Say goodbye to horrible habits that zap your energy

Trade business owners literally have hundreds of things to do every day! Being distracted and unproductive. One of the best ways to improve your daily productivity is to say goodbye to those dreaded habits that zap your energy. 

Here are 10 habits you can quit today that’ll dramatically increase your energy and motivation:

1. Worrying about what’s out of your control

There’ll be hard times and tough situations that you will find yourself in throughout life. Worrying about something that is out of your control, though, does not accomplish anything.

2. Always being a perfectionist

Not everything is going to be perfect. That is inevitable. There are times when perfection matters, but typically it does not. Therefore, do not let yourself become obsessed with perfection. It is draining.

3. Getting Sucked Up In What Others Care About

Don’t let yourself be distracted or tired by things you don’t really care about. There’ll always be people talking or complaining about something. Getting caught up in someone else’s drama is draining.

Even 20 minutes with your friends, while they complain about their bosses, will take energy away from you. Try to avoid situations like that.

4. Helping people who don’t want to be helped

You might have a loved one that is going through a hard time. It’s important to support them however you can.

However, it’s exhausting to support others who actually don’t want help through challenging times. In these situations, it’s just a pure waste of energy.

5. Paying undue attention to the subtleties

The words and actions of others can get us down. In some cases, those words and actions can teach us things about ourselves that are valuable to know.

In most cases, though, we read too much into it. Do not worry about the tone of the text message that your mate sent or the small interaction you had with them the other day. They could have just been in a rush or in a bad place.

There are times to worry and think about these words and actions, but pick your battles and understand that the little things are often insignificant.

6. Spending time with people who bring you down

Surround yourself with people that lift you up. People that accept you for who you are. Be with these people in person and you will probably find that these times are some of the best times in your life. Times that I live for and get me through the hard times.

7. Doing work you do not enjoy

It’s inevitable to have to do work we do not enjoy occasionally. But if you have the option to choose, why wouldn’t you choose the better option? If a customer calls wanting you to come and install downlights while another customer emails wanting you to install solar panels (your favourite type of job), book in option B first! It’s okay to turn down jobs.

8. Skipping your workouts

It is easy to hit snooze on your alarm or to go directly home after work instead of the gym. Doing so, though, will leave you worse off. Working out releases endorphins, it gives you time to decompress, and it leaves you feeling healthier.

Missing workouts is an extremely negative habit because of all that it takes away from you. Instead, push yourself to workout a few times a week. It might be tough to motivate in the moment, but it is always worth it.

9. Thinking about unfortunate past events

Hanging on to the past is easy. It gives us a place to point fingers, make excuses and wish for different outcomes. Similar to worrying about what is out of your control, though, thinking about the past does not accomplish anything. It just takes away motivation from the current moment. It’ll get you down about your situation and wishing that things had played out differently.

Instead, all there is to do now is move forward.

10. Struggling to say no to people

We, all feel a need to please those around us. That is why it is so tough to say no to others. Sometimes, this is good because it pushes us out of our comfort zone. Many times, though, it is harmful. You end up taking on responsibilities or doing things that you do not want.

The solution is to learn how to say no. The transition is difficult at first, but people will respect you for it. Plus, it will give you significantly more time and power to commit to other things.

By changing a few habits and letting go of things that ‘bring you down’ you will not only increase your productivity and output, but your overall well being.

What’s next?

  1. Join our Kick-Ass Tradies Facebook Group, for access to trade business specific conversations, tips and resources, plus a like-minded community of tradies.
  2. Book a 15-minute Game Plan Call with Andy, owner of Dr. DRiP plumbing and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, to clarify your priorities and get clear action steps.