Flip It!!
Overwhelm is a beast. You know the feeling, right? It crowds you. Weighs you down. Suffocates you. Millions of things on the never-ending to-do list and you just can’t catch your breath. I was having one of those times in the lead up to relaunching my practice and website. Deadlines looming with a red every ASAP next to everything. I felt overwhelm creeping over me and I knew I was not making the most of my time or energy. Something had to change.
Lightbulb Moment!
I looked down at my list and I saw before every task the words, “I need to…”.
I need to finish my website ASAP.
I need to get my podcasts edited ASAP.
I need to write newsletters ASAP.
I need to do my accounts ASAP.
You get the idea. On and on it went down the page and each thing had ‘need’ attached to it. When we need to do something there is a sense of obligation attached to it, a duty or a requirement. When we need to do something, it can also mean that we do not necessarily ‘want’ to do it but we have to. It feels heavy or undesirable. No wonder I was struggling. I decided to flip it.
Flip what?
A flip is a simple word change that can make a world of difference. It can change the meaning, mood and motivation behind your words and that can have a dramatic effect on your actions. If I changed the word ‘need’ to ‘get’, I would create a sense of wonder and privilege.
I get to finish my website ASAP.
I get to have my podcasts edited ASAP.
I get to write newsletters ASAP.
I get to do my accounts ASAP.
Those tasks then could become something desirable instead of obligatory. Sounds good but was it enough? It didn’t feel ‘next level’ to me. Time for the DOUBLE FLIP! Now instead of ‘get to’, I felt inspired to change the wording to ‘am so excited to’! This energetic shift provided the turbo charge I needed for the reframe. Read below and see if you can feel the difference. Now go back and read all three versions. Make sense?
I am so excited to finish my website ASAP.
I am so excited to have my podcasts edited ASAP.
I am so excited to write newsletters ASAP.
Now, you look at your own ‘to do’ list. Where can you insert the words ‘am so excited’ to bring in that extra feel good factor?
List still longer than your arm?
Now, you’ve crafted your new and improved to-do list but it’s still a mile long. How do you choose what to do first? The feeling I had looking at the list was better but it needed focus if I was going to be effective at all. Firstly, I removed the ASAP after every task – it was frying my brain – and I went to my tried-and-tested follow the energy technique to optimize productivity. I read each task out loud and then felt the energy in my body as I read it. Did I feel excited or was I filled with trepidation? Where I was filled with excitement, I highlighted that. So, instead of a list of 20 things, I ended up with a list of 3 things. Rinse and repeated the next day. I made the tasks soul-driven bite site chunks and I was off like a rocket.
So, if you look down at your own list, can you feel which tasks hold the most positive energy? Choose 2 or 3 and go do those – with excitement!
Have fun being productive!
Kia Aileen xx