The productivity hack I swear by is what I call “Closing Energetic Loops.” It helps at work, in personal relationships, with email – everywhere.
Here’s how you do it:
1. Get a pen and paper, or open a doc on your computer.
2. Set a timer for 10 minutes to start (you may set it for another 10, don’t be shy).
3. Start writing all the things on your mind that are to-do’s or that keep popping up.
4. Then, write all the decisions that are hanging open and need to be made.
5. Next, think through all the things you’ve told people you would do or follow up on and write those down.
6. Finally, think about any old stories that run through your mind (things that you worry about again and again), note those.
Now, you should have a pretty good-sized list. That’s okay. You’re going to use the “2-Minute Rule” from Getting Things Done by David Allen to go ahead and do anything on your list that will take 2 minutes or less to complete. Do it now.
Next…
You’ll do an exercise I learned from Martha Beck, “Do, Delegate, or Delete” to go through the list and delete anything you can (there is stuff you can get rid of on there, I promise). Then, for each item, ask if there’s someone else who could take that on instead. Delegate it to them ASAP – go ahead and send the email now. Finally, what’s left is your “do” list – the things that are yours to tackle.
You may have things on there that are little projects you can get scheduled – do that next. Get as many of them on the calendar as you can. Generally, I say, give yourself 2x the amount of time you think you’ll need to complete it. Then, if you end up with extra time, that’s a win for that day.
Next are the larger projects you can task out and get scheduled.
Finally…
The gems that pop up are the emotional ones. The little nagging ones that, for some reason, you are still tied to. It could be what happened with that one friend in college. Or, wondering if your mom still has that plate you really love. They can be tiny, weird, and very personal – that’s why they’re sticking with you.
Ask yourself, “What do I need to energetically close the loop on this?” Then, listen to the answer. Let it be what it is. And, give it to yourself.
You can be free from the things that hold you down, but only if you let yourself release them. Typically, that involves acknowledging something, in you, that needed acknowledgment.
Closing energetic loops can be so helpful and no loop is too small!
As you can see, this is really a combination of a number of different folks’ wisdom on productivity, including Marie Forleo’s “White Space” exercise, which I love. The question at the end though, that’s mine.
I came up with it when I noticed some people would pop up in my mind from time to time. Usually, when I’d had a conversation with them about working together and didn’t have the resolution they had moved on and gotten the help they needed (somewhere else). So I’d ask myself that powerful question, “What do I need to close this energetic loop?” I’d get my answer and let myself do that thing.
Pro-Tip:
Here’s a pro tip, for the future… You can ask this question in advance!
Here’s an example, say you’re following up with a client or colleague about a project and you’re about to send an email. Before you do, ask yourself, “What energetic loops am I leaving hanging open that I could clear up right now, before I send this?” It could be that you need to say, “I’ll reach back out next Friday if I haven’t heard from you by then.” Or, “I’m leaving this with you – if you need me, you know where to find me.” That way, you know you’re not on the hook – unless they reach back out.
I hope this productivity hack on closing energetic loops helps you take back some of the energy you need.
If you want more customized support for your evolution, let’s connect! Coaching may be a great fit to get you where you’re going, faster.
