How to plug your time and energy drains

In May I deleted Facebook and LinkedIn from my phone. When I returned to my desk after my staycation, I decided against re-installing them. I wanted that 'holiday feeling' to last.

What I have come to realise, is the parts of me that social media is designed to manipulate, stand no chance when the apps are in my pocket.

They were my go-to in my 10-minute breaks between work calls. On my daily walk, I would pull out my phone and check my feed. At the weekend, one minute I would be enjoying a meal out with my husband, and the next my precious time with him was gate-crashed by a Facebook ad, telling me how I could drop a dress size in 10 days :)

I’m not saying my laptop-only relationship with social media is the whole answer, but I am noticing significant differences in my energy levels:

I have ‘just started’ where I have been procrastinating. Inspiration and ideas, for various projects I’m working on, are coming to me more frequently and potently. I am having more real-time conversations. I've made new connections and enjoyed the company of people I haven’t spoken to in years. I am taking more five-minute dance breaks during the day, and feel more present and focused with both my clients and my family.

Ironically, I am finding social media more enjoyable when I do choose to be on it.

There are often small adjustments we can make, that can create immediate headspace. These practical tactics can help us reclaim our time and energy for what matters most to us, in our working lives and beyond.

A starting point is to become more aware of our own energy-draining habits. But to make sustainable changes, there are usually bigger questions to explore.

In this example, for me these included:

What is meaningful connection? And…

Where am I seeking approval from others?

As we get curious and explore the deeper questions over time, we may discover answers that have eluded us for years. Answers that can help us channel our energy into having the impact we are truly capable of.

Email me at claire@clairemackinnon.com with your reflections, comments and questions, or join the conversation on LinkedIn.

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Photo by PoloX Hernandez on Unsplash