The energy crisis

Courtesy Jessica M. Cross via Examiner.com

It’s time to talk about the energy crisis. I know what you’re thinking, “What on earth could this have to do with PR or social media?” This post is all about your personal energy crisis. If you’re like me you are out of energy and behind on all your projects, you are overwhelmed and exhausted. I’ve got some ideas that will help us out. They are simple – but not easy.

1) Exercise. “WHAT? Who’s got time for that crap?”

This is one of the most important things you can do! You get so much more energy and you are in a much better mood. You won’t want to punch the guy sitting next to you who pops his gum during tests. Yeah, you know that guy…

2) Eat healthy food. “NO FREAKING WAY! I need sugar and caffeine. I’ll eat salad when hell freezes over!”

You don’t have to eat kale every day to eat healthfully. Just cut down on sugar, fat, and salt. Try to cut back on the caffeine too – particularly after lunch. You need to get some sleep.

3) Get some sleep.

Make time. How do you think you remember all this stuff your learning? Your body also needs to repair itself (probably from all the crap you are eating, drinking, etc.)

4) Eliminate stress. “WTH? I have exams and projects that create stress. That’s part of the deal.”

There are some things you can control. You can eliminate jerks from your life, cut back on extra-curricular activities, stop doing things that are going to cause you trouble:  hangovers, speeding tickets, procrastination, etc.

All this stuff is hard to do, I know because I pretty much suck at it all too. I do know that when I’m exercising and eating right, people don’t piss me off nearly as much. When I have a regular sleep schedule and get enough rest I’m not nearly as forgetful and lazy. All this stuff really goes hand in hand.

How do you manage your energy levels?

I’d love to hear from you!

-Tina

Delegate

courtesy begintoshift.com

I am a firm believer in the power of delegating. That’s not simply true because I like to tell people what to do, I also like to get a lot of things accomplished. It’s amazing how effort is compounded when you enlist folks to help you out.

It’s not easy to let go and have other people handle things for you. Sometimes you have to prioritize. For example, I wish more than anything I had the time to handle our landscaping. My time is better spent doing what I do best. The economic term is “comparative advantage.” At work, you may think of delegating to your administrative assistant your filing, setting up your meetings or making travel arrangements for you so you have more time to set your organization’s communication strategy.

Courtesy rightattitudes.com

The other thing I’ve learned about delegation is that – in most instances – as long as the delegatee knows the precise end result you want to see, you can let them do it however they want to. It’s the end result that matters. Don’t micro-manage them, let them complete the task however they wish. If you dictate the terms and watch over their shoulder you may as well do it yourself. Besides, often people will come up with a better way to do something than you could have envisioned.

Are you a good delegator? Why or why not?

I’d love to hear from you.

-Tina