Identifying Your Energy Drains And Working On Them-Part I

Take a good honest look at your work. Identify whether your work gives you energy or drains it away. Our lives are undeniably full and busy and this in itself can be draining and tiring. On a day-to-day level, we all have to deal with issues and people around us, which may slow us down or drain our energy. Often, we put up with clutter and emotional baggage unnecessarily which diverts us from the important things in life. The problem for most of us is that we are so busy; we seldom take the time to evaluate what adds value to our lives versus what drains us of our time and resources.

Here are a few pointers on how to identify what drains you:
• You can tell if your energy is being drained if you are feeling distressed, anxious and overburdened. You are definitely drained if you feel all worked up about a task or issue.

• Pick out what needs to be cleaned up, organized, repaired, taken care of or thrown out once and for all. Take an inventory of your work and see where the most pressing energy drains are.

• Make a worry list. We have a tendency to write to do list but tend to ignore the real issues that keep us up at night. Take time to identify your true concerns. Is ii a demanding partner who puts you down? Or a colleague who does not respect you?

• Energy drains can also be the subtle things we step over on a daily basis.

• Identify your body signals for stress. Stress, of course, is the biggest energy drain. The flip side of dealing with energy drains is identifying what fuels you in life or renews your enthusiasm. As you are evaluating your drains, balance it by thinking about what inspires and motivates you.
Combat energy drains:
• To begin with, choose any specific tasks that you’ll focus on, don’t try handling them all the time.

• Start the day with clean desk. Its simple tactic but highly symbolic. Clutter is chaos; neatness is competence and order.

• Make it a practice to be 10 minutes early for all your appointments. This is one way to give you a reserve of time. When you have more time, you have more time to relax, notice the beauty around you and work peacefully.

• Increase energy gains by making changes in the office décor, make your surroundings beautiful. This small act can be very meaningful with regard to the quality of your work.

• If your mind keeps running at full speed even when you are in bed, get up and jot down ideas or notes. Often, when thoughts are transmitted to paper, they move out of your head.

• Remember that your minds answer whatever questions we ask. If we consistently ask negative questions we’ll tend to answer with an energy draining response. Ask yourself what and how questions so that you can focus your mind on more positive, productive responses.

• Ask for help, if you feel stuck, overwhelmed or fed up, call your partner, delegate the task and make it easy on yourself.

• Finally, make time for yourself. If you don’t enjoy your evenings and weekends, you’ll soon drag back to work without much energy or enthusiasm. The right balance between your personal and professional life is essential for higher productivity and vitality.