Along with time and money, energy is one of your most valuable resources. And if you're a professional woman, it's a resource that's most likely in short supply. With the myriad number of professional and personal tasks you need to accomplish, while taking care of your family, you have very little - if any - energy left over for you. It's easy to understand your dilemma.
Energy is defined as "having the internal or inherent power or capacity to act, operate or produce an effect." Mental, physical and emotional energy is the fuel that drives your creativity, your thinking and your ability to take action. Energy drains limit your capacity to act and create. They also deplete the inspiration and motivation that is such a crucial part of a complete and balanced life.
Here are the top 5 sources of energy drain I see most often in my clients' lives, as well as some suggestions for how to eliminate them.
Energy Drain #1: Keeping Details In Your Head, Instead Of In A System
Your brain, like a computer, only has so much RAM (random access memory). And RAM is mental energy. When you rely on yourself to remember your shopping list, your to-do list and your dentist appointment, it eats away at mental energy you could be using elsewhere to create a greater impact in your life.
It's not that all those tasks aren't important, but what if you had the mental energy to complete that major report, write your book or create a more powerful business strategy?
Think of each item you need to remember as an energy unit. How many energy units do you spend keeping details in your head? Find (or create) and begin using a system to track and remember things for you. Use it daily, and you'll free up more mental energy to accomplish higher leverage projects and tasks.
Energy Drain #2: Making Assumptions and Taking Things Personally
Humans are exceptionally good at creating meaning. With every occurrence in our lives or every statement someone makes, we're constantly asking: "what does that mean?" Sometimes meaning helps us to know where we stand, but much of the time the meaning we create is, frankly, an incorrect assumption. How many energy units go down the drain each time you second-guess the meaning of someone's words, actions or inactions?
Think of the last time you spent an hour, a month, a year (or longer) having made the wrong assumption about an interaction with someone. How much energy did it cost you? The next time you find yourself making things up about someone's words or actions, ask them for clarity so you can deal with the truth, and move on.
Energy Drain #3: Tolerating Friction In Your Environment and Relationships
The squeaky door. The leaky faucet. The tired paint color on your bedroom walls. By themselves, the energy drain is minor. Add them all up, however, and you have a gaping hole in your energy system. It's time to clean it all up. Make a list of all the things in your home, office or car that you continually notice needing attention. Set aside some time and tick them off your list once and for all.
Likewise, when you tolerate a dysfunctional relationship or have unfinished business with anyone, you're losing energy. Confront the relationship issues you have. Clean up unfinished business. If necessary, get support from someone who can help you negotiate such confrontations skillfully and responsibly. Think of the energy it takes to avoid someone versus the energy you'd gain in the long run having the issue cleared up.
Energy Drain #4: Disorganization
According to a USA Today report, Americans waste 9 million hours every day looking for misplaced items. Every time you can't find your keys, you waste energy. Each time you have to shuffle through a stack of papers to find an important document you waste energy. Each time you feel like you'd be embarrassed to have a friend drop by, you are depleting your energy account.
The solution is simple. Get organized. Although it may seem a daunting task, what you'll gain in energy and satisfaction is well worth the initial investment. Julie Morgenstern, the organizational goddess, recommends handling it in small chunks. Start with one room at a time. You've got to start somewhere. It's well worth the effort for the feeling of peace and tranquility that an organized space offers.
Energy Drain #5: Taking Care Of Yourself Last
It's been drilled into us. Meet everyone's needs before your own. While taking care of our loved ones provides a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, it also requires precious energy. In worse cases, it can even breed resentment - another huge source of energy drain.
A famous person once said, "Only give from an overflowing cup." Try this on. What if your criteria for giving were based on how full your own cup was? In other words, you can only afford to give when you have an ample supply yourself.
What does it take to ensure a full cup? A good place to start is to follow the suggestions from the above four examples. You'll begin accumulating a reserve of energy until you have plenty for yourself, as well as enough to give to others.
It's YOUR life . . . live it completely!
Helaine is a professional coach and writer, who has been featured in numerous publications, including "O" The Oprah Magazine. She helps entrepreneurs and professional women accelerate their professional success, while achieving a more complete and fulfilling personal life. She combines a broad range of professional experience in her work, including management positions in the education, training, retail and international non-profit sectors. For a free consultation, contact her at 603-357-8546 to discuss how she can help you accelerate your own success. You may also visit her website, http://www.pathofpurpose.com, for additional information, or email your questions to helaine@pathofpurpose.com.
"Well, you're just a busy beaver, aren't you?" You've either... Read More
Building wealth isn't something for the frightened, ignorant, and lost.... Read More
Mary and Susan were friends for years. They grew up... Read More
(Excerpted from the 1999 Weekend Seminar audio/CD series)Parents, leaders, employers,... Read More
There is a close link between respect for another person's... Read More
The Outlaw Josey Wales is an interesting Western that I... Read More
Are you getting frustrated because the work you continue to... Read More
"Things might have been worse"This is the most powerful, dynamic,... Read More
Australians are loosing their laidback, carefree reputation, as we continue... Read More
What's holding you back?One of my clients came to me... Read More
One way to become more successful in your life is... Read More
People often ask me, "Josh, if you had one bit... Read More
Recently, I have been riveted by the amazing reality show... Read More
We live in the information age, dominated by the development... Read More
Everybody wants to get to the top, whether it is... Read More
Do you constantly find yourself saying "I can't afford it"... Read More
If you have a choice each day in the tasks... Read More
In 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down and the... Read More
If we hope to achieve any worthwhile goal it will... Read More
Very few of us can pick up a complex task... Read More
Do you think you have an "average" or perhaps an... Read More
Q: Are you a success?A: Its all in how you... Read More
What is "success"? Why does it seem everyone wants "success"?... Read More
Whether you are self-employed, whether you are an employee, whether... Read More
Does it surprise you that only 400 cokes were sold... Read More
We've all been driving down the road and seen those... Read More
1. Any work activity, unless initiated at the earliest will... Read More
Self-improvement; A great deal has been written on the subject,... Read More
A wonderful quote by author and scholar William A. Ward... Read More
Do you feel like your stuck?No matter what you do,... Read More
Revolution:a sudden, radical, or complete change a fundamental change in... Read More
Any person who goes through life without experiencing failure is... Read More
Language constitutes our belief system. What we believe is true... Read More
FOCUSAs you're building your business, you can choose to win... Read More
I am writing this article to cement two key success... Read More
"The reason man may become the master of his own... Read More
Many people ask me how they can be more successful.The... Read More
My life is a bubble; but how much solid cash... Read More
Lots of people network but few reap the rewards of... Read More
Here is a great way to create affirmations that may... Read More
About six years ago I began to study tai chi.... Read More
In this brief article we will explore four methods that... Read More
There is no substitute for direct personal application. Information or... Read More
Everyone wants to be successful. However, many people often rely... Read More
How do we define success? Webster's dictionary defines success as... Read More
Hi, Jim Rohn here. This month we focus on accelerating... Read More
Are you successful? What does that word mean to you?... Read More
Have you ever wondered why you're not where you want... Read More
Ask yourself the following:1. I have created a life-strategy plan... Read More
Not so long ago, I impressed the daylights out of... Read More
Not only do we communicate with ourselves, but our cells... Read More
"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key... Read More
A couple days ago I was listening to a CD... Read More
The TRUE BMI of SUCCESS (B)e a (M)illionaire (I)ndexWhy am... Read More
Failure is GreatYou are probably asking yourself what could be... Read More
We all strive for a 'balanced life'. Although we may... Read More
Routinely, I rise out of bed before the birds, and... Read More
Both the worst and the best of the great achievers... Read More
I could labor the idea but then that would only... Read More
Last month Along The Purpose Path was about how to... Read More
The purpose of man is in action not thought -... Read More
A good laugh can help in a difficult or tough... Read More
This morning, on TV, I was amazed to see how... Read More
'No man is an island' the saying goes. The implication... Read More
About a month ago, I was hit by a car... Read More
This article is about a subject that few people think... Read More
Success |