Most things that keep us down are not circumstantial. It’s our bad habits, obsessions and addictions that drain our energy and make us lose focus. If you’re ready to refocus and reenergize here are eight simple tips to help you refocus and reenergize.
1. Stop comparing yourself to others. You are unique and so is the next person. You can’t play someone else’s game, and you can only compete against yourself. If you want to improve in some area, work on building the capability, but stop focusing on comparison and start focusing on your own game.
2. Don’t take the bait. Notice how many people waste energy on social media arguing with people they don’t know. Negative people are all around, but you don’t have to engage, prove your point, or have the last word. Recognize your choices. You can let it go, ignore it, or even turn off your device.
3. Stop complaining. Talking about what is not working or who did you wrong is a waste of energy. Once you’ve identified, the problem, ask for what you want or set an appropriate boundary, but don’t waste time endlessly about something that’s already happened or something you can’t change.
4. Give up the need to be right. Others don’t always need to understand or agree with your point of view. If you know what you need to do, do it. Give yourself and others the freedom of choice. Stop wasting energy asking for permission or trying to get agreement on decisions that are ultimately yours.
5. Stop criticizing others. Constantly focusing on other people’s weakness drains your own energy. Rather than harboring resentment, go directly to the person with whom you have the issue bring the situation to their attention so they can make amends. Recognize if this is a re-occurring pattern that you are the common denominator.
6. Take regular breaks. The body craves rest and recovery every 90-120 minutes. Working without breaks breeds exhaustion and increases the likelihood of mistakes. Each day schedule time to rejuvenate and your effectiveness and productivity will increase.
7. Take charge of your time. We humans spend a of time talking about how busy we are. Being busy makes us feel important, and business is an excuse to avoid taking responsibility for priorities. Instead of saying, “I don’t have time,” say, “I have other priorities.” Now you’re focusing on your priorities, not the constraints of the clock.
8. Stop saying “I can’t.” Saying “I can’t” strips you of personal power. Instead of saying “I can’t,” say, “I won’t” or “I’ve decided not to.” You’ll still get the same result but now your decision not to do something is out of personal responsibility instead of blaming an outside circumstance.
Article originally published published in the Marlene Chism Newsletter on LinkedIn.
