Episode 112
Summer Planning: Prioritizing, Planning, and Productivity
Today, we're getting real about something that's been a total energy suck – maintaining those high vibes and staying productive.
Alright, confession time, I've been struggling to keep my energy up and productivity high. Living in Seattle with its endless gray skies? Not helping! Throw in some deep personal growth and the energy drain is real, people. Even though I'm super passionate about my work, I’ve had to face the fact that I've only got a few golden hours of productivity each day. So, what’s a girl to do? Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize!
We're taking it back to basics, folks. Yes, that's my mantra for the year, and it's all about figuring out what absolutely needs to get done and matching it to the energy I've got. It’s like sorting through a pile of sparkly things to find the real gems.
I received an email from a fellow pro who's been in the same boat. After some time off, we both had to re-evaluate our expectations and productivity levels. It’s not just us – there's a general energy slump going on, especially during these sunny summer days. So, let's be real about our energy and time commitments.
Focus on what matters, keep it simple, and find that sweet balance between work and self-care. That’s my plan, and I’m urging you to do the same. Share your experiences, let’s support each other, and remember – sometimes the best way to recharge is to just chill out.
So here’s to getting our priorities straight and conserving our energy for what truly counts.
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Transcript
Hello. Hello. Hello. Thanks for being here. Val, full volume. I am Val, and we're just gonna start this podcast off with you needing to tell me. Thank you right away. I was in a super ramble.
Val [:Already tried to record this once.
Val [:I was in such ramble mode that I all of a sudden went, I don't even know what I'm talking about. And if you've been around the podcast for a little while, I'm a 1 take kinda girl. Whatever's gonna pop out of my mouth is gonna pop out of my mouth. It's very rare when I delete something and, like, no. No. We're starting all over. And today was that day, and it's really appropriate. Really appropriate that it was today as I'm talking because it's like, oh, do I even know where my brain is or where it is? Or do I want to know where my brain is? I just can't even decide right now.
Val [:My main topic for today is I am working on embracing my model for the year again, going back to it, pulling it back to me, putting in the forefront across my forehead, back to basics. I am looking at the fact that I don't have the energy to be busting my butt even 8 hours for a workday. I don't have the energy right now for it. There's multiple different reasons why. For 1, I think this is how I ended up on the Ramble before for 1. Here in the Seattle area, yes, this is summer. Oh, I know. Full pot.
Val [:I'm not supposed to talk about anything time related when it comes to podcast, whatever. It's summer. We're a couple of weeks into summer. I am recording this before the 4th July. Technically, in the Seattle area, our summer doesn't start until 4th July. However, we've had an icky winter, not cold really, nose barely any snow, just ick. We've had an icky spring. We've had some gorgeous weeks, absolutely gorgeous weeks that have been huge teasers, and then it comes back to this ick.
Val [:And now we're on a couple of days of ick. And the seasonal disorder stuff is so real. It's so real for us around here in the Seattle area. It's hard to keep motivated when it's just, oh, it's so gray. I'm so gray. Even with my high dosage of vitamin d that I take as directed by my doctor. Don't worry. It's still like, my gosh.
Val [:Is this gonna stop? I mean, it's summer, literally summer, and I am curling up on the couch every evening with a blankie and about ready to start making hot tea again. What is going on? So my energy is really low. And so I just kind of thought it was location, I am going through some major personal things, all super good. They're just very internal personal things. And I know that's taking my energy and I have pointedly decided that's taking my energy. I put that at the top of my importance list. But business is still super important to me. I love what I do.
Val [:And so I have to pay attention to okay. Well, then what are the basics that I can get done with the limit with the energy I know that I have and I will have? You know? I'm really paying attention to the last it's been almost 2 weeks now. I really only have maybe 3 ish super productive hours. So that means clients, you know, my coaching sessions are in those 3 hours. Any meetings are part of that 3 hours, so I have to be highly aware. And I if you're watching the video, I just can't talk without my hands today. Let me put them down. Talk that way anyways.
Val [:And I know I have the limited energy. So being on the super limited energy, having, knowing that I do not have I will not be able to pretend. I will just sit here and stare at the computer screen. I don't have more than that in me right now for business related stuff. Knowing that, I am absolutely looking and going, okay. What are the basics for moving my business forward? You know? I'm still working with my strategy coach, still getting I've got 2 2 courses lined up, not at once, but I have 2 courses lined out, major outline. Like like, let's go. Let's I'm writing.
Val [:I'm writing. I'm creating slides. I am recording, you know, all of that. So I have to put that in there in there as as part of my energy bank, and especially with the creative stuff. Like, you I have to, and you probably do. I have to take a look and go, okay. I need to be productive and have high energy for this. So that means that, you know, if I'm working with 2 clients on this day, that's not a high energy day for me to do another recording.
Val [:It just isn't right now. Has it been in the past? Absolutely. But right now, no. And I, you know, because of my personal stuff that I'm working through, again, all all super good. All super, super good. But it's a lot. Because of that, I was assuming that it's me. You know? I was going through this.
Val [:Then I was really started being aware of what's going on on my, you know, my Facebook wall, what's going on in groups, what's going on with emails. And I'm getting that same energy from a lot of people in a lot of different areas. I've got the arms today. I just do. I can tell. I've got the arms. Damn it. That means I'm not taking a breath.
Val [:That means I'm trying to Get all out there. So
Val [:let me take a breath. Let me
Val [:be present. 1 of the main goals that I'm working on a lot lately, just just being present. So now let's I'm gonna work on no more arms. I have noticed when I'm looking at these people that I'm following, and I do say people because it hasn't been gender specific. I'm seeing that there is a trend that a bunch of us are are really going through, like, this this energy thing. I'm sure I could look it up and find any number of reasons why it's happening universally, energetically, all of that. I don't care about why it's happening. I just am witnessing that this is happening and it's not just me.
Val [:I was following somebody. This is what led to the podcast today. And me really like, okay. I'm gonna sit down and back to basics is going to get mapped out on freaking paper today. I haven't I haven't finished it yet. I've started. I started, but I haven't totally finished it. Because I opened up an email, and in that email, she was talking about how she's going to give herself a reset for the summer, how she's going to take a break for the summer.
Val [:And I get a lot of emails like that, but she she hit the subject line was perfect for me. I probably should have pulled it up. Anyways, the subject line was perfect for me, and I was just like, oh, I need to read this. You know? And with how many emails I get in a day all day long, if something hits me like that, I open it immediately because it's usually gonna be a good 1. It's usually gonna be something that I really did need to open and read, and this was no different. And she was talking about all of the trips that she's gone on, even an international trip, and how when she had so much fun disconnected from business, you know, she just was a 100% present on these on these trips, and thought when she came back, she'd be so energized, and she just worked like crazy and get so much done. And that didn't happen. And it hasn't happened.
Val [:And I was just like, oh my god. I hear you. I hear you. We're kinda soulmates at this moment because, I mean, April, I went away for a very awesome trip, fully present to Mexico for my 30th anniversary. Then we had, you know, a weekend trip away. I went away with my husband for a work trip for a week. And then then we went on this big major road trip to go and figure out where we wanna move for retirement. And I was completely present for that for 9 days.
Val [:9 days, I worked maybe 3 hours. You know, I had set up stuff beforehand, not a whole ton, but I had set stuff up beforehand. But I only worked about 3 hours that entire time, which is unheard of unheard of for that length of time. I've never ever done that before. And every time I came back from these things fully refreshed, I had the mindset that I was like, oh my gosh, I'm going to be so productive when I get back So much stuff is gonna get done. And then my brain's going, oh, this and that and this and that, you know, and not overloading, still keeping to the basics, but I'm just like,
Val [:oh, I'm gonna
Val [:be so productive. And that has not happened. That has not happened. As you, heard, I'm working through personal stuff again. All good. All good, but it is draining. It is draining because I am working through some decades of crap, and and being honest with myself. And there are days where you know? And and everyone, I'm totally I promise you, I am totally okay.
Val [:This is not a call anybody, you know, moment. But there's days where I am just absolutely drained, and I'm just like, yeah. I'm gonna go take a nap, and there's a 2 hour nap that happens. Right? Because I'm processing. I'm totally processing. You're watching the video. I've got flies in the house. I'm so obnoxious.
Val [:Sorry. Anyways, back. Coming back. Coming back. It's draining, and I know that I only have, you know, limited hours of of when I can get stuff done. And reading that here's this this lady, and she's getting a lot of she's used to getting a lot of stuff done as well, and it's not happening. I'm like, okay. Again, I'm so glad she shared.
Val [:Actually, I need to go and hit reply on that, about her sharing. And I'm so glad she shared because being in a similar space, I am like, okay. You're technically giving yourself permission to be in this space. But were you really or are you still beating yourself up about it? And I
Val [:think I think there
Val [:was a little bit still beating myself up on about it, about, you know, not being super gung ho, getting so much done. More of a, where am I today? Where am I today? What's my headspace? What do I have the energy to get done? What do I want to get done? What does it mean? What do I want to get done? Okay. So, I mean, I'm like, I'm like in that mode. I am so in that mode of what does that mean? What does that mean? What does that mean? Questions, questions to myself about everything in life, every moment in life. Hello. Fifties. Okay. Before I start ramble, ramble, ramble, Back to basics.
Val [:So that's what's really been laying on my heart this week is okay. This is where I am. This is the limited energy I have. You knew coming into this year coming into this year, you know, my my model being back to basics, I knew that this was gonna be the case. Right? And, you know, anytime that comes up, then that means more stuff to make me go through the back to basics is gonna come up. It just does. It always does. I don't even question anymore.
Val [:I don't do the whole now what, you know, don't ever ask now what to the universe because they'll show you. The universe will show you. Don't ask for it. Don't ask for it. So I knew that I would get more a little bit more thrown at me because of the back to basics had popped in that this was how it had to happen. And so business stuff is changing. The business world is going through some changes right now. There's a lot of uncertainty.
Val [:We are here in the United States. We're in election year. Ugh. Freaking hate election year. Not even getting on a topic. So so there's super it's an there's so much uncertainty going on right now, and it's business. It's in, you know, finances, for the world. And I I mean it for the world.
Val [:We're just we're just in a in a an odd energy spot at this moment. And I know it's not just here here in the US because I've talked to my friends in Canada. Same thing. You know? And in other countries, same thing. But oh, I just did didn't I? Damn it. But we get the choice of sitting down and deciding where do we want to go. What do we want our day to look like? What do we want our business to look like? What do we want our life to look like? I know. This is getting super deep.
Val [:I'm not gonna go there. I'm gonna be the queen today. Don't drink every time I say, because that that could lead to big issues for you today. I know so many of us are going through this energy thing that's going on right now. And I just I know that because I'm seeing it. I'm seeing it from clients that I'm talking to. I'm seeing it from, groups that I'm in. I'm seeing it on my Facebook profile, friends on there.
Val [:You know, I'm just seeing it in my inbox, like I just said. I am seeing it quite a few different places. So I would like to challenge you to sit and go, what does my summer look like? What do I want it to look like? What does it look like on my schedule right now? I mean, is your summer just insanely overscheduled, and you're not gonna take any time off? How does that feel? Do you want it? You get to make choices. How much time are you gonna put into your business while you're supposed to be busy and doing all of this other summer stuff? How much time? Being realistic with yourself, and how much energy are you really gonna have? If you go camping for a week, when you come home if you come home on Sunday, Monday, you are not going back to cranking out work. I promise you. I have told myself that I would do that so many times. Monday, you are going to be so drained from your trip that you're gonna be like, What's a post it note? How do I make a to do list? So just be realistic with yourself and what's going to take your time and what's gonna be your priority, and what are your basics that you know you want to get done? You desire to get them done. For me, you know, basics are events are full go, full full go mode.
Val [:That's top priority. Emails, Emailing my list. Top priority. You know? Basics. Those are basics for bundle bash. That's about all I have for the basics on my list right now. I'm still working on my basics. But figure out what your basics are.
Val [:Figure out what your I don't want to get through a week unless you're gone. I do not want to get up through a work week. Let's say that. I don't wanna get through a work week and have not done these things. You know? What are what are your must dos so that you know you your your your week your business week moved forward? And if you're not in this space, then you probably didn't listen to me all the way at the end anyways. But if you're not in this space, Answer with some some comments of, you know, what what are you why are you not in this space? What's going on? I wanna hear about it. I wanna pull some energy from you from you not being in this space. Alright.
Val [:I've squirreled enough. Bless you for hanging here on this, squirrel podcast today. Back to basics. Super important. I'm gonna go and, sit down with a piece of paper and work on a few more. The more I write down, the more I cross off stuff that that's not a priority and throw it over there to the side for some other time, when it could be more of a priority. But I think I still have an hour and a half left of energy, and then I'm gonna be curled up on the couch with my blankie in the cold because I refuse to turn the heat on. My blankie in the cold, binge watching some TV show.
Val [:It's summer. Why am I doing that? Damn it. Alright. I will chat at you next week. Thanks for listening.
