How to Create a Personal Regeneration Program for Increased Energy and Power

Stop! Close your eyes and breathe deeply for 30 seconds. Think only about your breathing. Nothing else.

Welcome back! Notice how you feel more relaxed? There's a lesson in that exercise that will do wonders for your health and well-being.

I was talking with an acquaintance the other day who complained that everything in his life seemed to be breaking down. I wasn't surprised. This individual has been going through the same cycle for years.

He rushes through every day at warp speed. After a while everything around him begins to get out of whack...including his body. He is then forced to slow down and get his health, car and whatever else is not in working, back in shape. Then it's back to warp speed again.

I've suggested to him that his stressful lifestyle contributes to his cycle of breakdowns. And he admits that it is probably true. But he simply is unable to break out of his self-imposed cycle. Don't let this happen to you!

Your body needs more than rest

Everyone knows the body needs rest. But what many people don't realize is that the body also needs regeneration.

"Isn't that the same as rest or sleep?" you might ask. No...it is not!

Regeneration means stepping away from life's normal pattern. I call it visiting my Zen place. (Zen is an ancient practice of moving deeply within.) It is my place of peace.

How to establish your own place of peace

1. Be aware of "stress signs":

• Do you feel tense most of the time?
• Are you irritable?
• Do you feel overloaded with work?
• Are you constantly busy but never seem to catch up?
• Have you lost your creative flow?
• Is the quality of your work suffering?

There are many other signs that are related to running at a stress-inducing speed.

2. Plan ahead for some rewarding, regenerating experiences:

• Take a hot bubble bath
• Get a professional message
• Take a sauna
• Practice yoga
• Have a serious workout
• Take a hike or a long walk in a peaceful location
• Drive alone to your favorite spot and read a new book
• Take a nap
• Go for a bike ride
• Paint a room or refinish a piece of furniture
• Build something
• Work in soil (gardening)
• Create something
• Turn off the lights and sit quietly in the dark
• Stop what you are doing and focus on your breathing for a few minutes
• Visit your Inner Child and go someplace fun
• Take time to do something you really love

Some regenerating experiences will take only a few minutes...others a few hours...some a day or so. All will be worthwhile if they allow you to return to your normal life feeling refreshed and regenerated.

Make a promise to yourself

You may be thinking, "That really sounds great. I definitely have to plan some regeneration time."

Then what happens? Life! Stuff gets in the way. Promises are forgotten. The busyness continues. Stress builds until finally the body breaks down and forces you into a period of regeneration...except this regeneration is accompanied by illness or some other unpleasant condition that is not of your choosing.

It is far better for you to be in control of your regeneration than to be forced into a period of regeneration.

Make an appointment with yourself

Schedule 15 minutes sometime tomorrow for a regeneration break. Consider starting on a new (fun) project, beginning a book that isn't work-related...whatever excites you.

If possible, don't time yourself. That can put you under unnecessary stress. If you run a few minutes over, so what? Just "feel" the time. As you get used to taking some time and discover the benefits of regeneration, you will probably want to lengthen these periods.

Once a month (and perhaps more frequently) you may want to devote a full day to yourself. Sometimes you can schedule these days in advance; other times it depends on the weather.

Avoid excuses

We all tend to come up with excuses when it comes to making time for ourselves. "I've got too much to do today, so I'll do it tomorrow." Guess what? Tomorrow never comes! Don't allow yourself to fall into this trap.

Treat your life and you body with respect. Give your body the regeneration time it needs and feel the difference in your life. You will be healthier, happier and get more done. In fact, regeneration periods don't take time. They actually add time to your life!

I'm not kidding. It will take you to a natural watering hole in a South African game preserve. The picture you will see is in real time, broadcast 24x7 throughout the year. In other words, what you will see is what is happening at the watering hole right at that moment. You will also hear the sounds of the surrounding jungle if you turn up your speakers.

You might see some baboons grooming each other, gazelles grazing, zebras...or absolutely nothing. But whatever is...or is not...going on, it will provide you with a mini-regeneration vacation without the expense, heat, or bugs of Africa.

The best time to check the watering hole is between 10 a.m. and noon EST. (This is late afternoon in Africa.) Even if nothing is going on, you can spend a relaxing few minutes looking at the African landscape. It's amazing how rested you will feel when you arrive back home!

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How to Overcome Procastination!

Everyone procrastinates.

But what is its true meaning?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines procrastination as “to put off intentionally and habitually.”

And some psychologists say it is “a gap between intention and action.”

No matter how you slice it, procrastination is a significant deterrent to success. It’s a big reason so many people live lives of desperation and frustration. They tend to avoid or delay large, essential tasks that have considerable future value. And this adds even more stress and creates a further hardship.

But every now and then procrastination works out to our benefit.

It’s only by accident

Sometimes we get lucky, and it turns out that the task we have been putting off doesn’t need to get done after all. Like when a project gets cancelled. Or the boss doesn’t need that report you never got around to writing.

However, things like that happen only occasionally—when the world operates against your own expectations. It’s like going to Las Vegas and spinning the roulette wheel. Sometimes you’ll win, but most of the time you won’t. On average, that’s a terrible strategy for success.

The Oxford English Dictionary has one of the best definitions I’ve seen. It defines procrastination as a postponement, “often with the sense of deferring though indecision, when early action would have been preferable.”

Since we’re all guilty of this (at least from time to time), let’s spend a few minutes talking about typical signs of procrastination and ways to overcome this self-sabotaging behaviour.

Put a finger on it

The first step in stopping procrastinating is to recognize that you’re doing it.

However, this isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds.

Although there are many more, here are several habits of procrastinators.

1. You’re always a day or two (or more) late.

You often find yourself performing tasks that you intended to do the day before. You reason it away by telling yourself it’s because you take on too much each day.

Or you leave an item on your to-do list for a long time, even though it’s important.

2. You complete low-priority tasks first.

You fill your time with the trivial tasks that are on your to-do list or things other people ask you to do.

3. You are easily distracted.

You sit down to start a task, and then immediately go off to get coffee or decide to check your email.

4. You admire passionate workers.

You admire people who are passionate and dedicated to their work. You want to be the same but deep inside you believe that you can’t.

5. You wait for the mood to strike.

You tell yourself you’re waiting to be in the “right mood” or for the “right time” to tackle a task.

6. You’re easily excited, but you don’t follow through.

You see people making things happen, and it looks easy. So, you give it a try. But your excitement quickly wanes when you find out it involves hard work. The thought of tackling a challenging project is so stressful, the only way to get out of it is to find something else to do.

7. You claim you work best when “your back is against the wall.”

You love the adrenaline rush of knowing you’re running out of time. You often take action only when you’re threatened with a “Must do.”

What’s driving your procrastination?

You need to understand the reasons why you are procrastinating before you can begin to tackle it.

Below are some possible reasons for procrastination. Look at the list to see which ones resonate with you:

• Feeling like there are other things you should do first
• Lacking confidence in the task
• Unable to begin an essential task until you get organized
• Perfectionism and fear of failure
• Overwhelmed by thinking of it
• Having too much work to do at once
• Finding the task is boring or unpleasant

(If you can think of an additional reason people procrastinate, please leave it in the comments below.)

Deal with it

Procrastination usually involves ignoring an unpleasant, but likely more critical task, in favor of one that is more enjoyable or easier.

But giving in to this impulse has consequences. Even minor episodes of procrastination can make you feel guilty or ashamed. And over the long haul, procrastinating makes you less productive and prevents you from achieving your goals.

Procrastination is a habit. And the only way to get rid of a bad habit is to replace it with a good habit.

Here are five habits you can develop to overcome procrastination. I recommend using as many of them as possible to give yourself the best possible chance of succeeding.

1. Commit to important tasks. Focus on doing, not avoiding. Write down the tasks that you need to complete each day and specify a time for doing them. This will help you to tackle your work efficiently and become far more productive.

2. Rephrase your internal dialog. Replace the phrases “need to” and “have to” with “choose to.”

Saying the first two phrases implies that you have no choice in what you do. This can make you feel disempowered and unmotivated to take on large, important tasks.

However, saying, “I choose to,” implies that you want to do the project and it makes you feel more in control of your life.

3. Minimize distractions. Turn off your email and social media and avoid sitting anywhere near a television while you work.

4. Make it look smaller. Break a big task down into weekly and daily subtasks.

5. Focus on the long game. If you’re procrastinating because you find a task unpleasant, identify the long-term benefits of completing it. For instance, could it affect your annual performance review or your bottom line if you’re a business owner?

You might also identify the unpleasant consequences of avoiding the task. Ask yourself what will happen if you don’t complete it? How might it affect your personal, team or organizational goals? For some people, understanding the consequences of avoiding or delaying something makes the task more enjoyable.

Just decide

There is no magic pill that will put an end to procrastination forever. But these tips will help you take concrete steps toward achieving more and feeling a lot better about yourself.

When you decide that you will move forward no matter what, you’re guaranteed to enjoy much more of the good things that life has to offer.

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