Is your energy diffused or directed?
I was listening to a teleclass today from a fellow coach who mentioned an article she wrote using a garden hose as a metaphor. Interestingly enough, the point she was trying to make was identical to one I had just made with a client of mine a few hours earlier about how we use our energy.
When we multi-task a lot, we diffuse our energy and get wimpy results. This is like having water come through a sprinkler nozzle on your garden hose. The water is slowed and diffused across a distance, making the stream weak. Now that's what you want if you are watering sensitive flowers.
However, if you are trying to really make an impact, you want your energy to be more focused and powerful. You want to use the open nozzle on the hose so the water comes out full-force instead of wimpy.
When you try to do too many things at once, your energy is diffused in all different places. That's not the best use of your energy if you have serious goals you're trying to accomplish or you find yourself in a habit of not completing things or taking longer to complete things than you want.
Having your energy diffused out into a lot of projects also causes you to have to mentally keep track of a lot of different "loose ends," which scatters your thinking. Not only is your energy scattered in your external world, it's scattered in your internal world. A cluttered environment leads to a cluttered mind, and vice versa.
Now, some people will argue that "I work better that way," but I ask you—have you every really tried to operate differently—focusing on one thing at a time to completion before moving on to another? Just because you've always done it that way and have been at least somewhat successful doesn't mean there's not an even better way to do it that will help you have even better success than you have already attained—and with less effort, time, and stress.
This is what my client found when she allowed herself to experiment with focused attention. She agreed to take just 3 tasks that could be accomplished within a day each and do each one of them to completion before moving on to the other ones. When she reported on her results today, she said she was amazed at how much more quickly she got the tasks done and how it really created greater peace of mind for her through the day, improving her sleep and decreasing her sense of "overwhelm" with the projects she has on her To Do list.
So, how is your energy? Is it diffused or it is directed? How much more could you accomplish, and how could you live your life more fully, if you turned off the sprinkler nozzle and turned on the fire hose?!
"Be like a postage stamp—stick to something ‘til you get there." – John Billings
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thanks for the helpful information here, it came in really useful for a project of mine
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thanks for letting me know my post was helpful to you!
how did you find the post, by the way?
Lisa
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I love reading this kind of cool stuff. More please!
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I've had a fine time spending the last 10 minutes having a look around your blog, and it's great.
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I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'll be adding more soon!
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What a lovely site you have, great color scheme too.
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Thank you.
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Have you ever thought of madking a more videos for your blog posts to keep the visitors entertained?
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As a matter of fact, I have been studying about that recently. Just trying to figure out where to start.
Any suggestions? What would you like to see from me?
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I do have to admit that I get pleasure from reading your weblog, even when I do not agree with you. I guess the major thing is to make persons think. Someday I will get around to starting a blog. It will most likely be more for blowing off steam and less helpful than yours is though. Keep writing and I will maintain studying.
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Thanks for taking time to comment. I'm glad you enjoy reading even if some things don't feel right for you to agree with. Take what works for you and leave the rest to others!
Lisa
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I can definitely relate to the last sentence of this article: "how could you live your life more fully, if you turned off the sprinkler nozzle and turned on the fire hose?!" It's an interesting question because we live in an age where multi-tasking is imperative for school, work and life in general. It's just the way it is now. However, I can't say that the constant multi-tasking is good for one's health. Sure we've become more skilled, but haven't become a master of anything. I think we should take our time and focus our energy on certain tasks. If there's one last thing I'll leave you guys with, it's this quote:
"Slow down! You're in a Hurry!"
Now sit back, relax, and get rid of the health supplements and energy drinks.
Meryl F.
Elementary School Teacher (3rd Grade)
Brooklyn, NY
(I LOVE MY JOB!)
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Thanks for taking the time to comment, Meryl.
And thank you for being a teacher!
Live fully,
Lisa
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This is a great article. Gracias for the info.
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This is a good blog. Keep the great work and information.
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