Experiment - Owning The Process
A few posts back I wrote a short review of Ali Abdaal's book Feel Good Productivity (read HERE). One thing I liked about the book was that it gave dozens of small experiments to try with the goal of lowering the inertia to implement the main ideas. This is going to be my first in a series of posts trying out some of those experiments. I'll be sharing why I chose the experiment, how I'm implementing it, and what the results are.
Own The Process
The first experiment I am choosing is “own the process". This comes from part 1 of the book “Energise". In this section Ali talks about the three things that effect our energy most:
Play
Power
People
This experiment relates to the second one, power. The basic idea is to identify things in your life that are draining your energy because you feel powerless over them. Then, take ownership of the part you can almost always control, the process. Ali puts it this way:
“There’s almost always a way for us to own the process of a task, even when the outcome has been determined by someone else. If you work in customer service, you may not have control over the company’s policies. But you can take ownership of how you interact with customers. You can make an effort to listen to their concerns, empathise with their frustrations and find creative solutions to their problems.”
Why I Chose It
I picked this experiment because recently I have been increasingly aware of my energy levels. Whether it is from lack of sleep or stress at work, it seems increasingly difficult to do the things I need to do but don't want to. We have all had the experience of needing to do something we don't want to do, and as a response we instantly feel the energy drain from our body. I want to take the steps I can to combat this effect.
Plan For Implementation
To test out this strategy, I am going to pick 2 tasks I know I need to do and write down how I am going to take back control over the process.
Two Tasks That Drain My Energy:
1. Folding Laundry
2. Waking Up Early
Folding Laundry:
I loathe this chore. Conveniently, every time clothes need to be folded and put away I am much too tired. Generally, I find something “more important" to do or take some time to “recharge" on the couch reading or scrolling YouTube.
To take back power for this chore, I am going to put my headphones on and listen to relaxing music. I'm also going to make sure I have Coke on hand. I know, not the healthiest choice, but drinking caffeine, whether actual or placebo, will give me a boost in energy!
Waking Up Early:
Most mornings I can get out of bed when I need to, but I typically feel drained and not refreshed. I would love to wake up feeling excitement and joy rather than stress and obligation.
I remember as a kid waking up on Christmas morning super early and just sitting on the couch staring at the wrapped presents and full stockings. The excitement was overwhelmingly energizing. To try to capture a part of this on a daily basis, I am going to set out a few small morning “gifts” at night. These “gifts" will be:
A beverage of choice (likely some kind of iced tea or hydration mix)
My gym bag and Kindle (to read while walking or jogging at the gym/pool)
An outfit I enjoy wearing
These might seem trivial, but to me they are truly small morning gifts. I find it hard to eat breakfast first thing in the morning, but I love filling my water bottle and hydrating.
I have gotten a lot of joy out of reading while jogging back and forth in the pool at our apartment, so I am moving that to the morning as something to look forward to.
I hate trying to put together an outfit before work. I don't have a ton of things in my closet I like wearing, and it is stressful when I have to put on something I don't feel good in. Setting this out the night before means I don't have to worry if I have something to wear or not. I can just enjoy my morning activities, get dressed, and go to work.
Follow Up
I'm going to stick with this challenge of “owning the process" for a week, and then I will report back on how it went. Ultimately, I'm going to be deciding if this is something I want to continue doing, or not, and if I notice a change in my energy levels.
Want to reenergize a part of your day? Shoot me a message and let me know what ways you are taking ownership of the process (share HERE).