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Plugging the Holes: Avoiding Drains on Your Time, Energy and Resources – Part II
Posted on June 2nd, 2008 by Better Life, under featured, selfimprovement, time management.
In Part I of this article, we covered three common drains on your time, energy and resources, and shared helpful tips about how to “plug the holes,” so to speak.
Below you’ll find two more destructive drains and what to do about them:
Stagnant situations. Similar to unresolved emotional issues discussed previously, you may need to achieve closure on situations that no longer serve you. This might include relationships that have become empty and unproductive, a job that no longer fulfills you, or even financial habits that are causing greater expense than they need to.
How to clear stagnant situations: The answer is simple, but not exactly easy. Be willing to LET GO. Endings are hard, there’s no doubt about it. But by being willing to let go of what no longer serves you, you make room for better circumstances that do! The process becomes easier when you keep that in mind. Rather than focusing on what you’re “losing” by letting go, acknowledge what you stand to gain. Then take a deep breath and do some heavy pruning in your activities, habits and relationships. It may not be fun while you’re in the process, but afterwards you’ll marvel at how energized you feel!
Demanding people. Demanding, petulant, needy people are often referred to as “psychic vampires.” Simply being in their presence can be draining and exhausting. They are impossible to please; they always focus on the negative aspects of every situation; they find fault with everything you do and say; and they generally make you feel like you’re fighting a constant battle of wills. If you spend a lot of time with people like this, you’ll quickly find your energy and focus draining away.
How to stop them from draining your energy: The solution seems obvious; stop spending time with people like this. However, when “people like this” happen to be your family members or co-workers or even long-time friends, the situation becomes a bit more complicated. You can’t simply shut them out of your life and move to a mountaintop somewhere to avoid them. In that case, it’s better to develop some strategies for coping with them more effectively.
First, limiting your exposure is a good idea. You may not be able to avoid them completely, but you can definitely do your best to spend less time with them. They’ll probably be unhappy about that at first (remember, they find fault with everything anyway), but eventually they will find another target for their venom.
Second, try to be mindful of the real reasons for their dour demeanor. Believe it or not, they don’t act that way just to cause you grief. Most likely, they have some deep-seated emotional issues that make them miserable. When you look at it that way, it’s easier to feel compassion for them. That doesn’t excuse their behavior, but at least makes it easier to not take it so personally.
Finally, remember that their beliefs and perceptions DO NOT have to become your own. Learn to step back mentally from the things they say and do. Avoid getting sucked into dire predictions and negativity as much as you can.
We’ve covered some pretty big issues that can drain your time, energy and resources, but there are many more. What other drains do you deal with on a daily basis? Take a close look at the areas of your life where you seem to experience trouble or difficulty, and see if there are any “holes” that need to be plugged.
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