Productivity Supercharged: Closures
Are you often haunted by the things that you should be doing or worst started but never completed? Do you have a nagging voice on a back of your mind forever reminding you of the things that could’ve been only if you…
The reality is that not only do these things that you have started but never completed are frustrating, but worse they frequently rob us of energy that could be invested in things that are really matter.
Have you ever had a fight with a person close to you that have never been resolved?
Maybe purchased something expensive that was not up to your expectations and it still frustrates you to this day?
Do you still feel guilty because of a project that you’ve started but never completed?
In this session we will make a first step in getting closures to the loose ends in our lives.
A word of warning!
Brace yourself, because things that are incomplete often too uncomfortable to even think about. This is why often we choose to dismiss them from our minds the moment they pop up. So quite possibly some of you will find it emotionally challenging to intentionally search for these loose ends in order to get some closure. However without this tough step the progress will be even tougher, so prepare for brutal honesty with yourself, get a pen and let’s complete second Productivity Supercharged foundational activity.
Activity 2:
1) Spend next 15 minutes making a list of all the areas in your life and every issue where you feel incomplete or don’t have closure.
2) Prioritize each time on the list in order of how much energy it’s robbing you.
Note: To make it more visual just imagine that all of your 100% energy is a glass jar and each one of these items is a big bucket in which you are periodically pouring water thus draining you of your energy. Now after you have wasted all that energy have a look how much is left in your glass jar and identify which bucket consumed most of your all important life fuel.
3) Select items that you drain most of your energy and right now make a decision which ones you will act upon right now to reach closure and which ones you are letting go of this very moment forever.
Note: Some of these closures can be painful to act upon as they require tough decisions, but once again just like a surgeon removing a tumor that slowly kills a patient has to inflict pain in order to save his life in a same way brace yourself and make these tough decisions. Either give yourself permission to let go for good of things that just like parasites leach on you or act now to finally close off these loose ends and stop any more drains of energy that you will need for things that make you more successful and productive.
This is a tough exercise because in order to get closure we often have to get over our own ego first. Apology or an overdue tough conversation with your friend, challenging request for refund for things that you feel you were ripped off for, or even admitting that you were wrong can only be accomplished if we let go of our egos and finaly get some closure.
So tire off loose ends or cut them off completely and start enjoying more energy that you will need in upcoming weeks to get more things accomplished in your day that will bring you closer to your success while maintaining more positive attitude and being happier than ever in your life.
Very interesting activity. I don’t feel like it really applies to me at this time, but nonetheless it is very useful and I will have to regularly review this one.
Thanks Philip. Just keep this activity on a back of your mind and if you start to notice something that you have not seen before you could always come back to it.
This continues on from the last exercise really well. I seem to be focusing on my desires, goals and things that I’ve started but never really finished.
This was a good chance to sort out some priorities but I don’t feel like I’m ready to let go of somethings yet or even make committed decisions in other areas. A little doubt goes a long way and it’s holding me back in my studies and life. It might be me not knowing what I want but I found this task hard… I think I may need to review it later (but soon)
For me, I can’t really have ‘closure’ for many of them, because they are either compulsory until the exam, .e.g year 12, or ongoing, like playing sports.
Thus I don’t always have control over the closure of them.
However, by writing them down, I can consciously track them and allocate my time efficiently around them, which so far, I’ve been able to do fairly effectively.
But this week, I have put closure to some non-essential activities to free up more time and energy
same issues … house reno and career. I just have to do them
hEY gd job on this 1 Anatoly!
right on the money with this one. This is probably one of my core and major issues. Its probably what has been keeping me back and always intimidated me when push comes to shove in REAL life.
Its like the past is haunting me. It is so hard 2 even start the list. very scary.
my X is probably a major factor in this.
I must get this list sorted its a MAJOR ISSUE
Letting go will be the biggest challenge I face so far in my life.
c’mon not just with girls but in general who likes saying goodbye? isnt hello much better & more exciting???