Your leverage vs. energy map

Another beautiful tip from The Manager’s Handbook:

If you’re starting to feel yourself getting burned out at work, it’s time for an energy audit (as well as a vacation!). An energy audit is simply looking through your calendar and reflecting on which meetings give you energy, and which take energy from you. Then try to eliminate the latter category by hiring, delegating, and redistributing work.

It is useful to look at energy and leverage at once. Map out activities with leverage on one axis (low to high) and energy on the other (draining vs energizing). High energy, low leverage activities are traps: you really like them, but they should be delegated. High leverage, low energy activities are chores: if you can’t automate them, group them with higher-energy activities.

This is also a great exercise to do with your direct reports during their one-on-ones.

Here’s a diagram I made, because I make diagrams:

If that word “leverage” is throwing you, think about the amount of value the company gets per unit of effort.

It’d be fun to map out your non-work activities on here too.