Cloud ties this reality back to maximizing our energy. \u201c[I]t\u2019s not just about managing your workload and taking breaks,\u201d he says; \u201cit\u2019s just as important to manage the energy sources<\/em> around you.\u201d<\/p>\n If we\u2019re unaware of how our peers affect our energy, we can often find ourselves drained. Conversely, if we\u2019re intentional, we can leverage relationships to power our way through the day.<\/p>\n Here are three simple steps to ensure our peers drive us forward, instead of hold us back:<\/p>\n The first thing we have to do is notice how our interactions impact us emotionally and even physically. Who enhances your energy? Who sucks you dry? Once we\u2019re aware of how people are affecting us, we can start making informed choices about who we spend our time with.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n It\u2019s also critical for my friendships. I want to hang out with people who help me grow intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Count the cost.<\/strong> We can\u2019t avoid all draining relationships. Here\u2019s what Dr. Cloud says about this:<\/p>\n \n Being a fruitful person, the kind of person who actually changes the world around you, means that you sometimes intentionally enter negative situations and work hard to transform them. You are not afraid of problems or \u201cproblem people,\u201d so you can\u2019t, nor should you try to, avoid all negativity. . . Be a change agent if possible.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n But it\u2019s also critical, he says, \u201cto know who the drains are in your life, why<\/em> you\u2019re spending time with them, and what their impact is\u201d (my emphasis). That why<\/em> is important. It means we\u2019re fully aware of the reason for our relationship. Some costs are worth it, but we need to count them nonetheless.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t\tUsing Relationships for a Boost<\/h3>\n
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