***3 Ways to Shift Overwhelming Energy

Now there are all types of steps, tips and tricks to business success. But there’s one that I’ve found that really keeps the whole energy moving: the ability to process information.

There’s more information out there than ever before. More to learn and more to do. There’s more stuff to read, watch and listen to. And there’s a TON of energy that gets stirred up with all of it. That’s a lot to sort through in order to succeed in business. How can you deal with it all?

A piece of feedback I often hear about my coaching skills is that I can take a lot of information and cut right to the essence of what needs attention. Honestly, this skill has always been with me (it’s the very same skill I would use as a theatre director). But it’s truly strengthened from being an entrepreneur and it’s also a must-have skill for business success; I truly believe and KNOW anyone can learn it.

Entrepreneurs are ALWAYS evolving. However, without a clear approach for how to take in and use all the information coming at you, it’s all too easy to spin your wheels, waste money on programs and products you’ll never use and THEN lose energy getting down on yourself about not getting a thing done!

Now one of the things I figured out right away when I started my first business was that I needed guidance and support from someone who knew more about all of this self-employed stuff than I did. I’ve since worked with a mentor for every phase of my business, joined various coaching programs, been part of a high-end mastermind group, and I am always reading newsletters and books. As you can see, gathering support and learning rate HIGH on my list of business (and life) “to-do’s.”

I’ve also learned to be very selective about where I get my information and support from, how I weave it into my daily business operations, and whatever I choose to do engages in me the energy of “opportunity” rather than “obligation.” This way I’ll be excited to actually use it and/or do it.

So I want to personally share with you my 3 favorite tips for shifting the energy of overwhelm so what you do puts energy in your business and money into your bank account:

Tip #1: Ask yourself this key question:

“Does this serve my ‘dire need’ (my most pressing business need)?”

When you’re clear on what your intention is (e.g., this is going to connect me with new clients, this is going to help me speak about what I do, this is going to give me some space to regroup my energy), you then increase your chances of doing it by close to 100%.

In addition, when you’re this specific about what you expect to get for doing this task, you’re more likely to be fully engaged in what you’re doing, you’ll also take in the learning at a cellular level and so then put yourself in a place to be able to do it more easily the next time around!

Tip #2: Create focus

That’s right. I said, “create” focus. You see, overwhelm perpetuates itself by looking to the outside for change to happen (e.g., the circumstances, the employees, the business partner, the networking event, you name it). However, the real shift can only come from YOU. You must choose to create focus. The key is to embrace that you can’t do it all, all of the time!

For example, just because a product comes with CD’s, a workbook and other goodies does NOT mean you must use all of them. I used to feel so burdened by the Internet book promotions that would come with all of these bonuses. I’d get stressed trying to figure out when I was actually going to get to read it all. Then I realized I could read what I really needed at the moment and forget (or give-a-way) the rest. This reclaimed my energy – thank you very much!

Here’s another example: I have a client who really wants to delegate tasks. She struggles with releasing control and doubting the tasks will be done to expectation-to the point where my client is going back and just doing what was given to someone else to do! So we set up a simple tool. My client keeps a running notepad of everything that’s handed off, (if it’s given to someone else, it’s written down) and then sets a weekly meeting time with assistants to go through the list, get the run-down on what’s been done, and then re-assign if needed, and start a new list.

Now my client’s energy is free to focus on creative money generating (which is what she’s really good at)!

Tip #3: Talk about what you’re doing

I tell trusted folks (my husband, my mentor and even my cat!) what I’ve got going on. Talking about it helps you simplify your thoughts, incorporate what you’re learning, plus “sparks” additional insights and epiphanies. I find this so valuable when it comes to getting clear about what my priorities are. Again, you can’t do it all, all of the time. If you try to do it that way, the energy is stuck and stagnates and that’s where the overwhelm comes in.

So whether you find yourself trying to balance business and family, choosing where to get your information from, or what tasks to delegate, put these three tips into action and you’ll find yourself getting more done, more quickly and serving your business rather than taking away from it.

Until Then,

Heather