What is an energy drainer? Well, it is anything that you put up with, take on, adjust to or are dragged in to. An energy drainer can be someone else’s behavior, an annoying situation, a crossed boundary, a frustration or an unfinished project. Here are some examples of energy drainers: excessive clutter in the garage, cabinets, unfiled stack of papers, cluttered desk, the neighbors’ barking dog, a doorknob that is falling off, a leaking faucet, poor customer service, clothes that no longer fit, traffic, not being paid on time, and the list goes on.
Think of energy drainers as that little bit of white noise in the background. You’re not really aware of it, but it’s there and it’s having an effect on you and your performance. These energy drainers create friction and increase your frustration level. Energy drainers distract you from your focus because they are always there in the subconscious mind dancing around reminding you they need your attention. During times of major change and transition, excessive energy drainers can take an otherwise gifted, effective and skilled person and cause him or her to behave in uncharacteristic and unproductive ways. In effect, excessive energy drainers take an already difficult situation and turn it into chaos! Instead of allowing these to zap your energy, I want to encourage you to zap the energy drainers and reclaim your energy, one energy drainer at a time.
Please take a couple of minutes and write down the things you identify as energy drainers. You’re tolerating more than you think! Keep a running list of your energy drainers. Throughout the day as you think of another toleration, add it to the list. Remember, energy drainers also include those little things that don’t seem to matter too much, but when joined with several others, they really do have an impact. Sometimes just becoming aware of an energy drainer makes it possible for you to manage or eliminate it.
Identify 5 to 10 energy drainers that, if eliminated or resolved over the next 30 days, would dramatically improve the quality of your life.
Please understand that you will not be able to eliminate all of your energy drainers and you don’t want to get stressed looking at the list. Just getting them identified will have a positive impact because you can stop thinking about it now that you have it on a list. Resolving energy drainers will also have a positive impact on your quality of life as well as those that have to live with you.
By eliminating many of your energy drainers you will improve your ability to focus, shift from reacting to responding, increase your patience and be generally be more positive.
Now, go and apply this Coaching Minute!
