600 Pounds on My Shoulders
By Jason Henkel, Chief Balance Engineer
There have been times during our Balance and Productivity trainings when very well organized, hardworking students will contact me afterwards and advise that despite implementing many of the modalities we teach, they still have too many days that feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. They've carved out the non-essential items and found flow state at work. They've gotten quite good at the distraction management approaches we covered. Only the important items remain and yet, most days are still too much and feel "yucky" (big word alert).
At Focus to Evolve, we have a guideline that if more than 20% of your days feel out of control (as a general guiding indicator), and you've done all the things covered in our Balance and Productivity training, then it means we have to sit down for a detailed review of the 100 proverbial things on your plate and literally prioritize each open item. It becomes very apparent what can drop and what can't. Ruthlessly drop the bottom 20% of the list and cut and paste those minutes and calories into the top 20% priority items. I call this exercise "priority triage." You usually need an outside assist to help navigate you away from your internal narrative when doing your priority triage. Remember, as a human (all of us), the ego's number one job is to maintain our narrative/identity (it's a limbic survival thing). If you believe everything is ultra-important/droppable, it's going to ensure you continue believing that. Outside assist on this (a close and trusted friend, mentor, or other) will help to clear things quickly.
If after the priorities triage is complete, you still find that the big and important items are too many and your days are still feeling overwhelming, then perhaps you need to revisit your why. I'm reminded of seeing an Arnold Schwarzenegger graduation speech. He said that in his young years of body building, when he had 600 lbs. on his shoulders doing squats, it was brutally heavy but it felt easy to him because he was crystal clear in his vision and goal (to win the Mr. Universe contest…his why). Perhaps you sit quietly and revisit your vision and goal. Maybe this is just a season of life or a point in your career where the 600 lbs. is supposed to be on your shoulders. This realization alone can ease the suffering. The pain will still be there, but the suffering may not have to be because you know exactly why the pain exists. One warning on this idea; be sure you are truly honest with yourself. These are minutes of your life, and you don't want to be inauthentic with yourself. The pain should have a genuine and deliberate (and time-based) reason. Mindlessly taking on pain over and over like Groundhog Day can lead to severe depression and anxiety. If you truly do decide it's all worth it, then you just might find joy in the 600 lbs. on your shoulders. Perhaps you only needed a mindful revisit to your reason why.
One book that addresses this squarely is Greg McKeown's new book Effortless. If you have pulled all the leavers of productivity, learned the craft of saying no to the non-essential, and find that you simply have too many "big boulders" still remaining, then this book just might be what the doctor ordered.
If interested in working better hours, not more hours, reach out (click here ) and set up an individual or team training!
Mindfully Yours,
Focus to Evolve Team