Time isn't your
problem — energy is.

Most men have had this evening: everyone's out, nothing's booked, three clear hours. And you sit there scrolling, too flat to do any of the things you'd been wanting time for and annoyed with yourself by ten o'clock.

At times like this it is good to look inwards and understand your energy levels

Find your two good hours

Everyone has a window when they're genuinely sharp. For most men it's morning; for a decent minority it's late evening. Your first task is to be clear on when this is for you.

Once you've identified this, think about what you currently spend it on. A lot of the time it is doomscrolling, binge-watching telly emails, admin work or other people's requests. The best two hours of your day are given to low-value tasks and the hard thinking is attempted at 4pm when you've got nothing left.

Swapping those around costs nothing and will make a substantial difference.

Know your four drains

Energy doesn't just run down with hours. It's spent by specific things, and they're worth identifying because they're different for everyone:

1. Decisions

   It's less likely the big ones that fatigue you, but rather the twenty small ones. What to eat, which job first, what to reply. This is why men who wear the same thing and eat the same breakfast aren't boring; they've taken the decisions off the table. Have a look at where "decision fatigue" could be weighing you down and systemise it

2. Unfinished things

   Every job you've half-started runs quietly in the background all day. Five open loops cost more than the work of closing two of them. Finish them or formally drop them and benefit from the improved mental clarity

3. Certain people

   You know who. An hour with some people leaves you lighter and thirty minutes with others leaves you hollow. Sometimes you can't distance yourself from these people, but you can identify that they cause this drain on you and you can plan accordingly

4. Pretending

   Being fine when you're not, being keen when you're not and helping people without helping yourself all have a detrimental effect on your energy levels. Performance is expensive, and men do a great deal of it without considering the cost.

Recovery is not the same as collapse

Sitting on the sofa with a phone, half-watching something and half-scrolling, is not rest and is neutral at best. Actual recovery for most men is one of four things: moving, being outside, being with people they connect with, or doing something that brings joy/passion.

A twenty-minute walk gives back more than two hours of collapse.

The unglamorous foundation

You don't need detailed apps and reports to help you boost energy levels. Start with the basics: sleep, food, water, movement, daylight. Get those roughly right and your baseline energy goes up, providing you with an excellent platform to address the other areas.