Hi everyone,
I have been thinking a lot about how complicated life can become and of the benefits of simplifying life to achieve more, so thought I'd share with you in this newsletter.
Many of us suffer from complete overload of things to think about in our increasingly busy lives. We have deadlines to meet, challenges to overcome and sometimes buried in the midst of this mass of commitments are the goals we want to achieve! Here we are approaching the end of March and how many of us are asking ourselves, “Where is the year going?” Behind this is a sense of time rushing away and a sneaking regret that we still haven’t completed any of the projects we set out to finish in our rush of enthusiasm at the start of the new year!
I can certainly relate to this and I have spent a lot of time reading ideas on how best to structure our time, our workspace, our energy (and even our brain) to get the most out of life and make sure we do get a sense of fulfilment from the completion of unfinished business or plans!
I am learning a lot about how we need to direct our attention to focus clearly on the task at hand but at the same time, know when to apply the brakes and step back from what we are doing when the time is right and our work is unproductive. There is so much fantastic information out there and knowledge to be gained that can really help us live better lives and follow our passions instead of getting caught up in the myriad of smaller jobs that a) we don’t enjoy, and b) don’t use our strengths.
This last week I have great cause to celebrate. I have ticked the box on one of the long outstanding projects that I have had on my list for over a year now! Last January I set out to convert my Level 1 Wellness Coaching workshop into an online version, thinking I would kick it over in a month or so. But life got in the way and here I am – 15 months later (at last) with the final product completed, accredited and ready to be launched! And a huge feeling of achievement and satisfaction – one of the five pillars of wellbeing that Martin Selgiman identifies as being important for many people. If this was so important to me, then why didn’t I get it finished earlier?
If we can step back and look at the choices we make each day as to how to spend our time it can tell us a lot about our operating system (for want of a better term). I believe that we are often caught up in a fast flowing stream that feels like it’s going in the right direction but we haven’t really got time to check in on that or whether there is anything along the way we might like to stop and look at! Our to-do lists become a burdensome picture of guilt, particularly when the majority of items are unchecked each night/week/month (that was certainly the case with my online program!)
There has to be a better way of doing things and I am realising that there is. By a slow and careful process of change in my own daily habits, I am incorporating systems to ensure I have control of how I use my time and energy - no different from helping people choose nutritional or exercise habits that will serve them well in the long time, I am coaching myself to a better way of working (and living) and becoming aware of my tendency to sometimes get lost in the big picture and forget to structure the steps needed to get where I want to go. I am also recognising that there are times that I need to apply the brakes and shift my attention from the task at hand to achieve the kind of life balance that I so wholeheartedly encourage my clients to have. Life isn’t just a goal but it is nice now and again to kick some but certainly to enjoy the game that we play along the way.
Recommended reading:
Getting things done – Steve Allen
Organise your mind – Margaret Moore and Paul Hammersmith
