Why Are You So Tired Anyways?

I read the article below by Jennifer Lee and I thought she just spoke to the exhaustion, pushing and striving that so many entrepreneurs feel on a daily basis.  If you are someone who is often tired, often stressed, or perhaps even both much of the time – I think that the realization below that Jennifer shares will resonate for many of you, as it did for me, as just the simple truth.

Sometimes the “biggest” lessons can be the most subtle

While I was at Midas Camp, I had an important aha moment. The “smallness” of my take-away is what made it so BIG.

Given that the cover of my newest Right-Brain Business Plan states, “Simplify, simplify” you can imagine how timely this lesson is!

Andrea Lee led us through some Feldenkrais exercises. It was my first go at this movement practice so I didn’t know what to expect. We lightly rocked back and forth and side to side on our chairs. As someone who practiced rigorous Ashtanga yoga for many years (until I got injured by, you guessed it, overextending myself), I felt like I was hardly doing much and started to question if I was getting anything from it.

Then Andrea asked, “How many of you feel like these movements are too small?”

I shot my hand up in the air.

Andrea gently encouraged us to explore where we might be working too hard. And then it hit me! I could feel the tiredness in my body from so much straining and striving. I could also sense how subtle movements and microscopic adjustments could actually be more impactful and effective than overreaching and muscling through.

Where in your life or business do you push too hard to “look good” or “keep up”? When do you take 10 times longer because you keep tweaking and “perfecting”?

Here are a few ways to simplify your life or business:

• Dial your effort down by 10% and notice what happens. Dial it down another 10% and then another. My guess is the world didn’t end from you not striving as hard.
• Look for the easiest step and just do it (no overthinking or second guessing it!)
• Remove at least 1 or 2 things. Strip whatever you’re working on down to the essentials.
• Rather than pushing hard to get the whole big project done, break it down to manageable pieces and take those pieces one at a time. You’ll be better able to manage your energy and stamina and you’ll have a better sense of where to adjust in the moment to be more nimble and responsive.

May you find more ease, elegance, simplicity, and flow!

©2013 Jennifer Lee, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. Jennifer Lee is the founder of Artizen Coaching and the award-winning author of The Right-Brain Business Plan.  Her bestselling book has helped thousands of entrepreneurs around the world grow their businesses authentically and creatively.