Energy > Time: Why Managing Your Energy Beats Managing Your Time

Most people think productivity is about squeezing more into the calendar.
But here’s the truth: you don’t need more hours — you need more energy.

In this episode of The Cognitive Athlete Podcast, Clint breaks down one of the biggest mindset shifts in high performance: stop managing the clock and start managing your cognitive energy.

You’ll hear a story from early in Clint’s corporate career — a day where he learned firsthand that time means nothing if your brain isn’t switched on. Then we dive into the neuroscience behind energy peaks, cognitive fatigue, circadian rhythms, and why your “brain battery” drains so quickly in modern work.

In this episode you’ll learn:

✅ Why time is constant but energy is cyclical
✅ How your prefrontal cortex (your mental engine) tires across the day✅ The role of circadian rhythm in shaping your performance
✅ Why certain tasks drain you more depending on your cognitive style
✅ How to map your personal energy rhythm using the 3×3 Energy Mapping Method
✅ How aligning tasks with your peak energy windows can transform your output

Clint also shares his own peak-performance window and how one expensive filing-cabinet disaster proved the importance of timing your deep work.

If you’ve ever wondered why you’re brilliant at 3:30 p.m. but useless at 9 a.m., this episode explains why and how to finally work with your brain, not against it.

Because the secret to high performance isn’t managing your minutes.
It’s managing your energy.

Pre-order The Cognitive Athlete — in stores 29 December 2025 👉 ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/4fVUHwZ⁠

Visit thecognitiveathlete.com.au for free tools and resources to help you improve your energy, focus, and performance.