Quite often, you will not be at peak performance. More likely than not, you are going to have moments, even entire days or weeks, when you are not at the top of your game. This happens to everyone. Anyone who says they have figured out this magic process for getting themselves back into the “flow” whenever they want, is just not being truthful. I have made that same claim myself, and looking back at why I said that I realize now that I really believed that I could focus on myself whenever I needed to. The reality is that what works one day will not work the next. Humans are complex, emotional, and physical beings with a vast array of inputs and triggers going on inside us all the time. As we go on our journey and as we age, the impact of our relationships and surroundings will play differently.
The point is that there will be times when we are not able to take on the hard things. When we are on fire, we can take on the world, but when we are not, just getting out of bed in the morning can be a struggle. Running has taught me this more than anything. There are times when I feel like I can run forever and fast. Then there are days when sitting down and tying my shoes feels overwhelming. There is no rhyme or reason for this phenomenon. I have tried to focus on nutrition, hydration, and other similar culprits. I have done meditation as a regular practice as well. All of these things have helped. I have had longer stints of higher productivity, but still, no matter how hard I try, I will wake up one day and not be that enthusiastic about charging up any hill.
Instead of trying to permanently fix this problem or devising some magic potion that I can take when it happens, I have decided to accept it. So what do I do when this happens? The answer is – I do the easy stuff. I always have a larger, ignored task list of things piling up that need attention. These are the silent killers in my life. The mail. The bills. The taxes. Calling friends and family. Planning a vacation. Researching a potential future prospect. Listening to a podcast that someone recommended. You name it, there is always a bunch of easy stuff sitting on my plate. Did I mention cleaning the garage? Oh. Yeah, maybe that is not such an “easy” thing! I normally do not do all these things, as I spend my hard-earned focus time on what is the most critical or what I would consider the hard things that require my dedicated intensity.
However, the easy things accumulate slowly over time until they become a problem for you. The laundry is a simple task, but if left unattended for too long, then suddenly, you will have nothing to wear, and your closet will be about ready to burst. You will now have a major stressor on your hands. I have found the perfect solution to all of this. Call it a win/win for my psyche. When I am in a slump and not motivated to do the hard things that require me to be mentally engaged, I switch to “easy mode.” I have removed the guilt of spending a few hours in the morning doing my laundry or watering the plants outside. This is my time to get the easy stuff that has been accumulating. Instead of sitting at my computer staring listlessly at all the hard stuff, I can instead just check boxes on the easy stuff. When my mind has had a break and is ready, the hard stuff will be ready for me.
So, instead of worrying about being in the zone or finding my flow all the time, I take it when it comes. I have actually found that the less I worry about it, the more frequently I find my ability to focus. It seems that by allowing myself to break away and do less intense, guilt-free activities, I am able to return with a greater concentration of energy on the hard things. I call this going into “easy mode.” I recommend this for anyone who is like me and is constantly pressuring myself to be super human all the time.
