188. Take action from where you are

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Hello, darling heart, and welcome to this episode of the drink less, live better podcast.

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This is the podcast that helps you to see that drinking less doesn't need to be stressful, lonely, or boring.

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I'm your host, Sarah Williamson, and I decided to have a year alcohol free as a little life experiment and haven't looked back.

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I'm a best selling author, expert speaker, corporate workshop facilitator, and life coach.

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I'm here to support you with your alcohol free or drink less adventures.

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Follow me on Instagram at drink less, live better.

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Find resources on my website, drink less, live better.com, and buy my book, drink less, live better.

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It's available in all the places you might buy a book.

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I hope you enjoy this podcast episode. Let's get straight to it.

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Take action from where you are now.

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Before we get started today, I want you to know that I'm not here to say you must take action or you need to take fast action.

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I want you to know right from the start an action can be no action, just like no response can be a response.

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Do you need to let that settle for a second? Yeah. No action is action.

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If today you need to say, woah, life feels a bit lifey, Then, my friend, you go straight to the sofa with your blanket and

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you hang out there, or you get out for that incredible hike you've been meaning to do for a while, or you call your friend

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and ask if they fancy a trip out for lunch.

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Whatever will bring your nervous system peace and calm today, you do that.

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Action to be is as important as action to do.

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If you've heard me say it once, you've almost certainly heard me say it many times.

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We are human beings, not human doings.

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You'll find podcast episode number 8 for more insights on that subject.

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Episode 8, heck, that was a long time ago in the drink less, live better podcast archives.

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So take the action to be if that is what this day calls for.

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If today is lined up as a doing day, however, ask yourself if you are working on your professional to do list or your personal to do list.

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I am often switching between both, which suits me fine.

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We all have those items on our lists that seem to linger forever.

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No matter how hard we try to get them done, it is so easy to feel overwhelmed or even paralyzed when we look at our overflowing

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to do list, messy, crossed out, scribbled over, but I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be that way.

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When I have a lot of items I'd like to get done, I write them all out and then cross off those that might not now seem so urgent.

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I also take some items and write them into future dates in my diary, so I don't forget them, but they're also out of sight and out of my mind.

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I also have a folder under my desk called the idea car park.

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I stick notes in here of things that might distract me now, but I might like to come back to one day. Side note.

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Things that go in the car park tend to stay in the car park.

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Just like all those saved Instagram and Facebook posts I'm never really gonna look at again.

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I then delegate some tasks that I know my family will joyfully take on, then I prioritize what's left into a grid.

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In my grid, I decide what is urgent and important, what's just urgent, and what's just important.

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I try not to give myself more than the tasks I can reasonably complete in a day.

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If you'd like a copy of the grid I use, send me an email, sarah@drinklesslivebetter.com,

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and I'll pop it over to you.

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Or if you've got my book, you'll find it printed in there.

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Now let's chat about 5 quick and easy tips that will help you start ticking those tasks off your list 1 by 1. Tip number 1, break it down.

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You now know what is urgent and important, but one of the biggest reasons we struggle to take action is that the tasks on

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our list feel too big or too daunting.

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So the first thing I recommend is to break those bigger tasks down into smaller, more manageable steps.

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Don't think about completing the whole project.

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Just focus on the very next smallest action you can take.

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I never write podcast on the list.

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I write script podcast, set up tech for podcast, record pod podcast, edit, add intro and outro music, transcribe it, load to hosting platform, and publish podcasts. These are the real actions.

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Let's be realistic about what one task takes. Tip number 2, set a timer.

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Sometimes we need a little bit of structure and accountability.

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Try setting a timer for just 15 or 20 minutes and commit to working solely on one task during that time.

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You'd be amazed at how much you can get done when you have a little ticking clock pushing you forward. Tip 3, batch your tasks.

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Another helpful strategy is putting all of the similar tasks together.

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For example, you might have a load of emails to respond to or some online research to do.

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Instead of tackling those things sporadically throughout the day, set aside a dedicated set of time and get through them all at once.

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This will help you stay focused and efficient. Tip number 4, eliminate the distractions.

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It is so easy to get sidetracked.

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What with social media, WhatsApp WhatsApp messages, and the lure of the whole of the Internet, it will feel impossible to stay the course.

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Close the unnecessary tabs and apps, put your phone on silent, or use a website blocker to keep you on the task in hand.

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And tip number 5, celebrate the small wins.

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Give yourself a pat on the back for every single task you complete.

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Have that dopamine hit, cross that task out, and either fist pump or make another cup of tea.

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Taking action could be tricky, but acknowledging your progress, even in the littlest of ways can help to keep you motivated

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and inspired to keep going with it.

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So start where you are without judgment or criticism. Do what you can or don't. Rest if you can. Progress won't always be linear. It's not supposed to be.

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If you need or want a little extra support or accountability, don't hesitate to get in touch.

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My one to 1 life coaching sessions can support you with exactly this kind of thing.

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Let's create the lives we truly want. Thank you for listening in today. Come back again next week.

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Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast if you love it, and if you don't love it, I don't know why you're still listening.

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Check out the show notes for a link to a hidden podcast episode that will help you with your 5 PM cravings and details about

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my one to one life coaching and sober coaching programs, and PS, I believe in you.