Feel like a failure who never gets through the list of to-do’s each day?
I used to have a never-ending list of things to do in business and my personal life that created a high level of anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. It felt like the list never got smaller, in fact, it continued to grow each day. At the end of each day when I would reflect on what I’d achieved, the list made it look like I hadn’t done much at all. Oh no, here comes those familiar feelings and thoughts of failure and not being good enough.
One of the reasons the list was continuously growing is because I was so… busy (debatable, it’s all about our perspective) that I couldn’t trust or rely on my memory to capture all the things to do. I was operating from a place of “what if I forget to do something important”, and because of this type of thinking I felt the need to capture absolutely everything. All this did was weigh me down and create more anxiety, stress, and worry, along with me questioning myself about “how the h#ll am I going to get all of this done”. I’m exhausted just by looking at the list.
Over the years like many people, I’ve completed training on time management, how to prioritise, delegate, and all that good stuff, however, none of it helped me achieve more or more importantly change how I was feeling. It just left me thinking about why I wasn’t coping, when I looked around me and everyone else (welcome comparisonitis) seemed to have their s#it together.
While I’m open to new possibilities and upgrading my inner technology (aka my thinking patterns) on my approach to living a fulfilled life, I couldn’t help wondering how much time it will take to learn and implement another new process and is it even going to work for me because my circumstances are unique. Honestly, I don’t have any time to spare for learning something else that isn’t going to work (queue head in hands shaking side to side). Then I remembered we always find time for the things that are important to us. So, I did it, I made it a priority, and got started.
Mmm, wondering what my dirty little secret is? I decided to get intentional about how I choose to show up in my life, and what actual activities will receive my time, effort, and attention today. I know it sounds like prioritising right, but there’s more to it, keep reading!
Deciding on what tasks to action is a step in the process, but there are a few more steps to ensure you operate from a place of alignment, and it only takes me 5–10 minutes to complete and the difference in how it makes me feel is massive.
My alarm goes off, and without snoozing it I meditate for 10–15 minutes. Then I open a google sheet and review how my day is going to play out by asking myself a series of questions similar to below:
· What am I grateful for today — always start with high vibes
· Check in with how I want to feel today e.g., calm, focused, energised, etc
· By operating from this á place what will this allow me to do
· What does my mind, body, and soul need from me today — trust me I ask these questions and things pop into my head; you just need to trust you have the answers within you because you do even when it doesn’t feel like it
· What are my key rocks (ideally x 3) today — those 3 things that must get done, anything else is a bonus right! Your key rocks will be activities that align with your high-level goals in your career, health, relationships, finances, etc
· If there was one thing, I could gift myself today to make my day awesome what would that be e.g., a takeaway coffee, 5 mins to step outside and breathe in the fresh air, kids outsourced!
I then create a movie in my head of how my day is going to play out, how I’m going to show up, the habits and behaviours I will exhibit to bust through my rocks and get the shiz done! As the movie plays most importantly, I connect with my body and experience how it feels to be me moving through another fantastic day. This step is so important because you are priming your brain to operate in a way that works for you. Your brain can’t differentiate between what is real or imagined, when you navigate your day conceptually, your brain will respond as if you’ve already achieved your desired outcomes and been the person you want to be. How easy and cool is this!
Before closing my peepers at night, no matter how tired I am, I finish my day by reflecting on the awesomeness I have accomplished.
Being intentional is my secret sauce because its’:
· Enabled me to be focused on the things that truly matter and move me closer to my goals
· Consciously operate in a way that supports my health and well-being, plus kick my goals
· Quietened down the imposter monster
· Made me realise and appreciate how much I do achieve in a day
· Shaped how I’m playing my own game of life, so there is no one to compare to anymore
I really want you to love your life and operate with more ease and flow. All you have to do is start being intentional about your mind, body, and soul each day to have a great day.
If you feel like you need extra support in making these changes, don't hesitate to reach out. Book in a time to chat with Hana or follow her on: Facebook Instagram or LinkedIn
