Not feeling like giving work 100%? Yep, we hear you. It’s hard to maintain, especially all the time.
Many of us want to feel 100 per cent and if we don’t, then sometimes we start using this as an excuse for not trying as hard.
A few years ago I had a big conference presentation to make. I was all prepared when one of my kids became mildly unwell.
My husband agreed to look after him as I had to travel to the conference.
On top of that there were a lot of things going on in many aspects of my life that were potentially distracting but when I got up on that stage in front of 1000 people I put everything aside and gave it 100 per cent…I had to.
I couldn’t explain my way as to why I could only give them 80 per cent. It just doesn’t work like that.
The key to doing this is to feel and give. These words are important because when we don’t feel 100 per cent, we use it as an excuse for not giving our all.
So how can you change this?
- Accept. It’s ok not to be 100 per cent every day at work. Be kind to yourself. Between our many responsibilities let alone our businesses, we are only human and have good days and bad days. That is just the way it is.
- Acknowledge. Reflect on why you’re not 100 per cent. Is it emotional or physical? If emotional, we need time to understand, digest, resolve many issues in our lives and sometimes it can make us feel ‘meh’. That’s OK. Talk about it with someone or write it down. Sometimes just by acknowledging it’s existence is all it needed and you carry on with your day. If physical, maybe there is something you can do about it. Eat better, move more or rest more. Somewhat simplistic I know but simple can be good too.
- Let Go. Don’t stew. This doesn’t help anyone. Through accepting and acknowledging you are recognizing what is bringing you down from your A Game – it may even be more that one thing. That is fine. By focusing on it, won’t change the situation, if not it will only get worse. If we focus on negativity, it breeds negativity by creating a negative paradigm on how we see the world. Simultaneously by focusing on positivity, we create a positive paradigm on how we see the world. So let go.
- Change Gears. Just because you don’t feel 100 per cent doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it your all. Yes, you need to work harder and be more self-motivated but by saying that you can’t give 100% because of how you feel – that is just an excuse. In your business it is all up to you. If you don’t give it 100 per cent each and every time you won’t succeed. So don’t make excuses for yourself. Change your mental gears and accept and acknowledge how you feel. Then let it go. So now you are ready to just go and give it all you have irrespective of how you feel.
- Show up. No matter your role, have to be “on show” each and every time for your clients. I think of it like I am going on stage to give a performance. I don’t have a stage name like Beyoncé, hers is Sasha Fierce, but that could work for you. The point being is that when you don’t feel 100 per cent but need to give it you can imagine that you need to push yourself by being on stage to help carry you through your day.
- On a serious note. What I am talking about here is not when you are very sick. In these instances you should rest and take care of yourself. Furthermore, if you feel that what you are experiencing is more than just a dip in your day-to-day life, I strongly encourage for you to seek professional help. We all have times in our lives when we are challenged by serious matters and we can’t do it alone.
