What’s the best way to recharge energy — not just eliminate energy drains?
Just because you’re not working doesn’t mean you’re actually resting.
A lot of engineering leaders focus on cutting the obvious drains — long hours, toxic meetings, poor sleep, inbox overload.
And that’s a good move.
But energy isn’t just about what you avoid. It’s about what you build into your system on purpose.
The goal isn’t just to remove what depletes you — it’s to create the kind of life and rhythm that actually restores you.
You can’t outsource this. And you can’t fake it with a weekend off.
So if you want to lead and live at your best — start here:
#1 – Protect Your First Energy
One of the most overlooked sources of burnout is how we start the day.
If your first act in the morning is to hit snooze, scroll email, or immediately react to someone else’s needs… you’re giving away your energy before you even get a chance to use it.
I’m not here to judge — I’ve been there. But I’ll say this plainly:
How you start is how you continue.
That first decision? It matters. Are you choosing comfort… or choosing conscious momentum?
Even something as small as hitting snooze sends a signal to your subconscious: “Let’s delay. Let’s hide. Let’s coast.”
Instead, claim your first energy. Use it to move your body. Set your mind. Align with your intention. Whether it’s 5 minutes or 50, give yourself the first slice of the day — not your boss, not your inbox, not the world.
This is how leaders are built. Not in crisis, but in quiet, powerful moments of self-leadership.
#2 – Treat Rest as a Requirement, Not a Reward
If you treat rest like something you earn only after the work is done… you’ll never rest.
There’s always more work. Always another fire to fight. Rest becomes a someday that never comes.
Here’s the truth I had to learn the hard way: Rest isn’t a reward — it’s a requirement.
If you want sustained success, creative thinking, strong leadership, emotional presence… rest isn’t optional.
Recreation literally “re-creates” you. It’s the reset button your performance depends on.
So block it on your calendar. Protect it like a meeting with your VP. Prioritize recovery as part of the job — because it is.
#3 – Be Intentional About Recharging (Recreate Yourself)
Scrolling YouTube or collapsing on the couch doesn’t count as intentional rest.
I’ve made that mistake too — thinking that downtime = recharge.
But passive recovery doesn’t refill your soul.
You have to be intentional about recharging. Ask yourself: What activities truly energize me? What recreates the best version of me?
For some, it’s time in nature. For others, it’s a favorite hobby, a great book, or getting your hands dirty doing something real. For me? A day at the barn with the horses resets everything.
Don’t leave your rest to autopilot. Design it on purpose.
#4 – Fuel Your Body and Mind with Healthy Habits
You can’t pour from an empty tank.
The basics matter — even if they’re not sexy. Sleep. Hydration. Nutrition. Movement.
But here’s where most engineers get stuck… we know what to do, but we treat our bodies like machines. We optimize for output instead of honoring the system that makes all output possible.
If you want high energy, you need high integrity with your habits.
Sleep is your daily reset. Water is your natural fuel. Movement clears stress and lifts mood. Gratitude and mindfulness sharpen your mind.
Take care of your system. That’s not soft — that’s high performance.
#5 – Play the Long Game (Build Sustainable Energy)
You’re not just leading a project. You’re leading a life.
Burnout happens when we treat our careers like a sprint instead of a marathon — or worse, like a series of sprints with no breaks.
Want to stay sharp for decades? Start building rhythms, not rollercoasters.
Schedule real recovery before you need it. Block free evenings. Take unplugged weekends. Use your PTO.
Think like an athlete: train, perform, recover, repeat.
You’re not weak for resting — you’re wise.
Let me leave you with this
Managing your energy is just as important as managing your time.
Cutting energy drains is a great start. But if you stop there, you’ll still end up exhausted.
You need both: eliminate the drains and install the chargers.
This is one of the first mindset shifts we work on inside my coaching program — because without energy, even the best strategy fails.
If you’re serious about building a career that doesn’t burn you out, I share insights like this every week with engineering leaders who want to grow fast, lead well, and feel energized doing it.
Join HERE, and I’ll send you a free copy of my Engineering Career Accelerator™️ Scorecard — a simple workbook that helps you check, score, and upgrade the areas that actually move the needle in your career.
These are the same principles I teach in my coaching program — and you can apply them right away.
Let’s build a career that works because your energy does.
