Completion = Energy
Ever notice how often people who say they are “exhausted” are focused almost exclusively on the endless list of things they need to do? If you innocently ask, “How are you?” you’re treated to a recitation of their “to do” lists–on which almost every item takes top priority.
In the competition for who has the heaviest workload, these people win hands down. Not because it’s actually true, but because they’ve thoroughly convinced themselves of how burdened they are.
We all play this game from time to time. Haven’t you joked that it feels like you have one leg nailed to the floor and you’re using the other to go around in circles? Or you say, “If I were paid by the hour, I’d be rich by now.” My favorite is, “I’d love to go to a time management seminar, only I don’t have the time.”
The trouble with these jokes is that they keep you focused on the problem, and when you tell them you are inviting others to reinforce your negative point of view.
Well, so what?
The Law of Attraction says, “You attract more of what you focus on.” The more you focus on how weighed down you are, the more burdened you feel:
· When you are mentally bogged down, you lose the physical energy needed to do the work.
· Once you are physically tired, you lose the ability to think clearly, and you fall farther behind.
· People very subtly begin to treat you as an invalid. This lowers your mood and saps your energy still more.
· You begin to feel like an exhausted hamster, hypnotized by the spinning exercise wheel and not understanding that it is you who is keeping it spinning.
Here is how to regain your energy:
· Focus on your “done” list. When you complete a task, no matter its size, acknowledge your success. Mentally pat yourself on the back and say, “Look what I did!” This will energize you for the next task.
· Complete things: little tasks, big projects–it doesn’t matter. (The more important tasks will reward you with more energy.)
· Realize that worrying about a large task makes you much more tired than having done it. It isn’t the effort of cleaning out your inbox that tires you; it’s the fretting about it that wears you out.
Completion = energy. Try it. Take a task that has been worrying you for a while and dedicate the necessary time to do it. Once done, you will be amazed at how GOOD you feel.
Even better, you will have energy to spare!
