The Art of Strategic Selfishness

People often ask me, “How do you find time to do all that you do?? Do you have more hours in the same day?” Sometimes, this question is followed by “And you still smile!”

Do I have a secret potion (a by-product of my pharmacy degree), special tricks, or just unlimited energy reserves? My answer is none of the above; instead, my secret is the humble art of Strategic Selfishness. In other words, by putting my own needs first, I find that I can stay efficient, effective, energetic, and–most important of all–happy.

But before I explain how strategic selfishness works, I want to be clear: in no way do I believe that I have the ultimate wisdom for everyone. Instead, this is purely my own personal approach.

Energy > Time and Tasks

To begin, there’s bad news and good news.

The bad news is that I do believe everyone has a finite amount of energy, which is used up as the workday unfolds. The good news is I also believe that this amount can be significantly increased–at least if we focus on energy first, and not on time or tasks.

My answer is not the thousands of articles about productivity hacks or time management courses. True, they promise the world: by incorporating certain tricks into your daily routine, it is said, you’ll be able to reduce mountains into molehills–all in the course of a standard eight-hour workday. This being the digital age, everything is customized as well: there are tips for procrastinators, special hacks for entrepreneurs, and so on.

It’s true that some of these hacks are quite useful, but for me they do not address the underlying issue. This approach still emphasizes time and tasks, preferring to squeeze as many things as possible into a certain period of time. And personally, I can think of nothing less energizing than cramming a flood of responsibilities and duties into a limited amount of time.

Physical activity is the key to energy

So when the objective is energy, why not start by focusing on that? When I went through a particularly intense period in my life, I found myself often tired and lacking energy. One reaction could be to rest more in the hopes of gaining energy, but I thought, “Why not work out more?” After all, I realized that exercise could potentially kick-start my engine (and banish exhaustion).

If it is hard work in the beginning, try to focus on the end goal and stick with it, even if you must start with less intense or shorter workouts. As time goes on, it will get easier–and the fun will grow exponentially. Speaking from my own experience: at first, I had to proverbially kick myself in the butt to get started, but I considered that the warm up. As weeks passed by, I noticed it worked. I was indeed less tired, and additionally, I was better able to deal with work challenges and even become more creative.

As science shows, my experience is not a singular one. Exercising can increase focus, top up energy levels, clear your mind, and ultimately, make you happier. Experiments have demonstrated that physical exercise stimulates the development of new mitochrondria, cell components responsible for producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy molecule that powers cells (and humans).

In a study of 36 volunteers, researchers from the University of Georgia decided to test whether exercise could help treat fatigue. In the experiment, participants were split into three groups:

• The first group did 20 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise three times a week for six weeks. This was the equivalent of a fast-paced walk up a hill.
• The second group exercised at a similar frequency, but at a lower intensity.
• The third group did no exercise at all.

The exercise groups reported a 20% increase in energy levels by the end of the study. Surprisingly, however, the low intensity group reported a 65% drop in feelings of fatigue–whereas the moderate intensity group reported only a 49% drop. The control group, needless to say, reported no change. So it is not a matter of how intensely you start working out–but whether you even start exercising in the first place.

Exercising your willpower muscle

Knowing that exercise has the potential to increase your energy, the secret to unleashing that potential lies in exercising your willpower muscle–combined with the art of strategic selfishness.

At the beginning of each week, I have a routine: I look at both my work and private schedules and see where I can fit my workouts in. If necessary, I shift some meetings to make it possible to work out at least three times every week.

In the beginning, this was very difficult; I often felt guilty having to turn down friends or skip out on work-related activities. To overcome this, I had to train my willpower muscle. Today however, I do not feel guilty anymore–simply because I know that, when energized from a workout, I will contribute more (and higher-quality) work. After all, I trust that my employer wants the maximum quality Nienke. In addition, the same goes for my personal life: spending time with friends and family is incredibly valuable, so I want to ensure I will be able to listen, laugh, talk and share fully.

That is what I mean by being strategically selfish: when I put my energy first and ensure a consistent, regular workout schedule, the rest will follow. By replenishing your energy and focusing on yourself, you can perform at a higher level, take care of your loved ones, and be a productive, valuable employee and member of society.

Of course, all this is easier said than done; with some people there’s still a misconception that giving employees the freedom to exercise is a waste, even if the existing research goes against that. But increased transparency will make it all much easier.

After all, people who care will understand, support, and stimulate me in this energy focussed approach. And with that, this blog also becomes an act of strategic selfishness. The more people that know about and endorse this approach, the more energy gets unleashed–and I look forward to the potential of that.