Want to rediscover your mojo?

Sponsored by Metamucil

My name is Nikki and I’m a chronic multi-tasker.

There is a big reason why my word for the year is FOCUS. I’m using that word as a means of helping to snap my multi-tasking brain back to the task at hand.

I know this will make me more productive but I also know that it will make me feel less stressed.

Knowing all this is one thing but putting a proactive plan in place to do something about it is very much another.

So when Metamucil asked if I’d like to have a session with wellness coach Fiona Cosgrove, I jumped at the chance.

I’ve worked with coaches in my business. It makes sense that a coach could also help you work on wellness goals.

Coaches don’t do the work for you. You have to do the work.

They also don’t faff about either.

We took about five minutes to rule out any need for immediate changes to my diet and exercise routine.

Three years ago that would have been a different story and a very different coaching session but if you play along with my regular health updates, you’ll know the background story on how I changed my focus and found my own level of consistency.

I’ll update you again soon on the Hashimotos front, but what Fiona was quickly able to help me nail was that my crazy approach to work was sabotaging my ongoing quest to feel the best I can feel – EVERY day.

Coaches help you set a vision for how you want an aspect of your personal or work life to look and this was mine:

“To achieve a sense of calmness across everything I do, as opposed to frantically jumping from one thing to another.”

To some people, this is something that comes naturally – and it has absolutely nothing to do with how busy they are or how many roles and responsibilities they have.

They have an inner something that keeps their adrenals pumping on slow release.

Me?

I mostly can pull off the outward-looking calm thing but inside the neural pathways in my brain are bouncing all over the place. As for my adrenals? They’re wondering when the fight is going to start.

I am busy but I also crave variety in my days. See self-sabotage.

But damn it. I want to gain better focus, feel lighter and avoid things weighing me down.

We talked through the broad areas of my work day and the things that can impact on my general intention to stay focussed.

And that’s the thing, you can’t be general if you want to make changes to your life. You have to be very specific.

Fiona kept challenging me to drill down broad aims that could hijack my work day – managing emails, inability to compartmentalise and my magnetic attraction for distractions – to one thing that could make a real difference to my work day’s flow and bring on a sense of calm at the end of it.

You’re going to laugh when you find out what that one thing is.

Dear blog reader, as you know I’m a former newspaper journalist. We worked all day on the next day’s stories. And it was highly unlikely that anything you were working on in the morning was exciting and important enough for the next day’s front page.

So when would the exciting stuff – and adrenalin kick in? The afternoon – often late afternoon.

My writing schedule is far from as gruelling as my days as a general news reporter when we could be expected to write up to 10 or 12 stories but I do commit to writing a blog post here each week day, publishing at the same time every morning.

As some kind of subconscious way of generating the same adrenalin rush I’ve always been exposed to in my working life, I’ve been doing EVERY OTHER TASK except writing the next day’s post, often leaving this until the evening to complete.

This stresses me out. I should be relaxing on the couch watching Netflix or reading a book, not writing the next day’s blog post.

Once we’d nailed the root cause of my stress and the effect it was having on my wellness, it was so easy to see a solution and what goals I needed to have in place to create long-term change.

There was no use setting a goal that had me write blog posts in batches. This very much works for others – not so for me – see above re journalism career. Never say never but this would be too big a leap to make and I’d only set myself up to fail.

There was also no use in setting a goal that had me write the blog post as my first work job of the day. I’ve tried that but this attempted practice only lead to an increased ability to be easily distracted.

So, instead we’re working with my natural writing rhythm and blocking out from 12-3pm each day for blog post writing. I’m switching off email and social media on my computer during this time but (baby steps) I’ve still got my phone on in case of emergencies or urgent emails.

How’s it going?

On a scale of 1-10, I’d say I’m about a 7. I’m not nailing this every day but I am nailing it more days than not.

The ongoing motivation to make this work is how I GOOD I feel on those evenings when the time is my own.

I’m getting my mojo back.

Rediscover YOUR mojo

What’s needed to help you rediscover your mojo is most probably vastly different from mine.

What I do know is that a lack of mojo something that we women don’t have time for. Well, I don’t.

So, as part of my work with Fiona and Metamucil, I signed up to take The Metamucil Two Week Challenge – to not miss my daily dose of Metamucil for two weeks.

Metamucil is a registered therapeutic product* made with 100% natural psyllium which forms a gel to help cleanse your insides.

Don’t worry, we’re not going to get into talk about regularity here.

What I am going to talk about is how I’m NOT going to stop my daily dose. The two weeks were up last week but it’s a lot like finding that one thing with Fiona that I needed to change to improve my wellness.

Once you commit to something, the more you turn up and do it, the more it becomes a good habit and improves your life.

I embraced all the flavours on offer – Lemon Lime, Wild Berry and Orange.

Most days it was just a case of adding the 1.5 teaspoons to water and quickly downing before heading out the door.

It tastes great with water, but other days, I got a bit fancy and turned it into a breakfast smoothie, like these two.

Metamucil Strawberry Kiwi Sipper

Blend: 1 medium, peeled banana, 2 peeled kiwifruit, 1 cup apple juice, half a punnet of frozen or fresh strawberries, 1.5tsp Metamucil Berry Smooth, 1/2 cup ice

Metamucil Banana Orange Frosty

Blend: 1 medium, peeled banana, 1/2 cup coconut water, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1.5tsp Metamucil Orange Smooth, 1/2 cup ice

These drinks added variety, yes, but the end result was still the same.

I’ve definitely felt lighter, less bloated and have had less of the brain fuzz that often accompanies me on my days. Energy levels are better too.

I actually felt all this two days into the challenge, which was a pleasant and motivating surprise. Then each subsequent day was an improvement again.

My challenge to you is to:

1. Consider trying Metamucil for two weeks to see if you feel the same.

2. To think about one aspect of your daily life that you have the power to change and, in doing so, would better improve your overall health and wellbeing?

Let me know what that one thing would be? How would you feel if you changed that one thing?

**Available at pharmacies. Always read the label. Use only as directed. If symptoms persist, see your health care professional.

Coordinated by The Remarkables Group