Energy Doesn’t Come Back by Accident: What Second 50 Women Are Discovering

Like many busy women, I spent years trying to manage my time better.

I made lists, reorganised my diary and tried to become more efficient. But one of the most useful things Second 50 Life Design has taught me is that time is fixed, while energy can be protected, restored and sometimes even multiplied.

When Gill McLaren first introduced me to the idea of managing my energy rather than simply managing my time, I was a little sceptical. It sounded almost too simple, and perhaps even a bit “woo woo”.

Then I did the work.

I began noticing what left me feeling more alive, what quietly depleted me and what simply ticked along somewhere in between. I looked at my work, routines, relationships, responsibilities and the way I was using my natural strengths.

It changed far more than my diary.

Energy is useful information

An energy audit isn’t about avoiding everything difficult or arranging a life filled only with things we enjoy.

Most of us have responsibilities we cannot — and would not want to — remove. We care for people, contribute to work that matters and do plenty of necessary things that may not fill our cup.

The value lies in understanding the pattern.

Is it the task itself that drains us — or the setting, timing, people involved or the way we have taken responsibility for doing it? Could it be shared, simplified or approached differently? If it genuinely matters, what could we place around it to help restore the energy it requires?

Across our Second 50 Life Design journeys, I have watched women use this insight in very practical ways.

Angela described a shift that many women recognised:

“What I’ve realised is that I’m not looking for more time. I’m looking for more energy for myself.”

Karen began using energy as a guide for planning her everyday life:

“The most powerful thing I’ve learned through Life Design has been understanding my energy — what gives it, what drains it and how to renew it.”

And Martha realised that rest and enjoyment did not need to wait until everything else was finished:

“I used to put off rest and play until ‘all the work is done’. I’m now rewiring my life to front-load bliss so that the simple pleasures in life can power my purpose. Fun as fuel!”

Small shifts can have a much bigger effect

Women have used this awareness to reshape their working weeks, protect quiet time, delegate differently, return to activities they love and set better boundaries.

One woman discovered that a demanding fundraiser wasn’t draining her at all. It was actually one of her greatest energy multipliers. What needed to change was the extra work she had taken on around it.

In my own life, the way I exercise has become an energy multiplier. Strength training and ocean swimming require time, but they return far more than they take. I get movement, friendship, accountability, joy and a healthy dose of saltwater awe — all in the same week.

The important shift was learning to see these things as essential sources of energy, rather than optional extras to fit in once everything else was done.

When we gain a little more energy, we often have more capacity to make another positive change. Then another. One small adjustment can begin to change how an entire life feels.

I no longer see energy as a soft measure of whether I enjoy something. It is valuable information about where I thrive, where I struggle and what might need to change.

Time is fixed. Energy doesn’t come back by accident — but we can learn how to protect it, restore it and design more of it into our lives.

If this idea has made you curious, you can read more about my own shift from time management to energy management.

Our next supported Second 50 Life Design journey begins on 12 October. You can learn more here.