Finding More Energy in Your Life and Your Work

I don’t know about you, but there definitely have been several days recently where I’m sure to an outside eye, it basically looks like I’m just staring at the computer pleading that inspiration comes and slaps me upside the head.

It’s the time of year where I want to focus on friends and loved ones, picking out awesome gifts, holiday parties, making my epic baked brie and holiday cupcakes, and this year I have yet another distraction of moving to a new city which means I need to find the will to organize & pack.

All of these distractions have me wondering how I can access more energy…. And I thought I’d share what I came up with that are applicable to both my daily life, and my (also daily) work life:

‍One: Evaluate whether your core values are in line with your day-to-day life.

I believe core values are key ingredients to happiness, and it’s so important that you know what they are. Ask yourself: is my life and career aligned with these values? And if not, where can I bridge the gap? When I did this exercise I realized that I was out of integrity with the promises I made to myself when I started my business. Loyalty is one of core values, but I was being too loyal to the work and needed to recalibrate to be more loyal to family.

Recently, I started setting an alarm that goes off at the end of my business day so I can stop what I’m doing and be committed to my family.
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‍Two: Reframe the conversation around energy.

‍I reframed it in my head that I’m not looking to “find more energy,” instead I’m trying to access all the energy that is already available. I was conflating not seeming to have energy with not having enough time, and they are two separate things. I used to be in the habit of what a friend calls Mission Control.

This is the practice of scheduling time (and sticking with it) so you can increase productivity. So guess what?! I threw away my to-do lists and put everything into my calendar so it all has a set time. I like to put the harder, more mental projects in the morning so I have the most mental energy (and caffeine) to complete those bigger tasks.
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‍Three: Find a bigger purpose.

‍If you’re feeling stuck, depleted or burnt out, it’s because your “why” is SMALLER than YOU. When I’m low on energy, I take that as an indicator that I’m not connected enough to whatever mission I’m pursuing. This inspires me to reassess and brainstorm openings for action.

This one is really great to remind me of the “why” of Charisma Communications and to live that every single day not just for my clients, but for myself too!I realized that I know the “why” that drives my business, but to be honest I haven’t quite figured out the big why that drives my daily life.

So I know I need to reach deep and pull more out of myself, and connect to who I truly am. I have a feeling that once I do that the future I create will be full of possibility for all avenues of my life and I’ll be mega-energized by the purpose of it all.
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‍Four: Take a chill pill.

‍I’m never going to have it all figured out, and that’s ok. To me, my new focus is to make each new day better than the last.

That said, I’m off to try an outdoor yoga class that my yogi keeps raving about, but I kept telling myself I didn’t have the energy/time to go. I’m looking forward to the relaxed sense of accomplishment and yoga high afterward.

‍I encourage you to think about something new you can try this week. Who knows maybe that will help unleash part of your bigger purpose.