In this article, we turn our focus to the subject of de-energisers, which represent a great opportunity to free yourself of mental clutter and improve your energy and motivation levels.

De-energisers are all the things that you have been procrastinating about or putting up with, which represent mental clutter and drain your energy each time you come across them or think about them.

Clearing your de-energisers serves to replenish and restore your energy reserves, freeing you up for greater clarity, creativity and resourcefulness in ways that are useful to the results you want in life.

De-energisers encompass everything, from the smallest annoyances like owning a pair of scratched sunglasses that bother you each time you put them on, the cupboard drawer that you wrestle with each morning as it sticks upon opening, the phone call you’ve been meaning to make, the pile of paperwork that awaits your sorting…to even larger things like the conversation you’ve been meaning to have with your manager about wanting to take some leave or the friend that you feel the need to speak with about your relationship etc.

A personal example that I’m very pleased to have sorted is my mobile phone that was frequently dropping out on me – it certainly bugged me every time it happened, (not to mention my husband who was constantly being inadvertently hung up on!), and finally I realised it was a de-energiser that just needed sorting! And, oh how I'm loving my new I-Phone! Now when I think of my mobile phone I experience a sense of relief and quiet satisfaction knowing that I’ve done something about it, rather than my previous sense of frustration.

Take some time to brainstorm a list of everything you can think of that is currently draining you of energy. Come back to your list regularly as you are reminded of other things. You’ll find that it is a work in progress, so just add to it as you reveal new things. Remember to consider all the different areas of your life.

Once you have your list, identify the items that you want to give immediate attention to. I recommend starting with the easy ones first to build up some positive momentum and then tackling some of the more challenging tasks. Be sure to break any that are sizeable items down into manageable bite-sized chunks and schedule when you are going to work on each chunk.

About the author

I'm a professionally trained and credentialed coach with over 1200 client hours. I have a strong corporate background (previously a Brand Manager with Unilever in Sydney), and am passionate about working with executives to make work-life more productive and enjoyable. I hold an M.Com in Marketing and HR, am a mentor and trainer of coaches, and have achieved the PCC credential through the International Coach Federation.