Do as little as possible

Do As Little As Possible

Normally my motivation tips are related to motivating yourself and others at work. However, this month I wanted to look at motivation outside work. After all, if your personal life is draining, unfulfilling or simply boring, this will impact your motivation levels at work too. If you are in a leadership role, understanding how people's personal lives affect their work will enable you to motivate them effortlessly.

So, think about all the various tasks you do in the average week outside of your job: Taxi service for the kids, housekeeper, administrator, accountant, cook, gardener, mediator and therapist to name just a few. It's not surprising that most of us have very little time for ourselves! We're so busy keeping house, looking after others and taking care of the mundane that our "free time" simply disappears.

The effect this can have on our general levels of motivation is huge. 

• Firstly, we can become resentful, thinking "Is this what my life has become?". This negative thinking is an energy drain. 
• Secondly, we don't take care of ourselves meaning we are tired, unfit and maybe even ill and don't have the personal energy reserves to perform to maximum effect at work. 
• Thirdly, we are unlikely to be good at everything we expect ourselves to do. Continually doing things we aren't good at or don't enjoy can feed in to self-doubt in other areas of our lives.
• Finally, when we have a never-ending "to do" list we find it difficult to be motivated about new projects. We think, "I never finish what I start anyway, so I probably won't finish this either".

That's why this month's motivation tip is "Do As Little As Possible". By this I mean delegate as many of these tasks to others as possible leaving yourself time to do what you're really good at and what you enjoy most. Ask yourself "How do I really want to spend my personal time?" Then ask yourself "What is stopping me from doing this?"

Now start delegating: Get a cleaner, a gardener, an accountant…anyone who can do those jobs you do not absolutely have to do yourself.

The Guilt!
Are you thinking to yourself "But I should be able to do all this myself?" or "Everyone else manages. Why can't I?" or "It seems wrong to ask other people to do the stuff I don't like!"

In order for you to start designing the life you want you are going to have to challenge all these "shoulds", "Whys" and "assumptions". One of the fastest growth areas in business is in personal services. Why? Because people are realising they don't have to do everything themselves. There are people out there who are really good at the stuff you aren't good at and they make a living out of doing it for you!

What are you waiting for? Do less…and get more done!