Do you find yourself feeling pressed for time and rushing to get things done?
Are you constantly in a hurry to get somewhere on time?
Do you feel like you have too much to do and not enough time to get it all done?
Rushing can become a habit for many. There’s a belief that if you rush, you’ll get more done faster and can check off more of your never-ending task list. But what is your ultimate goal, clearing your list or getting great results from everything you put your effort into?
Your Experiences Aren’t Coincidences
I’ve written before about executing from your energy, not from your effort. I share that true productivity comes from approaching all tasks from a good-feeling, positive-energy perspective. Rushing in a stressed manner is not a good feeling… so why are you still rushing around?
When you rush, you feel an uncomfortable sense of urgency. This is because you’re coming from a place of lack. You may feel that there is too much to do, and you don’t have adequate time or resources to get it all done. You may be imagining — or evening panicking — that you will lose out on something if you don’t hurry, whether it’s a big opportunity, respect from others, or something else that is important to you. But what kind of outcome do you think you might get if you take a hurried action from a place of lack?
Well, you may not get the good outcome you truly deserve.
Have you noticed when you’re hurrying somewhere because you think you’ll be late that a slow vehicle appears in front of you, you hit every red light, or, in some really unfortunate circumstances, you end up with a dreaded speeding ticket?
Have you broken, lost, or forgot something when you were rushing? Or have you made a mistake that you have to go back and fix, taking even more time than if you would’ve just slowed down the first time?
Me too.
But now I know that these aren’t just frustrating coincidences or Murphy’s Law in action (who is Murphy anyway, and why did he write such a crazy law?). These are reminders for me to take a deep breath and recognize that maybe I’m being asked to slow down for a good reason.
Years ago, I was driving along the highway from San Francisco to visit Lake Tahoe with a dear friend. We left later than we wanted to that morning, and soon enough, we ran into construction that forced us to take a windy detour.
We could’ve gotten upset or frustrated, but we ended up finding joy in that journey because the detour offered us the opportunity to enjoy incredible views we would’ve missed out on if we didn’t hit construction. Why did this happen? Because even though we were blocked, we were in good spirits. If we would’ve been rushing with negative energy, we may have ended up in a traffic jam that lasted hours.
None of this was a coincidence. It’s within your power to create from how you choose to feel.
The Power of The Pause
I recently found an investment property I wanted to purchase. After speaking with a bank to get a loan and trying to provide them with information about my financial situation online, their system repeatedly blocked my login, even though they kept resetting it on their end.
I started to feel frustrated and rushed because I had so much to do in a short amount of time, and responding to all of their requests would be time-consuming. I paused, took a breath, and reminded myself that maybe there was a reason this was unfolding the way it was. So, I walked away from the computer to clear my energy. Upon return, I started to search only to find another bank that was much more professional, easier to work with, and offered me an interest rate that was almost two percentage points lower than the first! Thank goodness I was stopped from moving forward with the first bank because the clearing and elevating of my energy opened me up to find the second bank.
Learning to be aware of your energy and knowing when to quickly make a shift is the key to ultimate productivity, which leads to a successful life. Ok, I know I’m asking you to hurry — but the reason is powerful, and the outcomes are incredible!
6 Tips for Slowing Down and Elevating Your Energy
When I suggest that you shouldn’t rush, I’m not telling you to stand back and not take any action toward achieving your goals. Rushing comes from lack, but not all rapid movement forward is considered rushing — it’s the feeling from which the action is taken that matters. Forward-moving positive action is what creates success. Here are a few tips to stop rushing and start experiencing more success and joy in your life.
- Always prioritize high-quality rest and wellness because when you are rested, you take everything in stride.
- Start each day by elevating and expanding the way you feel before getting out of bed and taking any action. I provide some examples in my article on elevating your mood and finding an energy of success.
- Learn to budget your time and top priorities more effectively. This will limit the moments you find yourself feeling rushed. If you need advice on ways to achieve true productivity, don’t hesitate to contact me!
- Remember to breathe. You can’t think clearly and work efficiently if you are deprived of oxygen!
- Be aware of how you feel before taking action. If you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, have tools handy to shift the way you feel. When I feel rushed, I have a saying that makes me FEEL better: “I have all the time I need in the time I have.” Then, I feel as if that is true. You can also ask yourself, “What is this situation trying to show me, and what good may come of it?” Come up with anything you can tell yourself that helps you shift from rushing to a sense of acceptance and ease.
- Have a simple visualization that you can quickly do anytime and anywhere to uplift your energy. I like to imagine I am floating above the clouds. A great coaching client of mine imagines the sunset every time he notices he is feeling concerned.
Be Available for Goodness
Great opportunities and relationships are always available to you, but you have to be in a flow state and allow them to flow toward you. Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or rushed block the good things from coming to you. Know that all is well, and enjoy the little coincidences that begin to happen more often as you make these shifts. You are not the victim of outside circumstance — you have the power within you to create a joyful and successful life.
Take back your power. Breathe, relax, and achieve greatness. If you need help getting started, contact me for a complimentary strategy session where we can discuss your life and ideas on how to get you on your path to stressless success.