BE THE LEADER OF YOUR BEST SELF
How Managing Your Energy
Transforms How You Lead, Work, and Live.
Michelle P. Tonnesen
We talk so much about time management — but almost never about energy management.
However, many forget this hard truth: time is finite, but energy is renewable.
And how you manage that energy — your focus, emotions, and boundaries — determines not only how you lead, but how you live.
The Hidden Cost of Running on Empty
Whether you’re leading a team, building a business, or simply trying to keep all the plates spinning, it’s easy to fall into the trap of doing more and more — while feeling less and less fulfilled.
In my work with competent leaders, visionary founders, busy professionals, and ambitious individuals, one theme comes up again and again:
They’re brilliant, capable, and deeply committed… but they’re also quietly exhausted.
They’re showing up for everyone else — at work, at home, in life — yet rarely taking the time to check in on their own energy.
And over time, that takes its toll.
When your battery is drained, it becomes harder to think clearly, stay patient, make good decisions, or even feel joy.
That’s why I created the Leadership & Life Energy Audit — to help people pause, take stock, and get clear on one essential question:
Where is my energy going and what would it look like if I used it more intentionally?
Energy Is the New Currency of Growth
Think of your energy as your most valuable resource.
It’s not just about how much you have, but where and how you use it.
Every day, you invest energy into three main areas:
1️⃣ Physical energy – how you rest, move, and nourish your body.
2️⃣ Mental energy – how you focus, prioritise, and set boundaries.
3️⃣ Emotional energy – how you connect, communicate, and recover from stress.
When one area is depleted, the rest quickly follow — and that’s when motivation, clarity, and confidence start to fade.
But here’s the good news: energy can be renewed.
It just requires awareness, small changes, and the courage to slow down before you speed up.
How to Lead Your Best Self
You don’t need a title to be a leader.
You simply need to take responsibility for the way you show up — for yourself, your relationships, and your choices.
Here are a few small shifts to start leading your life and energy today:
Check your energy balance. Ask yourself: What’s fuelling me right now? What’s draining me?
Reclaim your focus. Block time for what truly matters — and protect it like any important meeting.
Reset regularly. Rest is not a reward; it’s a requirement for clarity and creativity.
Celebrate small wins. Progress builds momentum — and momentum sustains energy.
Leading yourself well isn’t selfish. It’s the foundation for showing up better for others.
The Ripple Effect of Recharged Energy
When you nurture your own energy, you create ripple effects far beyond yourself.
You think more clearly.
You listen more deeply.
You connect with purpose instead of pressure.
That shift doesn’t just make you a better leader — it makes you a better colleague, partner, parent, friend, and human being.
How you lead your energy is how you lead your life.
Ready to Be the Leader of Your Best Self?
If you’re ready to pause, reflect, and reconnect with your energy and purpose — I’d love to help.
In my “Be the Leader of Your Best Self” workshop, we use the Leadership & Life Energy Audit to uncover what’s fuelling you, what’s draining you, and how to build sustainable habits for clarity, confidence, and momentum.
Because thriving — in work and in life — starts with leading yourself first.
Get in touch to learn how this workshop or a tailored coaching programme can help you reset, refocus, and lead your best self every day.
About Me
I’m Michelle P. Tonnesen. I’m an experienced C-level executive now walking the talk as your certified leadership and career coach. I’ve been in the trenches and got the T-shirt. Now I can help you turn barriers into stepping stones, so you are able to thrive as a human being and step into your full potential with confidence and balance.
You can find out more about me and the work I do at www.maia.services
Book a free discovery call to explore how coaching, training, or consulting can support you:
https://calendly.com/mptonnesen/discovery
Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram:
www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-p-tonnesen
https://www.instagram.com/maia.coaching.consulting
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