Q: What do I do when I'm exhausted, but I need to stay awake? Like a breakfast meeting after a night with the new baby screaming, or a client dinner after a long day of travel? Sometimes I just need the caffeine and sugar rush to get through. Any recommendations for a healthier strategy?

A: Let's compare energy  to money and see what we can learn.

(Giant Disclaimer: Please note that if you are planning on taking my financial advice, you are very much in the wrong place and should leave now. I'm using financial metaphors for educational purposes only, as my accountant knows only too well.)

If you are a good money manager, and you pay your bills, and live within your means, you can usually find the money if extraordinary circumstances present themselves. And there are lots of responsible ways to go into debt - home equity, business lines of credit, mortgages, etc. But if you're always opening new credit card accounts, playing the lottery in the hopes of paying the rent, borrowing from your friends, and borrowing some more - then when things get really tough, you're out of luck.

It's the same with energy. If you manage your energy responsibly, not spending more than you make on a regular basis, then when extraordinary circumstances show up, you have options. Haven't you ever gone to a party or a concert and felt sluggish until things started heating up, and then you felt you could dance all night?

If you are always relying on caffeine and sugar to get you through the day, you become accustomed to them, and they don't work so well. But if you manage your energy without artificial stimulants, then a small amount of caffeine or a little candy goes a loooong way.

I used to keep a can of Coke in my glove compartment, just in case I had a long drive at night. Three sips and I was good from Harrisburg PA to Trenton NJ with no fear of falling asleep at the wheel.