Managing Time and Energy

The more that I explore being a student in addition to other roles I am taking on, the more I recognize that it's not just about time management but also "energy" management. Which energies do I currently have at my disposal, and what can be put aside to be done when my energies are different? I have noticed recently that my ability to allocate personal energy is so crucial to managing different priorities.
   One of the biggest "drains" of energy is over-inflated expectations, or the tendency to try to plan to do everything in a single night or period of time. This is a big drain because it often involves deliberating on multiple things that need to be done. I need to ask myself the question, at times, can all these things be done with the same level of intensity and enthusiasm? I have found that trying to switch gears between different research topics in one period of time can be quite draining.
   Another energy "drain" involves choosing to do something when one doesn't have the specific energy that might best accomplish the action. In the very late evening, for example, I find that writing becomes too difficult a task, and so I do need to switch to something more passive or relaxing, such as reading. Sometimes one just gets a sense of when they have done "enough" of something, and they then need to switch gears or get rest.
   It's a mistake to think that pushing past energy blockages is the way to resolve them. Even in meditative traditions, monastic teachers don't generally encourage trying to force oneself not to be tired. Quite the opposite: being less tired might mean having to find other ways to do things while conserving energy. I think the analogy might be that of crop rotation: being able to rotate or switch to a different crop is one way to preserve the soil of an overused crop area, thus replenishing that crop in the long run. Overdoing one thing at the expense of others also lacks the much needed balance between different projects and activities. This is why it's important to examine what can be done given one's overall energy inclinations.