energize me
Nov. 21, 2011 7 Comments Posted under: practice what you preach, simple thoughts, wellness practices
Think you’re in need of an IV drip of Red Bull? Think again! If you’re suffering from a serious energy drain, it’s time to kick some things to the curb—namely all those To Do list items that are filling your mental space and draining your energy every minute of every day. Why not try this energy infusion exercise instead? It’s quick and easy and offers results that impact your life as well as your energy level.
Follow these Steps below to get an instant boost!
Step 1: Make a complete list of everything that is running around in your head taunting you with, “you’ll never get to me, you’ll never get to me.”
You know, things like that plant that needs repotting, or the thank you note that should have been written weeks ago, or that pile of papers that must be filed before something gets lost.
Now at least it is on paper and out of your head!
Step 2: Apply the Bag, Barter, Better It plan (from Martha Beck’s book, The Joy Diet) to each item.
Bag It—simply cross off anything that in the grand scheme of things is unimportant.
Barter It—find someone to do it for you.
Better It—do the task ASAP and reward yourself during or after for getting it done.
Here’s the plan in action. Bag repotting the plant because if it needs replanting it is obviously growing and thriving just fine in its current pot. Barter the filing or pay your son to do it during his free time over the Thanksgiving holiday. Better the writing of the thank you note by doing it while enjoying your favorite cup of tea, listening to your favorite song, sitting in your favorite chair and writing on your favorite and most beautiful stationary.
Step 3: Take a deep breath and enjoy the surge of energy you feel because you just tackled at least 3 things on your list.
Step 4: Keep a notebook with you and when more To Dos pop into your mind, write them down. Again this keeps them from taking up your mental space and clear mental space always equals more energy.
Still have questions about how to boost your energy sans caffeine? Ask away. Leave a comment or question below…
What has helped me organize my ever-growing to-do lists (business and personal) is Wunderlist. This is a free service that lets you create categorized to-do lists electronically. You can choose a due date or leave the date blank for “someday.”
I love this tool because I no longer have to set my “remember alarm” in my brain. I just have to remember to check my Wonderlist! (It sends me an email reminder if I have things on my list that are due today as well).
Oh, one more feature, you can have one list and check it from multiple devices — computer, laptop or phone. It keeps your master list updated for you.
There are some real gems here! I especially love the idea of a built-in reward in “better it”. Wow, if I did that then I’d have much more incentive to get things done!
Keep up the great work, Yvette!
Yes, Maria the BBB system is so simple, yet powerful. If you like the “Better It” option, the key is just to pick something that makes the tasks fun during it or gives you something juicy to look forward to after doing it. Enjoy!
I felt myself take a nice deep breath as I read your post, Yvette. Clearing clutter is my favorite past time — something so magical happens when we get rid of what’s no longer ours to do or to have…whether that clutter is in the closet, on the computer desktop, in the email inbox or an unnecessary project on the to do list. The BBB approach is a lovely reminder for me today. Thank you!
I, for once, know I’d have problems with bagging TODOs! Everything seems important enough so that it has to be done sometime, or so I think. I will try to practice more often, thanks for the reminder!
Delia, that’s the beauty of the Bag It, Barter It, Better It system. If you can’t bring yourself to Bag any To Do items, you can always Barter or Better them. Good luck!
Erica, glad you liked it and especially glad it caused you to take a deep breath. I’m a big fan of those!