How's Your Energy?
A Quick Saturday Post with Some Questions to Ask Yourself
Several times a year I conduct an energy audit.
This is a protocol I learned from Sam Kimberlie when she was running her Artist’s Way groups. She learned it from The Third Door: The Mindset of Success Hardcover by Alex Banayan.
Here is the protocol:
For a predetermined number of days, (usually a week), I answer these three questions daily to reflect on my energy at the end of the day.
What is something that fueled you today?
What is something that drained you?
What did you learn about yourself and your reactions?
I have done this specifically in regard to teaching, writing and general life.
I use a separate small notebook just for this task. I like the Fieldnotes notebooks.
Every time I conduct this data collection there is something that is draining my energy that surprises me. I love this simple protocol because it allows me to notice something in my life that I wouldn’t pay attention to any other time. Then, I’m in a better position to change because it is all about the energy!
What are you reading?
I am reading several books at the same time but I dipped into
The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichel because I picked it up from the library. I am loving it!
My rule is that I have to read at least the first section or chapter after I pick up books from the library to avoid them just taking a field trip to my house!
I find reading to be influential on my writing so it is always a good practice for me!
Have an amazing Saturday!
I would love to hear if you have ever done an energy audit and about what you are reading!
So interesting to dive into energy fuelling/draining. As an introvert and a highly sensitive person, I need to be very careful about this. It's funny - my extrovert friends are often around people all the time and I need to keep in mind when I get invites that I don't have to say yes. Having said that...I also usually appreciate once I venture out - I just need to put limits on it.
Other writers fuel me, especially in meetings where we can chat and then write together. Talking about movies or books or stories is very energizing for me.
Being an adult amongst other adults is draining - changing water filters, assembling furniture, making decisions about laundry and dishes and taxes and school fees - ugh. Also, waiting... I am a patient person, but I feel drained when I have to wait an indeterminate amount of time for someone or something to happen.
I need to be more prepared to fill my waiting-for-others time with a good book and to chip away at the adult stuff a little every day instead of waiting for tasks and chores to pile up to damage my weekend...