Three Reasons Why You Have To Be Selective With Your Energy
Some people are selective with their time. For others they are frugal with their money. This year and going forward my main focus is going to be selective with my energy.
For several months in 2016 I was burned out. I believed I was stressed and that after covering the election my worries would go away. That didn’t happen. Being burned out means you’re on a hamster wheel that never stops. Being stressed is more like going through a dark tunnel but you see light on the other side.
This is why I have to be selective with my energy in order to be the successful girlboss I want to be:
MY ENERGY IS PRECIOUS
I hate wasting my time. I’m way too busy and have things I need to get done. Yet as I reflect on the past year, I realize I gave my energy away way too often. I tried to please people and not feel guilty, so I picked up those phone calls when I should have gone to sleep. I worked on that project that wasn’t assigned to me but I knew someone had to do it. I answered emails knowing it was my day off. I did all this while neglecting the small things that were important to me like going to yoga and having bottomless brunches. We have to find some kind of balance.
MULTITASKING CAN ACTUALLY HURT PRODUCTIVITY
I recently read this article that one of the things highly focused people don’t do is multitask. It really makes so much sense. I tried it last Wednesday. I had a to-do list and accomplished it…one task at a time. I wasn’t focusing on writing an article, responding to my email and cutting a video at the same time. Not only did I feel calmer but I got more done that day. Of course I work in news and it’s unpredictable. But I think there’s a major advantage in using your energy on no more than two things at a time.
YOUR JOY IS DEPENDENT ON YOUR ENERGY
Your energy introduces you before you even speak. We’ve all walked into a room where we’ve felt bad vibes. If you allow negativity or stressful feelings into your space, how can you keep your joy? I’m the type of person who has to work towards happiness because it doesn’t come naturally. I have to be very aware when someone (or something) is stealing my joy. So to hold on to my joy I plan to smile more, be with the people I enjoy, work on the projects I’m passionate about and to travel as much as I can. I know these are the things I want to put my energy into, everything else is secondary.
Stay driven
