STORY
I wrote this memo after a great family vacation, travelling down the North-West Coast of the US, and managed to completely disconnect.
But back home, I found myself dealing with 9 hours of jet-lag, 2 additional kg around my ribs thanks to American fast food, low energy, and wondering what to do next…
To me, this is typical for the period between the end of the vacation and being fully productive back at work.
As my mentor and friend Michael Port likes to say, “the feeling of overwhelm does not come from having too much to do, but from not knowing what to do next”.
INSIGHT
It is one of the privileges of age that I have been in such situations before, so I know by now pretty well what to do to get back into productive mode.
When my energy and motivation are low I use a simple yet effective “What to do Next” formula to become productive again.
The trick is to work on re-strengthening my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual muscles.
First, I go for long walks to clear my head and get my energy back up.
- physical and mental benefit
Second, I use that energy to complete one task I have been postponing for a long time (In my case cleaning up the garage).
- mental and emotional benefit
And third, I focus all my energy on one project that will in some way improve the live of someone else.
- mental, emotional and spiritual benefit
The project I focused all my energy on was finalising the online training modules for our Book Yourself Solid Training. This is a course for people who want to get more clients for their business.
To get an impression of the training, click here to access 3 free sample lessons.
The interaction with the training participants has probably given me the highest boost in energy and motivation.
INVITATION FOR ACTION
If you ever happen to find yourself in a state similar to mine after a vacation, with low energy, and wondering what to do next, I invite you to try three things.
- Start with your physical energy by doing a low intensity run, a longer walk, or a bike ride. The trick is to do it with low intensity, but not too low. You should feel your pulse, but still be able to breathe through your nose. Ideal duration is 40 minutes, after which I guarantee you will feel more energized.
- Then tackle a task you have been postponing, but which does not require any electronic equipment to complete. Cleaning or sorting tasks work best for me. Here again, select a task that (theoretically) can be completed within no more than 40 to 60 minutes.
- Finally, identify The One Thing that if you manage to get it right, will make many other things easier or unnecessary.