Episode 181 Transcript

Heather Porter (00:04.056)

Welcome back to episode 181. Now, what if your to-do list isn't the problem, but instead it's your energy list? Hear me out. And welcome back by the way, to the hustle rebellion. Look, if you've been feeling tired lately, like mentally, emotionally, maybe even creatively drained a little bit, I want you to pause and ask yourself something. What is draining me and what is driving me? Because today we're not doing another productivity episode, although...

 

I do like to squeeze those in from time to time. We're doing a bit of an energy audit, something a little bit different. I thought it was a good flow on from the episode I did before my other solo episode when I was talking about a bit of a slow season in business. Cause this might help you if you're feeling a little lost or struggling with what you're up to these days in your business. This could be a helpful little tool or process to go through. Now I love a good system. That's how you scale and grow, right?

 

obviously that and good team members. But there's a difference between being productive and like being energized, right? I think you guys would totally get that. You can check off all the boxes day in and day out in your project management tool, in your little calendar, your app or whatever, and you can still feel absolutely empty, right? Like you're like, yeah, I a big day. I checked everything off. And then you're like, but I feel like shit. You can hit your revenue goal and still feel like absolutely disconnected. It's like, well, I just got this goal.

 

that I wanted and I still just don't feel quite right. So let's stop actually measuring success by the output and start paying attention to how things actually make us feel, right? So an energy audit is like a simple sort of check-in, I guess, across your work and your life. And here's how it works. So basically you take out a piece of paper or journal or, you know, a Google Doc or whatever it is, and you write down

 

Number one, your regular tasks. Number two, your clients and or your team. them kind of chunk them in two groups. And number three, your habits or routines that you do. Tasks, regular, clients that you have, team, habits, routines. Then for each one, ask yourself the question, does this give me energy or take it away? And it can be a person, absolutely, right?

 

Heather Porter (02:30.082)

And that's it, you're not like judging or fixing anything yet at all. You're just noticing. You're just taking a moment in time to see what's on your plate and noticing which ones give you energy or which one actually, which ones take it away. So I'm gonna give you some examples. So the first one, it would be like tasks, okay? So let's say you're doing your own social media in your business. By the way, you shouldn't be unless you're an influencer or even then you get help, right? Ask yourself this, does it light you up creatively?

 

So if you're doing your own social media content, does it like light you up creatively or do you actually like dread it and you sit there on your app and you're doom scrolling instead? If it's draining and you have the means, delegate it. So if you have team members or resources to get help, delegate it, outsource it, don't do it. Or maybe you're working late to write that weekly newsletter that you have to put out.

 

If it feels good and you actually really love it, keep it up. Like I know some people that have moved over to Substack these days and they are the best writers, love their content. I think they love it too. You can kind of feel it. So if that's you, do it, expand on that. But if it's not lighting you up, maybe it's time to change the format or the frequency, shift things around, right? Let's do another example with clients. And this one's a big one.

 

look at your current roster of clients that you have or like let's say you sell info products or you know more content based. Think about who your audience is that you're promoting to and ask yourself the question who energizes you? Who respects boundaries? Who do you feel excited to help? And like think through that really really be honest with yourself right?

 

And ask the harder question, who makes you tense before a call? Like those people where you're, you know, in bed at night and you're actually thinking about a client and you should be tuned out for the day. Who leaves you emotionally wiped out? You would know that, right? When you get off a call or a meeting and you feel it, you totally feel it. You're allowed to build a business that feels good, right? Just remind yourself that it's your business, you built it.

 

Heather Porter (04:54.548)

you have these, you can do whatever you want in that way. I know easier said than done, especially with cashflow and trying these days with cost of living and everything and trying to, you know, get money in the door. But also just remember if you close the door for a client you take on, it's wiping you out energetically, then you're also, so if you've worked with them, you're closing the door to other clients, right? That's what I'm trying to say. You're closing the door to a potential client that you would probably love working with.

 

So just be aware of that. So, you know, you can let go of misaligned clients and even if the money is good as well, like if you are having nightmares, you wake up at 3 a.m. and your heart's palpitating and you're just like twitching in bed all night and you're not feeling great during the day. By the way, can you tell I've been there? So, yeah, don't like stop it. can you can be more get clients that you're more aligned with. Energy is so important.

 

It is, think of it like currency, a different type. If you're running on empty, what's the real cost to you? Seriously, what is it? And let's think of another example for like habits and routines. Do your daily habits serve you or do they just fill space? When was the last time you thought of those and did a bit of an audit on those? What you do in your day to day.

 

Is it a habit that you read in a personal development book from 10 years ago that you just keep doing because you've heard it helps you manifest or create or, you know, do better in the world, but you're kind of over it and doesn't light you up, then don't do it. Find something else. Do you have a morning routine? Is it nourishing to you or is it just like another to do list? So recently I've been following a woman named Dr. Stacey Sims and she, amongst many others that I'm talk about the

 

of protein and increasing the uptake in your protein. So now every morning I actually got an espresso machine and I make myself like 30 grams of protein in almond milk. So I mix that in. It's like a really wonderful protein powder. I mix that in and then I use my Nespresso machine with a little pod. It's for iced coffee so it doesn't get as hot. And I put a little bit of honey in that or maple syrup and I mix that up and it's like a shot of espresso that's made

 

Heather Porter (07:17.045)

to make iced coffee. have my milk with my protein powder. I stick my ice cubes in there to keep it cool. And then I pour in, sort of store the honey or maple syrup in the coffee. And then I pour that into the cold milk. I love it so much. And every morning I'm like, I'm excited. I'm like, I'm coming downstairs and making my coffee because I feel good. I feel a energized. I have the protein. I, you know, I'm not, yeah, I'm kind of not feeling crap in the mornings anymore. So just saying, you know, reevaluate.

 

your morning routine and does it help you is actually beneficial to you. And yeah, absolutely. We all don't love working out either. And that's beneficial to you too. So make sure you're not dropping anything from that. So yeah, so just think about that. And I guess the core with your routines is it just a to-do list that you've been doing for years or months because you've just been doing it for years or months. So keep an eye on that.

 

Let's bring intention back to what we're doing, right? Maybe you actually need 15 minutes of silence instead of listening to another podcast or walk outside without listening to music. Maybe your best ideas come when you're not on. I hear this all the time, walking in nature, in the shower, moments when you're just relaxing.

 

Think about realigning all of your inputs and what you're doing as well, not like pushing harder with everything that's in your life. And here's something I've learned as well. Your body always tells the truth. And that's why I started intuitive eating a while back as well. Your body tells you what it needs. We just get good to tuning out a lot of us from it, right? So if you dread opening your calendar at night or in the morning,

 

If your shoulders tense when a client's name pops up in your emails. If you breathe easier the moment you close your laptop for the day, that is solid data from your body. So much of success is about tuning back in, feeling, really feeling and letting your energy be your compass. So instead of asking, why should I get, or what should I get done this week?

 

Heather Porter (09:37.121)

try what would feel really energizing to work on. What can I say no to? Can I say yes to feeling good in exchange? What task is costing me more than it's worth mentally or emotionally? Because you guys energy is your fuel. keeps all of us going and no strategy works when you're just running on fumes. So here's your challenge you guys, if you want to take it, if you're feeling drained.

 

Do a simple energy audit, write these things down, right? Your tasks, your clients, your habits, literally look at them. Are they draining? Are they draining you or energizing you? Adjust just one thing, just one, start with one. Maybe you delegate a task, maybe you take a pause from one habit. Maybe you think about training for your employee because they keep doing something that's bothering you. Maybe you set a stronger boundary with a client, whatever that is.

 

And it's not about quitting everything. It's about reclaiming your energy and your clarity. Business isn't always about what you do, right? It's about how you feel when you're doing it. And you guys know this, like when you are feeling amazing, you just start attracting the coolest things into your life. So be honest, listen to your body, audit your energy, like your success absolutely depends on it because actually it does. And thank you for being here as always.

 

If this episode hit home for you, share it with somebody who might need it as well. Take care of yourselves. And if you are just flying along and you're like, Heather, I am doing so well. I'm in the best season of my business. Yes, keep going and just make sure that you remember to do these little audits when you feel a little flat, because there might be a little something in there you can tweak as well. Thanks guys. Talk to you soon. Bye.