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The 7 Energy Sinkholes (and How to Avoid Them) 七大能量漏洞（与如何防堵！） You only have so many hours in a day – how many of them are you wasting on these energy drains, when you could be improving your health instead? From Lifehack.org October 22, 2007 你一天的时间就这么多， 其中你浪费了多少原本可以用来养身的时间在这些能量漏洞上？
Energy sinkholes are situations that
repeatedly drain your energy and stress you out. There are plenty of
good reasons to invest your energy, so don’t waste your attention on a
sinkhole. Unfortunately, it is often hard to see sinkholes since they
rarely cause a drain all at once. Instead they slowly leech away at
your lifeforce until you’re stressed, depressed and apathetic.
The best way to get out of these
sinkholes is to get a routine. Having a preplanned method to handle
these problems can keep your mind focused on more important things.
Here are the big seven that may be stealing from you right now:
1 - Disorganization 混乱 （事情的安排上毫无系统） Having to constantly find documents,
forgetting commitments and appointments is a huge sinkhole. The
solution out of this is simply to create a system for organizing and
routinely tidy it up. You may have implemented a few systems, but here
are some areas you might consider giving a clean-up: - Calendar 行事历 - To-Do Lists 待办事项 - Project Task Lists 项目任务清单 - Office/Desk/Home办公室/办公桌/居家环境 - Filing System档案管理系统 - Closets柜子/抽屉
2 - Poor Diet and Lack of Exercise 饮食不当和缺乏运动 Exercising isn’t just to look good on
the beach. Staying fit keeps your energy levels high. You can be slim
and still be drained because you aren’t fit, so don’t use the scale as
the measurement. Here are some things you might want to consider to
get out of this energy trap:
Make a Routine - Find a gym
partner, class or workout time that you can exercise at least 3-4 times
per week. I’ve experimented with different amounts and found six days
a week works best for me. If you are unsure how to start, just try it
for thirty days to see how it goes.
Replace Foods One at a Time
- Don’t try to overhaul your eating habits overnight. They’ve been
established over years, so they can’t change in a snap. I recommend
switching out one unhealthy food type for a month before making more
changes. When you take it gradually it is far easier to stick with
long-term.
Time Your Meals - The best
way to eat would probably be 5-6 smaller meals spread throughout the
day. Since this isn’t a reality for most people, a decent alternative
is simply to time your meals so your blood sugar levels remain steady
throughout the day. This will ensure you aren’t starving for some
parts and fatigued from a big meal in others.
3 - Problem Contacts 麻烦人物 We all have those few customers, clients
and friends that cause a disproportionate amount of our stress. I say
the best solution is simply to fire them. Cutting down on people who
drain your energy can help you focus more productively on the rest. If
a transaction is fair, then both parties should have the ability to opt
out if it becomes too much of a hassle.
4 - Focusing on Your Weaknesses 专注在你的缺点 My definition of a weakness is anything
you aren’t interested in becoming skilled at. If you aren’t keen on
improving, you can’t build strengths and any talent you do have will
degrade. Don’t try to do everything, and outsource the tasks that
don’t fit within your strengths. Virtual Assistants and freelancers
can deliver a much higher quality than you could on your own, and often
their fees are less than the cost of your time.
5 - Squeaky Hinges 发辗轧声的铰链 （常用却不高效的工具） A squeaky hinge is any piece of
technology that works, but has irritating side-effects. This could
mean a computer that is too slow to run the programs you need. A dish
washer that doesn’t get all the food off. Or an alarm clock that isn’t
loud enough.
If the solution to a squeaky hinge is
cheap, fix it immediately. The costs will soon outweigh any
replacement expenses. If the solution is expensive, write down the
total cost and keep track of any wasted time/money due to the problem.
Keeping track of squeaks will make you aware of what the total cost is,
and whether a replacement is warranted.
6 – Blog / E-Mail / Facebook Addiction 上网成瘾：博客/电子邮件/社群网站 Information addiction can be a huge
drain to your energy. I love using blogs, e-mail and social networking
sites to get the latest news and keep in touch. But that love can
quickly turn into an obsession if you aren’t careful. Soon you’re like
the rat frantically pushing the lever for more cocaine doses as you hit
Stumble one… more… time…
My solution was to designate a time for
information inflow and keep it restricted to that time. Once per day
is all I allow myself to read new RSS feeds, incoming e-mail and
Facebook. For other stats and random surfing I limit myself to once
per week. The result is more energy and almost no impact on
communication.
7 - Pleasing People 取悦别人 Don’t waste your time trying to please
the people around you. This isn’t an excuse to be an inconsiderate
jerk, but put a high value on your time. Learn to say no to people who
don’t show respect for your time. Helping other people is great, but
it’s better to focus on serving the greatest good than simply appealing
to the whims of your friends and family.
Don’t waste your energies trying to fit
others expectations. Set your own dreams, standards and ambitions and
make them your highest priority. When you’re nearing your end you’ll
likely regret more the sacrifices you made to your individuality than
how pleased your parents were of you. |
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