I’ve honestly been itching to put this post together because it’s kind of something I’ve really been working on personally (one of many…). I feel like I spend so much time and energy every day on things that, ultimately, are a complete waste of time and energy. From tasky type of things to more emotional reactions and feelings. Some days I’m able to see when I’m doing these energy sucking habits and snap out of it, but other days I give into them like it’s my job. I’ve gotten BETTER by setting priorities, but I still catch myself in these traps all the time. Do y’all know the kind of stuff I’m talking about? If you don’t, I’m about to dive into it so hold that thought for a second.
Basically, I’m desperate to get better at eliminating this kind of behavior. OK, maybe it’s impossible to completely eliminate it, but I want to be more aware so it’s easier to shut it down when I see it happening. Usually when I know I need to work on something, I like to write about it because it helps clarify things for me, but also because the BTD community always comes through with amazing tips and tricks!
So let’s go on this adventure together, k? Below are habits I know I have that I want to focus on breaking, but also some I feel like I’ve overcome, along with others I’ve heard friends talk about as well. Here we go!
Staring at your phone/social media limitlessly
Social media is honestly the best and worst thing to ever happen to me. On one hand, it’s given me this AMAZING community that I’m so thankful for. On the other, there have been times where I’ve allowed it to completely take over my life and suck away all my energy. To give myself a little credit, I think I’ve gotten much better at finding balance (at least as much as a person can be balanced) and I’ve learned the secrets to going on a legit social media detox. However, in the thick of my work day, I still find myself giving unnecessary energy to my phone slash social media.
One thing I’ve been thinking about testing out to help combat doing this on a daily basis is setting up time limitations on my phone. Have you guys used this new feature (I think it’s semi-new? If not, it’s new to me)? It’s CRAZY how much meaningless time we spend on our phone and then just feel exhausted afterward. We give so much emotion to social media.
Think about it for a sec – you might see something that annoys you, hurts your feelings or maybe even makes you really happy. But ultimately, how is giving energy to those things helping you get through your list of real priorities for the day? It’s not! Which is why I’m so intrigued by this time limit stuff on my phone. If you have an iPhone, all you have to do to set it up is go to settings->app limits->add limit and then choose limits for entire categories (social media, shopping, etc.) or manually set up time limits for apps individually. Let me know if you try it!
Sitting for hours
Sitting is something that makes me feel physically drained. It’s crazy to me how tired our bodies can feel after doing nothing but literally just sitting there, hovering over a computer for hours. I get stiff and lose motivation fast if I sit for more than an hour without getting up for breaks. I’ve actually read that taking breaks is good for productivity, which makes total sense in this case.
Getting up and moving throughout my day helps my body keep that “awake” feeling, so if you’re someone who works on a computer a lot like me, try going for walks over your lunch break near your office. Grab a co-worker friend and ask them to do it with you! If you want to move more throughout the day, every hour or so just get up and walk around the office a bit. I’ve also heard of some offices that form wellness groups where people stretch and walk together throughout the day which is cool! If your company doesn’t have a program like this, talk to HR to see if you can get something started!
Taking feedback too personally
This goes back to exerting emotional energy like I mentioned with social media. In the past, I’ve had times where I would be having a perfectly productive day and then bam! I’d get criticism or feedback and I ended up taking it SO personally. Even if it’s constructive and worded very well, it can be hard not letting your emotions get the best of you.
Since part of my job is being vulnerable and putting my life out there, I’ve been working on this one for quite a while. This year I FINALLY started to feel like I was getting better at not caring what people think about me and it has been so liberating. It’s given me back all the energy I used to put into wondering how I could be more for that person or whatever situation. I’m telling y’all, if you want to kick one habit on this list, let it be this one. It’ll change your life.
Eating too much junk
Ugh, this is where I need to put in some work. If you follow along on Instagram, you’ve probably heard me talk about trying to cook at home more and eating healthy(ish), but it’s definitely a work in progress for me. When it comes to food that makes me feel gross and “drained” so to speak, it’s really just sugar. Which sucks BAD because y’all know I love my candy. I don’t think I’ll ever completely stop eating candy (why would I?!), but I think I more so need to keep learning the appropriate times to eat it. Like, the middle of the work day when I need to get things done – probably not the ideal time to down a huge bag of Hot Tamales.
Negativity
I feel like I’m seeing a pattern emerge here (I told y’all writing about things that are on my mind gives me clarity!). A lot of these habits are more about emotional energy than they are physical. If you’re drained emotionally though, it doesn’t matter how you feel physically, in my opinion. Because when I feel this way I know I’m headed straight to the couch or bed.
No one likes to think of themselves as a negative person, but we all can have things that weigh on us that cause negativity. Think relationships (romantic or friendships), frustrating situations at work, etc. Some things are definitely out of our control, but the sooner you can let go, the better off you’ll be. Whatever situation you’re in, you don’t want to let it affect other areas of your life, so to avoid letting it carry over, try your best to let it go. Very few things are worth holding grudges and harboring negativity if you ask me. The only person it really effects is you and you don’t deserve that!
Overthinking
HI I’M BRIGHTON AND I’M AN OVERTHINKER. Have y’all noticed on my Insta stories? Think of all the energy I’m giving in those moments to things that, in the grand scheme of things, are not important at all. I’ll be honest, most of the time I love #brightonbrain, but it can definitely get in the way of productivity some days, which is annoying. If you do this too, try to realize when you’re doing it so you can challenge yourself to remain focused on the task at hand. If you want to reflect on whatever it is you’re thinking about, do it, but after the workday. Another trick that helps me is brain dumps!
Things you’re not good at
There is definitely a time to learn new skills, but more than likely it’s time to delegate and focus on what you’re good at. It is freaking exhausting trying to do something well that is just completely out of your wheelhouse. Trust me, I know because I do this all the time. I’ll try to make graphics for the blog and Instagram, but guess what? I am NOT a graphic designer. What I am, is a (recovering) perfectionist. So even when I have no idea what I’m doing I’ll waste time and energy trying to do it myself so it looks like a professional did it. How silly is that? Delegate, Brighton! If this is you, try reading this post on how to overcome the pressure to be perfect – it might help?
Imagine how much more we could give to our day if we just channeled our energy properly? I feel really motivated after writing this and I hope you do too after reading! Please share any tips you have too!
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