What can you do for yourself to ensure your life remains in your control?
Here are some areas of your life that require continuous conscious effort!
Remember- if this was easy then everyone would be on cloud 9 most of the time but it isn't easy and it is absolutely worth it! You decide what is right for you. You decide what you run away from and neglect. You decide the quality of your life! No one else is to blame. That may be the hardest part of tuning in and growing- you own you and your circumstance! Food for thought!
Answer me this...
Boundaries with technology
Technology rocks. It is a vital TOOL that has ensured success for so many businesses due to the insanity of this pandemic. The problem that can arise, is it is easy to feel constantly connected and fail to establish boundaries that allow you to disconnect. Personally- many people do not believe this, but it is true- nearly two years ago I put a daily timer on Instagram for 45mins. Maximum once a week I will see that timer which means I am not wasting hours of my precious and valuable time living vicariously through others. When I go online, I am certain and conscious and engage with those who pique my interest. I see more as a result and can react with intention.
Do you answer emails around the clock? Are you constantly checking social media and without realising creating stress by producing a sense of urgency that is artificial?
Again, I made a pact with myself to not allow work to become my only outlet. I do not engage with emails in the evenings. I make a conscious choice to only deal with them when I have the time and during work hours. This is a boundary I believe in.
We need to create a schedule that allows us to be in control of our digital consumption.
What can you do differently start today to improve your digital relationships?
My time
It can be incredibly challenging to put aside time for ourselves. However, it is absolutely imperative to do so.
Setting aside time is essential so we can focus on our passions that invigorate and light up our souls.
Your personal body clock will indicate when you feel most alive and energised throughout your day. Choose that time for you to do something you love.
Register how people make you feel! Funny statement perhaps. Friends, family, and colleagues can be either drains or radiators. Register how you feel after being in others company. Do you feel exhausted by them, low, down, frustrated, misunderstood or do you feel alive and energised and invigorated? Tuning into this is a fricken game changer. I know because I actively check in and respond accordingly. I remove drains and increase radiators. Life is too short to be constantly drained. Live your god damn best life without moany holes dragging you down. Harsh? Or essential to a flourishing life?
What can you do today to positively change where your energy flows?
Health
There is no excuse for not making health a top priority. Christ that is a tough statement as I fight with myself daily to make MORE of an effort and considering my effort is on the lower ends of the scale, I can see how my body reacts when I do not feed it appropriately with nourishing food and if I do not exercise and get lots of fresh air. I become sluggish, disengaged, low energy, less focused. What about you?
Exercise reduces stress and helps stimulate creativity- what is not to love about that statement???
Find activities that inspire you to move your body and do it often. To stimulate a smile just shake your ass! Honestly, try it now!
What one thing can you do to ensure you are doing something fun that is just for you?
Be curious
It is no mystery that curiosity can fade if we allow it to!
But what if I told you that passion and curiosity is something we create, and it requires effort and a big imagination. It is a daily practice that stimulates a muscle and increases the more you feed it! Play is also essential for promoting curiosity and it helps stimulate creativity. Things like playing music, reading, writing, painting, cooking, baking, photography, sports, languages, reading, learning…….
What stimulates your brain and piques your interest? How can you schedule more of that in your life?
Family time
When we make family a top priority, stress decreases.
Not every family is simple or straight forward and maybe your family is blended or maybe it is how you describe your closest friends.
Less is more sometimes. Quality over quantity is certainly a great way to create meaningful moments but only if you ban phones so that you can all be present and participate. All too often phones and used to continuously escape virtually!
“Stress is caused by being ‘here' but wanting to be ‘there.'
– Eckhart Tolle
How can you change your approach to ensure you get more quality versus quantity of family time in your life?
Be spontaneous
Could you consider trying something new or maybe following through on something you have always dreamed of doing? Plan something fun put it in your diary and make it happen. What could you do today to make this a guaranteed event to look forward to? The anticipation is what energises our sense of pleasure, and it is such a healthy source of pleasure to create for ourselves and for those around us.
Looking forward to something fun is a brilliant way to keep our mood in a most favourable position.
What can you do this minute that would be totally spontaneous and fun?
Form routines
As I mentioned earlier, routines are essential.
My routine is the reason I get so much accomplished.
Once we train our body to get up early, we no longer need an alarm clock. Our circadian rhythm does the work, and we respond accordingly.
Disrupting this natural cycle is the reason so many people feel exhausted and emotionally depleted. Watch how your body responds to this change. The proof is in your energy levels.
Form routines and stay focused on training your mind and body to perform at their absolute best.
How is your routine? Could it be improved upon? If so how?
Plan and prepare
On a Friday or Sunday (depending on your week and how it pans out for you) could you consider planning out your week? What must be achieved? Who must you link with? What strategy needs amending or focus? What day can you measure your input against your output?
Find time to plan so you can reap the rewards of following through and growing your sustainable business and life.
“Much of the stress that people feel doesn't come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they've started.”
Do you find your time is being mismanaged? Are you stressed and unable to meet deadlines? How can you improve your work plan this minute to ensure you do better?
Live well.
Be well.
Hire well!
Warmest regards,
Tracie Daly
Food Business Coach