The Energy Account
Do you spend more than you save?
Most of us are aware of our money and how much we have. We notice when we’ve overspent. We think about what we can afford before we commit. We know, roughly, what our balance looks like and what happens if we push it too far.
I wonder how many of us pay the same attention to our energy.
We spend energy constantly; on work, on relationships, on getting through the day. Some of that spending is conscious. A lot of it isn’t. And for most people, the balance only becomes visible when it’s already overdrawn.
For neurodivergent people, this can look quite different.
If you have ADHD, autism, or both, the chances are you’re spending energy on things that most people don’t even have to think about. Filtering out background noise. Managing how you come across in a conversation. Navigating a sensory environment that feels too bright, too loud, or too unpredictable. Holding yourself together in a meeting while your nervous system is telling you to leave. These aren’t small costs. They’re constant, and they’re invisible to everyone around you.
It’s a bit like having direct debits running in the background that you never set up and can’t easily cancel. The money is leaving the account, but nobody else can see where it’s going.
So when you reach the end of a day and feel completely spent, it isn’t because you haven’t tried hard enough or because you’re not coping. It’s because your account has been running at a deficit without you noticing.
I wonder what might shift if we started thinking about energy the way we think about money. Not to be rigid about it, but just to notice. Where is the energy going? What are the big costs? Are there things draining the account that could be reduced or removed? And when you spend, where do you then need to save?
Having that awareness can give us a greater choice over how and when we might need to save our energy. Do we have a big spend coming up? This might look like a social event that draws on our reserves, or giving time to something that holds less interest but is essential at work or home.
Knowing something will cost more can allow you to plan how much time you might need to recover and rebuild your energy. This can help to avoid burnout and make sure the reserves are there when you need them. It’s about understanding what things cost you and making choices that respect your capacity.
If you currently feel as though you spend more energy than you save and would like some help in making things more manageable, I offer a free 30-minute session for you to find out how I can support you in finding a better balance.
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