Vroom! News from the pLink Leadership Edge

With my cherished end-of-year break coming to a close in just two days, I found myself cramming those days with long checklists of the things that needed to be done before going back to work. What should have been joyful and relaxing became stressful. There I was, sitting at the table cutting out images for a 2021 vision board and thinking, “How can I make this go faster?” I began calculating the time it would take to clean up the holiday décor to see if I could squeeze it in before heading to a friend’s house for some socially distant Trivial Pursuit. Noticing my line of thinking—and the physical pressure building up in my chest—I asked myself, “What if you just released the pressure valve a little? What if you didn’t have to get it all done this weekend?” And that’s what I did. I resisted taking down the tree and suggested we do it the next morning with coffee and music. Instead, I took a hot shower and sat for a luxurious sixty minutes with a cup of tea reading a novel. It was so good.

While stress can be good to kick us into gear, it can also sap the joy and motivation out of wonderful moments. What I’ve learned after a lifetime of self-imposed timetables is …

We have plenty of time. There are very few things that have to be done right this moment. Perspective is useful.
New Year’s Intentions are so much healthier than resolutions. Each year, I set intentions for the end of the new year, then I take steps towards the outcomes I want all year, versus frontloading resolutions and feeling behind by January 3rd.
It is up to me to create space for my life to feel relaxing and productive. If I’m go-go-go all the time, I become resentful. If I release the pressure valve a little, I am able to make space for peace and ease along with powerful productivity.

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