What Fills My Tank?
My daughter is creative, and not just a little creative. She’s creative in her soul. Last semester, between sports and school, she had little time for this creativity. Over the holiday break, we would watch her disappear into the craft room and simply create. This time spent doing what her soul loves filled her tank. It left me wondering what fills my tank?
Filling Our Tanks = Productivity
Why is this an important question for us? Because when we have things filling our tank at home and work, we are more productive, happier and better able to tap into our innovative, problem-solving side – a win for us and for the companies we work for.
As I reflected over the past months, I realized I was exhausted by dinner, and certainly not ready to do anything helpful in the evenings. I began to see a pattern. The weeks I spent doing things that were emotionally and mentally draining, I was tired.
The weeks where I intentionally built-in time focused on things or people I enjoy, I was more energized and productive, not only during the day but also at night and on the weekends.
How Do We Find What Fills Our Tank?
Some of you already know what fills your tank. You, like our daughter, have a clear outlet for your energy. Before this thought process, I don’t know that I would have said this one thing filled my tank. Here are some questions you can ask yourself about what gives you energy?
- What’s one thing that makes me smile or brings me excitement each time I think about doing it?
- What’s something that’s challenging, but not frustrating, that I enjoy doing?
- If my friends or family were to describe me at my happiest, what would they say I’ve been doing?
For me, my energy and joy come from a number of spots, but two important spots are through my writing and through relationships in my life. Writing is an outlet for me. I love playing with words and ideas. For the past few months, I’ve lessened how much I’m writing to focus on other work. Now I’m building more writing back into my weekly schedule because it energizes the rest of my time.
The other main place I get my energy is from spending time with friends and colleagues who process and challenge me to think differently. Again, because I’ve been focusing on other pieces, I’ve neglected this time with others. As someone who works remotely, my work is already isolating, so I need to be intentional about finding this time with others – a coffee connect, a lunch, a phone call.
What Fills Your Tank?
As we take a few minutes to reset today, think about what fills your tank. Is it people, a hobby, a chance to volunteer somewhere? How can you build this time into your calendar?
Thanks for being part of my journey and giving me a chance to fill my tank with the outpouring of my thoughts and reflections. You filled my tank today!
Vistage chair, keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant, Sarah Gibson, enables organizations to leverage the power of communication, teamwork, and diversity to improve engagement and transform teams.
If you are a CEO or know a CEO who would benefit from a peer advisory group, please contact Sarah at Sarah.Gibson@Vistage.com. To inquire about her speaking programs, please visit www.sarahjgibson.com.
