I tend to be a rule follower. In the same breath I will say, “Rules are meant to be broken!”
Sometimes it’s confusing being me but I enjoy the challenge. đ
My current take:
Write the rules Erin. then follow the rules you write.
Two years ago this time I was supposed to deliver my final workshop of the year. I was in mad prep mode. The client was intense. Then I got sick as a đ¶. I rescheduled the workshop and told myself, “Erin. Do not schedule jack after the first two weeks of December.”
No one is the mood to learn. People have egg nog and holiday festivities and end of year wrap ups and all of those sorts of things on their mind. OK no one is thinking of egg nog, but they would RATHER think of egg nog than attend a workshop on communication.
I’m in a mentorship program where every quarter there is a two-day virtual Immersion. The material, community, and content is the real deal. Two days on line when the calls are in a different time zone hence me staying up way past my normal 8:00 PM bedtime can get a person pretty tired.
After the first session I attended, I told myself, “Erin, do not schedule jack during immersions so you can be present and take it all in.”
The latest immersion, I had client calls during the day and was mildly cracked out.
I had forgotten my rule.
Then I got smart. đ€
I opened my notes app and creatively titled a note “RULES” and then I wrote Rule #1. “Do not schedule jack during Immersions.”
Guess what note #5 is, added today.
“Do not schedule jack after the second week of December. Ever.”
I attacked the first two weeks of December. I drove 7 hours for a networking event which is a story for another time. I resisted the whole “everyone is over it, no one cares, it’s the end of the year” trope.
And I’m here to tell you, come December 15th, I’m over it. “It” being the outward. “It” being doing new, adding more, the outward energy. This week I scheduled a bunch of catch up calls and had a few client calls, thinking this’ll be great! I can round out the year with some convos!
Well, I missed two calls. I’m trying to close loops but I am adding new ones. I’m feeling my battery drain like the toy batteries under the Christmas tree.
This is when we need to have rules. Rules for our energy management.
We need to check in and notice what’s draining our energy, what’s filling it up. We need to notice patterns and seasons of energy. This mid-December shut down is not new. I just forgot it. Then I think I can push through, or I can do one more thing, and then I get resentful. Of me.
Which is not helpful! So what can I do about it?
Write Rules.
Instead of Rules of Engagement, it’s Rules of Energy Management.
Noticing. Paying attention. Writing the seasons down so I don’t forget.
It’s the paradox of owning it and not phoning shit in constantly, and also being aware and asking what’s best for my energy in this moment/season that’s going to be best for the next season?
Go ahead an open up a note on your go to app or in your journal. Title it: Rules of Energy Management. Start making a list (checking in twice) for what rules you can put in place–and remember–to protect and fuel your energy.
And remember, the Energy Management Rules are not made to be broken!
