SolveYourProblem Article Series: Time Management
How Can I Manage My Time Better?

3 Things That Drain Your Time, Energy and Resources – Part I

Despite your best efforts at time management, you may find yourself facing serious drains on your time, energy and resources. Unless you deal with the causes of these drains and “plug the holes,” so to speak, you’ll forever keep running in circles as you try desperately to stay in control.

Below are three major things that can drain your time, energy and resources; and what to do about them:

Distraction

Have you ever had those days where you just can’t seem to focus? Even the simplest tasks make you feel overwhelmed because you already have a million things on your mind. Distraction is usually caused by chaotic surroundings, scattered thoughts, or lack of a clear plan. When you’re distracted, you are not working at an optimal level.

How to deal with distraction: The best way I’ve found to deal with it is by first finding a quiet place to think and plan. Grab a notebook and pen and make a list of the things you really need to get done as soon as possible. Try to organize your thoughts by putting them down in written form (this alone helps immensely!). If your distraction is caused by chaotic surroundings you may need to find a quieter place to work, or if that’s impossible you might simply use headphones or earplugs to blot out as much noise as possible. Most important is to simply have a plan of action; a clear idea of what you need to get done and how you’re going to go about completing it.

Poor health habits

Believe it or not, poor health habits can have a powerful negative impact on the rest of your life. When you don’t get enough rest, don’t eat nutritious food or when you try to live on caffeine and sugar, your body and brain cannot function at an optimal level! They just don’t have the fuel necessary to meet the demands your busy schedule places on them. As a result you end up feeling fatigued, cranky, distracted and mentally foggy. In a very real sense, poor health habits create a big “hole” through which your energy consistently drains, leaving you with the inability to meet the demands of your life.

How to plug the hole: The answer is obvious; start taking proper care of yourself! Make it a priority to get adequate sleep each night, schedule in time for exercise and proper meal-planning, and don’t forget to make time for fun, recreation and personal time. Though it seems like these activities will “take away” time from your already-overloaded schedule, you’ll find yourself with much more energy and stamina so you end up being able to accomplish more than you would otherwise.

Unresolved emotional issues

If you’ve ever had an emotional burden weighing heavily on you, you’re all too familiar with the way it can drain your energy. Unresolved emotional issues can range from anger and resentment about current problems to grief and trauma from past experiences. Avoiding dealing with these issues will cause you to feel like you’re moving underwater. You’ll feel sluggish, weighed down and held back from creating a more balanced life.

How to resolve emotional issues: It may sound overly simplistic, but working through them is the best way to resolve them once and for all! If you still hold a lot of anger toward someone in your past and refuse to forgive them, you’re only going to keep harming yourself. Likewise, if you feel angry or resentful toward someone in your life right now, avoiding the issue will only make it worse. Instead, make a strong effort to work through these situations. There are numerous ways to do so, from having a heartfelt talk with the person you’re angry with, to journaling your feelings, to working with a qualified therapist. The most important thing is to work through any pain, trauma, anger or resentment you are holding inside so you can finally release it and achieve closure. Once you do that, you will find yourself feeling much lighter and freer – which will provide the space you need to better balance your life.

In Part II of this article, we’ll cover two more destructive drains and effective strategies for plugging them.

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SolveYourProblem.com : 2009

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