Big Idea #1: Energy Management

It’s not about time management, it’s about energy management. You can have all the time in the world, but if you aren’t directing your energy properly, you’re going to feel frustrated.

In Tony Schwarz’s book The Power of Full Engagement, he divides energy into 4 different categories:

1. Mental energy
2. Physical energy – (the quality of your energy)
3. Emotional energy – (the quality of your energy. Anxious/nervous or inspired/creative?)
4. Spiritual energy – (your purpose; why you use your energy in the first place)

Our minds aren’t designed to work for 3 hours at a time. We often caffeinate ourselves to keep ourselves going, but ultimately we will work best during 60-90 minute work cycles with a 30 minute break in between. This break needs to be fully disengaged. In this type of work pattern, we’ll feel the most energized and productive!

Instead of having to push yourself, imagine being pulled forward, as if the energetic path were laid out in front of you. When we’re in alignment, our action will feel effortless, not forced. Learning to manage our energy is the way to reach this state of being pulled forward effortlessly!

Big Idea #2: From Information to Transformation

For your heart to pound every single day. You’ve got a ton of knowledge in your head, but there’s this defense mechanism which acts as a coping strategy for not having to feel your fear. You’re reading, learning and studying to avoid feeling uncomfortable. There’s only so much information you can consume, before you need to go out and actually internalize the experiences. If you really wanna know something, you need to DO it before you know it.

Go on an information diet! Cut out 80% of the information that you’re consuming, and focus that time on getting out and getting uncomfortable… getting out of your head and into your heart. Use the most important 20% of information you’re currently consuming and make every effort to put yourself out into the world to DO, rather than study and learn with your head.

Big Idea #3: Autonomy in Work and Life

How do we support ourselves to have the time to grow our skills, knowledge of self and clarity, and then create the life that reflects that? Do we take a job that’s not in alignment with who we really are, in order to gain the financial freedom to live a different kind of life later? Or do we just drop our 9-5 and put all our energy into creating a freedom business that will give us total autonomy over our life?

You might be dealing with a whole bunch of decisions around choosing a job that will let you live your ideal life. Make sure to check out any beliefs you hold, such as the notion that taking a job means you will only have 10 days off per year for the rest of your life. Ask yourself, “is that really true?” Or can you gain experience at a certain job that will let you move onto something more in alignment with your desires later on?

Try to move beyond the notion of black and white. Work life doesn’t have to be either working for someone and having no freedom, versus working for yourself and having complete autonomy. Look at the spaces in between and wide degree of possibilities that actually exist!

HW + Action Steps!

As always, we’d love for you to share your personal favorite takeaways in the private Facebook group.