How I Manage my Energy as a High-Achieving Solopreneur

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Most high achievers assume that exhaustion comes from working too much. But the real culprit? Energy mismanagement. If you’re constantly drained, pushing through fatigue, or running on fumes by mid-afternoon, it’s not just about hours worked—it’s about how you work.

I’ve had to learn this the hard way. My energy management isn’t some perfectly polished system; it’s about working with my energy instead of against it. In this post, I’m breaking down exactly how I structure my schedule, recognize early signs of energy crashes, and optimize my self-care (without overcomplicating it). If you’re ready to stop grinding yourself into the ground and start working smarter—not just harder—let’s dive in.

Why Managing Energy Matters More Than Managing Time

Time management gets all the attention, but let’s be real: time means nothing if you don’t have the energy to use it well. You could have a perfectly time-blocked schedule, a million productivity apps, and the best intentions—but if your brain is fried, your focus is shot, and you’re running on empty, none of it matters.

That’s why energy management is the real key to sustainable productivity. And if you’re a high achiever, this is especially important, because chances are, you’ve been taught to grind through exhaustion instead of actually fixing the problem.

So let’s talk about how to do this differently.

Step 1: Front-Load Your Self-Care (Before You Skip It)

I used to roll out of bed and dive straight into work—no food, no movement, no real transition into my day. I’d tell myself I’d take a break later, but guess what? Later never happened.

By mid-afternoon, I was mentally fried, physically exhausted, and running on fumes. So I had to front-load my self-care—not in some overcomplicated morning routine way, but in a way that was actually sustainable.

What this looks like for me:
✔ Meditation first thing (before my brain wakes up to distract me)
✔ Stretching for 5-20 minutes (because I’m tight AF and it helps)
✔ Eating breakfast (turns out, I wasn’t “not hungry”—I was just distracted)
✔ Movement before noon (because if I don’t do it early, it won’t happen)

The key here isn’t to copy my routine—it’s to figure out what works for you and make sure your day starts with energy-supporting habits instead of diving straight into depletion.

Step 2: Recognize When Your Energy is Crashing (Before You Hit a Wall)

Most high achievers ignore the warning signs of an energy crash and try to push through. But if you don’t catch the signals early, you’ll end up hitting a wall—and once you’re there, it’s 10x harder to recover.

Here are the biggest tells that my focus is slipping:
🚩 Mindless scrolling—If I’m suddenly deep into YouTube or Instagram, my brain is looking for an escape.
🚩 Feeling restless but unmotivated—My body is fidgety, but I can’t bring myself to actually move.
🚩 Skipping meals without realizing it—Not because I’m not hungry, but because I’m too distracted to notice.

When I notice these red flags, I don’t push through—I reset.
✔ If I’m getting sleepy, I stand at my desk or go for a short walk.
✔ If I feel sluggish, I eat something (even if I don’t “feel” hungry).
✔ If I’m zoning out, I take a 5-10 minute break to reset my focus.

Step 3: Structure Your Schedule Around Your Natural Energy (Not a 9-to-5 Mindset)

I used to expect myself to be at 100% focus five days a week. And guess what? It never worked. I’d push through exhaustion, overcommit, and drain myself so much that my productivity actually plummeted.

Now? I build my CEO schedule around my natural rhythms.
✔ Mondays & Fridays → Deep work days (no meetings, big creative projects)
✔ Tuesdays & Thursdays → Heavy meeting days (focused on calls + connections)
✔ Wednesdays → Flex day (a mix of both, depending on energy levels)

This means I’m not burning myself out trying to force productivity on days when my energy just isn’t there. And because I’ve built in recovery time between high-focus work, I actually get more done.

If you’re constantly drained, take a look at your schedule. Are you setting yourself up for sustainable energy—or are you expecting yourself to be at max capacity every day?

Step 4: Optimize Your Sleep (Because Let’s Be Honest, You Probably Need It)

No amount of caffeine or productivity hacks can fix shitty sleep. And the thing is, most high achievers don’t actually have bad sleep habits—we just ignore them.

Here’s what actually helped me get better sleep:
✔ Consistent bedtime (even if it’s later than most “sleep gurus” recommend)
✔ A pre-sleep routine (hot tea, reading fiction, no screens)
✔ A sleep-optimized environment (cooling mattress, blackout curtains, white noise)

Dialing in my sleep was a game-changer for my energy levels. If you’re constantly exhausted, this is the first thing I’d optimize.

Energy Management > Time Management

If you take one thing away from this, let it be this:

You don’t need a perfect system. You need a system that works for you.

💡 Front-load your self-care. Start your day with habits that fuel you instead of depleting you.
💡 Recognize energy dips early. Don’t wait until you hit a wall—reset before you crash.
💡 Structure your schedule for sustainable energy. Stop forcing a 5-day grind when you don’t need to.
💡 Prioritize sleep. No productivity hack can make up for exhaustion.

This isn’t about adding more to your plate—it’s about being intentional with how you manage your energy so that you can actually show up at your best.

Want to take this deeper? Inside Burnout Proof Business, we don’t just talk about energy hacks—we build long-term systems that support your energy, your productivity, and your business for the long haul. Learn more here >>