In my coaching, I love analogies that help you tap into values you want to tune up in your life. The one that’s made the biggest impact in my life right now is finding my ‘Monk.'
I can get way too caught up in the 'doing' of life — endless to do lists and overpacked weekends. I have calendar blocks labelled ‘down time’ and embarrassingly have even pencilled in ‘sex.'
My inner-monk approaches life differently. He’s:
Intentional vs. on autopilot
Calm vs. frenetic
Tied to a higher purpose vs. just simply acting
Embracing the joy of the mundane vs. feeling overwhelmed by chores
Every morning, I remind myself to embrace my monk, asking myself:
What is my MPV (Min Viable Product) for that day? What is the minimum I would need to get done that day to feel successful? Can I cut the rest?
Do I feel stressed going into the day (or week)? What do I need to take off my plate that day to make myself feel calm going into it? Let’s be honest — it’s only going to get more frenetic as the day goes on.
Can I minimize or simplify vs delete? Taking something off my plate doesn’t mean completely not doing it. Maybe workout for 10 minutes instead of an hour, or skip a standing meeting and catch up via notes.
How can I find joy in the little elements of my life? Create walking meetings. Build in some micro-moments of enjoyment into the day, like taking 10 minutes to savor a cup of coffee before the madness.
I’ve even bought a beaded bracelet to wear everyday to remind myself to have these qualities in the moment as well. What inner qualities do you want to dial up in your life?
