Start the New Year with a Shorter To-Do List

If you read my last blog, then you’ve probably been thinking about the energy drains in your life. Now that you’ve identified them, what are you going to do about them?

To get your year off to a good start, you need to tackle your energy drains NOW.

Starting with the “immediate” stuff right away, take care of those things that are niggling at your awareness. Consciously be aware of each so you can take care of it. If it’s a commitment to someone else, honor it right away. If it’s a commitment to yourself, honor it right away or renegotiate with the awareness that now you are only going to commit to those things you can and will do. This leads to the next step.

Think of something that you’ve completed or accomplished. How does that feel? Much better, right? As you deal with your drainers, finishing some tasks and letting go of others, you should experience a sense of relief with each accomplishment. Recognize the sense of completion and relief that comes with removing each energy drain.

Now, examine your beliefs that 1) everything has to be done and 2) that it has to be done perfectly. In order to work through existing energy drains and prevent new ones, you will have to let go of some things. Recognize what you’ve been taking on that you many not actually have to do. You can let go of some tasks because they didn’t really have to be done to begin with. Isn’t it a relief to start the new year with less on your to-do list!

Finally, do what it takes to prevent additional energy drains.

Make sure that you don’t continue to contribute to the problem. The more commitments you have hanging out there that you can’t get done, the worse it’s going to get. Keep in mind the old business saying: “Success is as much about knowing what to say ‘no’ to as what to say ‘yes’ to.” Know your priorities, and use them to determine when to say “yes” and when to say “no.” Consider every request for a commitment carefully, even seemingly trivial ones, because a commitment means that you are striking a contract with yourself or others for future action.

Once you successfully eliminate some of the energy drains in your life, let me know. I’d love to hear about it!

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About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. His monthly e-zine, Belief Change Alchemy, offers coaches, entrepreneurs and leaders strategies for abolishing limiting beliefs that interfere with success, ultimately replacing them with life-changing, empowering beliefs. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want NOW.  http://www.terryhickey.com/