Friday, February 11, 2011

This year, just as important as what you do with your valentine, is when you do it.

There is nothing worse than a Valentine's gift that has no spirit, energy, or fun coming from the person giving it. With the holiday falling on a Monday this year, couples will need to carefully consider when they want to celebrate. Is after the first day back at work really going to be the best time to celebrate? Maybe couples should meet up for lunch during the day. Or, maybe they should celebrate the whole thing over the weekend! How can people choose the best time to make Valentine's Day special?

We can all point to specific periods of the day when we have great energy—those times when we feel sharpest or are most productive. People usually refer to themselves as either "an early bird" or "a night owl" depending on when they feel most capable of getting things done.

Unfortunately, we can't maintain a consistently high energy level all day. The reality is that our bodies work in cycles. Studies have verified that our bodies behave according to biochemical, physiological, and behavioral cycles called circadian rhythms. Circadia, translated from Latin, means "around the day."

Self-knowledge is the first step toward harnessing these windows of time so we can do and be our best. The key to managing ourselves, our work, and our lives is to truly know our styles and understand what works for us, our strengths, and yes, our energy cycles. The identification of your energy levels should not be rocket science; the biggest challenge is for you to actually recognize and acknowledge them.

A simple chart is all you need. Create two vertical columns, the first being "Energy Level," the second being "Activities." Then create rows for each hour of the day. Rate your energy level from 1-5, and list your activities in those hourly time slots. Do this assessment for a day or two.

Your energy plateaus and valleys should become apparent, and they will most likely have a consistent pattern. While you may already be in touch with your higher and lower energy cycles, many times people are surprised to see the list of activities that correspond to those energy levels.

I cannot tell you what the most important use of your time is, or what your most critical actions should be - that is for you to decide. But once you've made that determination, make sure that you organize your day to devote quality time with the people and tasks that matter most.

Whenever you do decide to celebrate Valentine's Day this year, make sure it's at a time when you can give the best of yourself to your loved one.