Managing energy is one of my super skills. I am really good at calibrating the amount of energy to expend across a range of tasks so that I can keep going.

I am definitely wired for endurance rather than bursts of speed.

And so, I could give you a million bits of advice about how to do it, but these are the ones that I think have the biggest impact:

1. Zone 2 is the answer to most problems
2. “Still, Not Stopped”
3. Active recovery

Zone 2 relates to heart rates. When we exercise, our heart rate increases. The harder we push, the more it rises. Until we hit a limit and we get exhausted and stop.

I'm not going to explain the whole theory, but if you imagine Zone 0 is your normal heart rate. It goes up and down a bit as you move around the house, so there's a range, but within 10-15 beats per minute. Above that is Zone 1. This is just you walking down the street as you normally would. Above that is Zone 2, where you might be jogging slightly, walking fast, riding a bike at a comfortable rate and so on.

Zone 2 is a magical zone.

If you exercise in this zone for long enough, you build up incredible fitness and endurance. It's wild. We think we have to go for the burn, but Zone 2 is transformative. It is also good for our mood and all sorts of other processes.

It is also probably the pace that Roman legions marched at because, if you move in this range, you can keep going much, much longer.

In my life I used Zone 2 training to recover from pneumonia, train to do cycling time trials and run an ultra marathon. As a result, my cardiovascular fitness is above 95% of men of my age. Even though, as per yesterday's post, I am chunkier than I would like.

So, do your own research, find out about it and give it a try.

"Still. Not Stopped." is a phrase I use to remind myself that taking time to sit, meditate, breathe, stare out of the window or generally just be still, is a vital part of energy management through the day. We need little micro breaks if we are to be our best. I can be still, it doesn't mean I have stopped.

Finally, active recovery is something I almost overlook because I have done it for so long. Let's imagine you are exhausted after a long week and you wake up on a Saturday morning. You would be far better (most of the time) to go for a walk, do some gardening or pootle around an art gallery than to stay in bed. Moving your muscles is important because psychology is biology.

Actually, there is way to stay in bed and get some Zone 2 training. That's probably the best type of energy management there is.

Have a lovely day, Stephen

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