Spoon Theory: A Different Way to Manage Time

Time management is crucial to productivity. After all, we reveal our priorities by how we spend our time. But sometimes it feels like there's just not enough time to go around. How often have you heard or said, "I wish there were more hours in the day"?

The traditional way to view time management is to start with the allotted 24 hours and break it into sections. Let's say we devote 8 hours to sleeping. That means we have 16 left. How much do you devote to work or to spending time with loved ones? Do you "waste" any on trivial, nonproductive things, like watching television? With this model, we treat time almost like currency, and we devalue any time not spent "productively."

But is that the best way to approach time management? Or life management? I don't think so.

The Spoon Theory
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In her personal essay "The Spoon Theory," Christine Miserandino explains what it's like living with chronic illness:

I asked her to count her spoons. She asked why, and I explained that when you are healthy you expect to have a never-ending supply of “spoons”. But when you have to now plan your day, you need to know exactly how many “spoons” you are starting with. It doesn’t guarantee that you might not lose some along the way, but at least it helps to know where you are starting. She counted out 12 spoons....

I asked her to list off the tasks of her day, including the most simple. As, she rattled off daily chores, or just fun things to do; I explained how each one would cost her a spoon....

We went through the rest of the day, and she slowly learned that skipping lunch would cost her a spoon, as well as standing on a train, or even typing at her computer too long. She was forced to make choices and think about things differently.

I didn't learn about Spoon Theory until after I had recovered from my brain injury, but I internalized the concept during my injury. Many days during the concussion I had only two or three spoons, if any at all, and I had to make decisions about what was important enough to accomplish that day—even if making the decision itself cost me a "spoon."

After I recovered, I found that thinking about managing my day in terms of energy, rather than time, is much more effective and beneficial to my overall health. Even for someone who doesn't deal with chronic illness or another energy-limiting condition, this perspective can be extremely helpful.

Note: Before I go any further, I want to emphasize that I do not in any way want to appropriate Spoon Theory from those who deal with chronic illness. I think it's a beautiful, simple illustration of a complex issue, and I believe everyone can benefit from it. However, it's important to recognize and be sensitive to the fact that everyone starts the day with a different number of "spoons."

"Counting" Energy Instead of Hours
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​The part of Spoon Theory that I believe is applicable to everyone is the emphasis on energy rather than time. Yes, there are twenty-four hours in every day. But those hours are not created equal. A slew of factors can impact our energy levels, and it's completely natural to feel "down" some days.

When we emphasize time, we ignore that reality. We expect to be able to perform the same tasks, at the same level, each and every day. And that's just not reasonable. We're also doing ourselves a disservice by not recognizing the days we're able to do more than our usual tasks. By paying attention to our energy levels and allowing them to dictate our routine, we become not only healthier, but also more efficient and productive.

​Being Aware of Your "Spoons"

​Most of us don't have the same amount of energy every day. Sometimes we don't sleep well. Sometimes we're stressed. And sometimes we're just at a natural low point. Trying to cram in the same amount of work on off days as we accomplish on days we feel 100% can only lead to one thing: burnout.

Let's say you wake up Monday and have very little energy. You don't know why, but you're just plain tired. You brew a pot of strong coffee, sit down at the computer, and try to start working through your to-do list. You have to finish your list today; otherwise you'll be behind tomorrow. Then you'll be behind all week. Then you'll have to work the weekend. So you push through. You opt for energy drinks instead of lunch. You skip your workout because you don't have the energy to do that and everything else you have to get done. You have a headache, but you take some Tylenol and keep working. It's difficult to focus, so it's almost bedtime before you're done. You eat a late, unhealthy supper, and you don't sleep well because of the greasy food and the headache that never quite went away. The next day, you wake up feeling even worse . . . and the week doesn't get any better.

Or you wake up that Monday and recognize you don't have the energy to accomplish everything you'd like to. You do what you're able, without pushing your body past its physical limits. You go to bed early and wake up early the next morning, feeling better and able to put in a solid day's work and make up what you missed yesterday.

Helping Yourself Gain "Spoons"
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​It's critical that we do what we can to keep our energy levels high. You know the list—get enough sleep, eat well, exercise, spend time outdoors, etc. And it's easy to say that we'll do all those things, but then suddenly the day's nearly over and we haven't. So we promise we'll do better tomorrow.

These things become even more important when we begin to look at self-care as crucial to our health and our productivity. Suddenly, that extra hour of sleep isn't taking away from our work time; it's improving the quality of our work time. That's what this whole energy-management concept is about: quality. I would rather have four hours of good work than eight hours of mediocre work.

Understanding Energy Requirements
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​As Miserandino illustrates, different activities require different numbers of spoons. Some activities are energy drainers, and the amount of energy required to complete certain tasks varies for each individual. Some people need lots of energy to plow through administrative tasks—emails, phone calls, scheduling. For others, running errands and dealing with people can be draining. To effectively manage your energy, it's important to understand and be aware of which activities are the most draining for you.

It's also important to be aware of when you have the most energy. Personally, my energy is front-loaded. I have lots of energy in the mornings, and it slowly wanes throughout the day. That means that if I put off more difficult tasks until the evening, they're not likely to get done.

Similarly, you need to know which activities help you recharge. Extroverts may find solace in crowds, but a party can zap an introvert's energy more quickly than hours of work. You may recharge through reading, but does enjoying a fantasy novel help you regain energy more quickly than a dense classic? These small considerations can be the difference between waking up refreshed and waking up exhausted the next morning.

Rolling with the Changes
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​This method of managing time requires high levels of awareness and flexibility. Of course, everyone's schedule is not conducive to extreme changes in their day-to-day routine. But even tiny choices can make a big difference. If you're having a low-energy day, look at small changes you can make to conserve your energy.

Managing your day according to your energy levels requires you to be aware of your energy, understand which activities drain you and which ones help you recharge, and be willing to make adjustments to your schedule based on those things.

In a society that dictates we must be working at least eight hours per day to be productive, this can be a difficult concept. Choosing to take time away can make us feel lazy and guilty. But this method can lead to much more efficient work and not only higher levels of output but also higher quality output.

Let me know in the comments, have you tried applying Spoon Theory to your life and work? How has it changed the way you approach your days, and do you feel that you're more productive while managing your schedule based on energy rather than time?

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