In this episode of the Vocational Education Podcast, I reflect on something that’s become increasingly important to me as I’ve spent more time designing, facilitating, and leading learning in the VET sector: understanding and managing my own energy.
Over the years, I’ve become far more aware of when I do my best work, what drains me, and what helps me stay switched on—especially during long training days, multi-day workshops, or extended periods of cognitive effort. In this episode, I share what I’ve learned about recognising energy patterns across the day and how that awareness directly impacts the quality of facilitation, engagement, and decision-making.
I explore: How I use a simple time audit to identify my peak energy and focus periods
Why energy management matters more than time management for educators and facilitators
The cognitive demands of facilitation and the need to stay mentally present in the room
How food choices, sleep, movement, caffeine, and sugar affect performance across long days
Practical strategies I now use to maintain focus and avoid the afternoon crash
Lessons learned from running a multi-day workshop when I didn’t manage my energy well
I also walk through my current daily structure—from morning routines to focused work blocks and recovery strategies—and explain how putting these systems in place has helped me protect the quality of my work and my wellbeing.
This episode is for trainers, assessors, instructional designers, and anyone working in vocational education who wants to deliver consistently high-quality learning experiences without burning out.
