The Power of One

Well folks, it’s been 6 months since I last wrote in this space. Part of me apologizes for the lapse. I know many of you have expressed your appreciation of my weekly notes, and I am truly sorry for taking a hiatus. The wiser part of me, however, issues the apology even while knowing that I wasn’t intentionally negligent in any way. The lapse was necessary as a result of realizing that I was experiencing a burnout of sorts. It wasn’t work-related. It was the culmination of grief and caregiver responsibilities all intensifying at the same time. And so, I took a break. I trust that you will understand. 

My intention for this year is to be consistent in my writing. My vision is to go back to a weekly cadence. What this means is that you can expect to hear from me every Monday again, hopefully without (or with limited) exception; after all, I’ve got to leave room for some slack ☺.

As we enter this last week of January, I am aware of an energy in the global field of “feeling fried” and simultaneously a deflation rooted in the question of “how can we be fried already? It’s only the end of January!”. 

Well, we are entering the 3rd year of this Covid-pandemic. There is no denying that for many of us, this means continuing limited social interaction, limited travel (if any), a limited sense of safety, and on the opposite side of that coin, an increased sense of tension. No matter where you stand on mask mandates, vaccines, travel restrictions, or whatever else, the truth is that it makes sense to feel fried. 

And frustrated. 

And longing for something. 

And craving some “normalcy”, whatever that might be. 

I’m feeling it too.

As a result of this “tired” feeling, I find myself having a hard time staying focused, motivated, and productive. And it is only JANUARY (did I already mention that?)! How, exactly, do I source the energy to get things done? 

I don’t know if I have the definitive answer. I do know that I have AN answer. Quite simply, it’s the power of ONE. 

As an avid list-maker, I can often find myself feeling overwhelmed by all there is to do. Add in the backdrop of fatigue – whatever the source may be – and the overwhelm gets amplified. It’s tempting for me to ditch the lists altogether, but I know that won’t actually serve me well. What I’ve discovered as a useful strategy instead is focusing on ONE thing. Just one. 

One list item.

One task.

One phone call. 

One conversation.

While the overall list may be long, when I focus on one thing until it’s complete, then I can move nimbly to the next ONE thing. It’s actually kind of magical, the ease that comes with this.

Admittedly, the power of one requires me to give myself permission to let go of the bigger, longer list. The trick is for me to remember that I’m not actually letting go; I’m honing in on one part of the list. This allows my attention to stay focused. It limits the output of energy. And in the end, I actually end up more productive.

So, as you go into this week, I want to invite you to try leaning into the power of one. As you go about your day, in every moment ask yourself: what is the ONE thing that needs my attention now? Or, what’s the ONE thing I will focus on? As you release your mind from having to hold everything on whatever list you’ve got, the energy and space you create in the moment will lead to greater ease and more meaningful productivity overall.