For several years Sam has owned his own business. He loves his work and his clients. However, he began to notice that he went home absolutely drained and exhausted at the end of the day. Every day, he was going in many different directions, feeling scattered and ungrounded. Although, he enjoyed almost everything he did each day, it was also exhausting him.
Sam decided to take a time out and re-evaluate how he worked. During his time out, he took a long look at his day. This helped him notice the work that was draining his energy, and focus on the work that created energy. He created a list of the things that made him feel alive and energized, and the list of activities that left him drained of energy.
When he returned to work he began to ask himself frequently “What is my energy right now?” He delegated the activities that drained him to someone in his office that was energized by the work. He put all his focus on doing the “lights on” work that he was passionate about. Now, he leaves each day with the normal end-of-day tiredness, but he’s not drained and exhausted.
The principle of this story is to live every day in distinction.
1. Take a time out. This can be as short as getting away for lunch, to something longer like a week off. This break interrupts the patterns, and allows time to look at the overall big picture of your life and work. Be an observer of your daily patterns.
2. Notice what energizes you and what drains you. Accessing the world of distinction, moment by moment, allows you to do more of the work you love, and the more space there is for creativity to enter.
3. Make a list of what makes you feel alive and sparkling versus the things that feel draining. Anytime you find yourself saying “I should do this”, you are in a pattern that has the possibility of draining you.
4. Give yourself permission to do more of what you love and less of what you don’t love. Delegate the tasks that you don’t love.
Live every day with your lights on!
Cathy Hawk & Gary Hawk
