Are you are in plan-your-future mode or just plain doing the best you can to keep all those balls in the air? You might pick up some great traction by doing a tune-up on your energy system.
Whether you are in plan-your-future mode or just plain doing the best you can to keep all those balls in the air, you might pick up some great traction by doing a tune-up on your energy system. Many people have serious energy leaks they are completely unaware of. Intentionally managing your energy can be as powerful as vigilantly managing your time.
As a Work-Life and Career Coach, I know the great boost my clients gain when they start eliminating some of the energy-drains in their lives. Think about the things that drain your energy. How might you eliminate even one of them? Here are some ideas (pick just one to start with!):
Caveat: This list is so long, it can be disheartening. But please do not go there. Read through it only until you find an item you'd like to work on. Or read through it to be reassured that there are always new ways to free up energy. It is not just another task list.
1. Handle an incomplete.
2. Get some help.
3. Lower a standard.
4. Downsize your "To Do" list: 4 D's (do, delegate, delay, ditch)
5. Change your personal email protocol: check less frequently.
6. Deal with a single procrastination.
7. Acknowledge yourself frequently.
8. Review your top 3 priorities.
9. Adjust your "To Do" list to align with your priorities.
10. Monitor and address worrying.
11. Nourish and hydrate for the long haul.
12. Replace " I should" with "I choose."
13. Develop your inner witness.
14. Strengthen and protect your boundaries.
15. Clear some space, either physically or "on your plate."
16. Don't hide from integrity issues; address them.
17. Say "No" in order to say "Yes" to something more important to you.
18. Leverage your work preferences. (If you're a morning person, do your most challenging work in the mornings.)
19. Manage interruptions.
20. Spend sometime every week not rushing, not in "To-Do Brain."
21. Take some time off. Really off.
22. Clean out your car.
23. Be HERE now.
Just pick ONE item. Addressing one item from this list (or from your own list) can free up some bandwidth for you. Start with something that's relatively easy to do and won't create a lot of push back, reaction, or fallout from the people around you.
Copyright 2006 Sharon Teitelbaum. All rights reserved.
| Sharon Teitelbaum, author of "Getting Unstuck Without Coming Unglued: Restoring Work-Life Balance," Master Certified Coach, and motivational speaker, helps high achievers re-claim their work-life balance. Her interactive coaching process provides a powerful catalyst towards greater career and life satisfaction. Sharon's work has been featured in national publications including The New York Times, Forbes.com, and Working Mother Magazine. Visit Sharon's website at http://www.stcoach.com and subscribe to "Strategies of Change" to receive practical tips for work-life success. |
