The human mind isn't that different than the circuit breaker. When it's overloaded it will often times just shutdown. It wasn't designed to perform at an optimal level when you have too many things pulling at you at one time. Everything must be processed in moderation.
We all have what I call “mental energy zappers” sponging off of us throughout our day. This is especially true when you've taken on the responsibility of running a business. You've put yourself in a position of calling the shots and you're going to have any number of choices to make through out the day. These decisions you make will help or hurt the future of your business. You have to make a constant evaluation of what mental zappers get your time and attention. It's up to you to prioritize and decide what you need to deal with now versus what you will deal with later. It's also up to you to decide if something is worth stressing over at all.
You constantly have to determine where your time and energy is best invested. In this regard, energy is also a lot like money, as you want to get the biggest return on investment when you spend it. People are relying on you to be fully present as you move from one situation to the next. Customers and employees have made an investment in your decision-making abilities. To make the best decisions you have to be able to focus. To fully harness your ability to focus you can't have too many sources of agitation polluting your thought processes.
It may be difficult for your mind to be fully clear when running your business. You should always strive however to keep as much energy pollution out as possible.
Flip the Breaker – Here are the steps to help get you started!
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Always keep a running priority list close by. I call this your Comprehensive To-Do List. Every day decide what the most important priorities are for you to get to and transfer them to your Must Do Today List. Write them down in order of importance. Also ask yourself why they are important. You still may have to modify the list based upon unexpected situations that come up. (Note: Only plan 2/3 of your day to allow for these unexpected situations).
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We've heard that even when you're not using certain appliances, they can still be pulling energy through them. Experts suggest that you unplug appliances that you're not using to ensure that they use zero energy. I'm suggesting that you temporarily unplug from the situations that you can't get to at that moment. Visualize yourself unplugging from various events and no longer allowing them to steal your energy.
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Stay away from going into “fight or flight” mode. Remind yourself that when this happens, you're dangerously close to having your circuit breaker flip. If fight or flight starts to kick in, take a step back and remind yourself that your current response is too taxing for your mind and body. You can't afford to shut down – so move away from what you've gotten overly caught up in. You need to consistently decide on having a response that will have greater benefit to you, your team and clients in the long run.
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Your health is at the basis of all things in your life. Without your health, you'll have a harder time doing anything. In fact, you may not be able to do anything at all. Too many ongoing mental energy zappers will steal your health in the long run. Constantly ask yourself, “Is this particular source of agitation worth my health?”
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You then have to shift quickly how you feel about the situation, fix the situation or remove yourself from the situation.
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Always imagine your mind as a chisel. The clearer and more focused your mind is, the sharper your chisel is. The more energy you have, the better you will be able to direct put greater force behind the chisel. With a sharp mind and lots of energy you can chip away much quicker at that daily priority list.
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Remember, a tired mind that has no energy can easily overestimate the importance of even the smallest things.
We're all taught to conserve energy in our homes. Your body and mind are your home so conserve and moderate energy usage so that you can continue to live there comfortably. This is the home after all that you'll run your business from.
If you need help managing your energy, our business coaches can teach you how to utilize the best practices in time management (a few of which are shared above) and show you how to keep your circuit breaker from flipping.