Welcome,
Unique learners!
Have you ever felt anxious to start your day?
Trouble starting to write that paper?
Study for that exam or just focus at the workplace?
In this talk I will cover the most important time management technique of all times for you writers out there,
Students,
People in academia and everybody else having an inner critic.
Yes,
What will save you 99% more time and being efficient is silencing that inner critic.
In my previous time management sessions I have discussed several practical techniques like the Pomodoro Technique,
Timeboxing.
But will these techniques work when you are saying to yourself,
I am not good enough,
This isn't working,
Why can't I focus and just write?
I'm afraid to start writing because I will blip at it anyway.
Do you think thoughts like these will help you that day?
No!
The inner critic does have a purpose and that is to protect us.
But what if it's holding us back to become more efficient,
Peaceful,
Relaxed and so on?
So let's get settled and try out some exercises to quiet our inner critic.
Close your eyes if you haven't done so already.
Breathe in through your nose and hold it on the top and breathe out through the mouth with a sigh.
Once more,
Breathe in through your nose,
Hold it and breathe out longer than your in-breath with a sigh.
And how does that feel?
Become aware of your thoughts.
Don't pay too much attention to them though.
We get so used to hearing our own narrations that it's easy to become oblivious to the message that we're sending ourselves.
Pay attention to what you're thinking about and recognize that just because you think something doesn't mean it's true.
See those thoughts as bubbles floating by.
Beautiful,
Colorful bubbles.
Small ones,
Big ones.
And if you're stuck in your thoughts,
That's okay,
That's normal.
Try to focus on your breath and feel your body.
If there is one thought very present,
Let's take it.
Now ask yourself,
What advice would you give to a little child or dear friend?
If a friend expressed feelings of self-doubt,
Hopefully you wouldn't say you can't ever do anything right or you're so stupid no one likes you.
Yet we're often quick to say those things to ourselves.
Instead,
You would be more likely to offer a friend compassionate words of encouragement like you made a mistake but it's not the end of the world.
Or it's unlikely that today's performance will actually get you fired.
Treat yourself equally as kind as you would treat a friend and apply those words of encouragement to your life.
Try to focus on your breath and feel your body.
If this doesn't feel right or you have the thought that it's not working,
That is okay too.
With some practice it will become easier.
So unique learners,
I hope this talk about the inner critic with some exercise was useful and will help you along the way in your path to working more efficiently and get that peace of mind.
Every individual needs their own approach,
Therefore I would like to invite you to think about what works for you and what doesn't.
I always feel your feedback on these talks and would love to read what has worked for you.
Till next time!
And remember,
You are worthy of love,
Including self-love.
Namaste.
