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That’s why, at Studio Sondar, we prioritise spending time on energy-givers to cultivate positive energy.
So, what are we talking about?
What do we mean by positive energy?
We mean the good stuff that adds up to success. Motivation, creativity, and inspiration. All the things that drive you to climb bigger mountains.
Having peace of mind, clarity, and focus helps you keep your eyes on the horizon. So, you don’t have to waste time constantly micro-managing those little worrying upsets that keep springing up. We find the best way to achieve this is to spend time on things that build up positive energy in your business.
Having a culture of energy gain isn’t as easy as we’d all like. And an excellent place to start is to avoid energy-drainers.
What is an energy drainer?
Energy-drainers are all the things that bog you down, some completely avoidable with enough foresight, some not! Sure, some people thrive off adversity, but some things just get everyone down.
A few examples of energy-drainers are:
- Overworking or overloading your schedule.
- Getting stuck in a cycle of distracting day-to-day tasks.
- Being in a position where you must compromise your values.
- Not being compensated properly or having demanding clients.
- Having fruitless disagreements with your teammates which are often caused by misaligned values.
- Comparing yourself or your business to another in an unflattering light.
These energy-drainers stifle creativity and muddy your focus, so you don’t get time to look ahead and achieve the success you otherwise would have.
So then, what about energy-givers?
What is an energy giver?
Simply put, an energy-giver is an activity or mindset that contributes to your positive energy. So, anything that gives you more motivation, creativity, and inspiration. It can cultivate energy to offset and counteract the energy drainers that you typically suffer through.
Sometimes, you just need to add in positive energy to make up for when you must grit your teeth through hard times.
You can try:
- Setting boundaries and enforcing them.
- Surrounding yourself with cheerleaders – people who will lift you up.
- Taking some time off work occasionally to practice self-care.
- Asking for help from your team or even friends and family. Forward-thinking goals can bring you a lot of motivation but staying accountable is super important.
It’s a balancing act, minimise as many energy-drainers as you can and offset the rest with energy-givers. So how do you get it right?
How do you build a culture of energy gain?
A good place to start is recognising the energy-drainers that are bringing you down and taking steps to minimise them. It may feel like a bad time; work might be full blown crazy! Sooner is better, though. Scheduling time away from working can stress you out at the start, but the benefits will quickly follow.
So, what’s occupying all that brainpower? If you’re spending too much time on work, cut back slightly. Can you automate some repetitive daily tasks if you're short on time? Can you outsource? Set firm boundaries so that you are rarely put in a compromising position and stand firm on how much your time is worth. Are you worried that your team isn’t all on the same page? Hold regular team huddles to exchange ideas and discuss the more complex concepts.
It’s likely impossible to remove all the energy drains in your life, and sometimes it’s important to be able to crunch. If you leave it alone, you’re just going to lose more and more energy, and a yearly holiday isn’t going to fix it. That’s why you should make habits out of energy-gaining activities. Daily exercise is a good idea, just like having time without thinking about work. Work with people who are good at collaborating, who can share expertise with you and generally lift you up.
Getting it right can be difficult; you need to be honest about what you can achieve and put in a lot of time to make significant changes. But, if you manage to get the balance right, you’ll find that you’re more motivated and inspired to improve constantly. Your work will get more efficient, and you won’t feel like you’re caught in a rut.
It’s a conversation!
Sitting down and knuckling it out isn’t always the best way to go about changing your culture. Often, talking about it regularly and making minor adjustments is the best way to make significant changes.
At Studio Sondar, we’re always keen to hear from you. Tell us about how you’re shifting your business or personal life towards a positive energy culture. And we love talking about how we’re getting on too, so drop us a line!
