Simple Solution: Bag, Barter, Better
Posted on March 19, 2014 by Sara Weeks, One of Thousands of Health and Fitness Coaches on Noomii.
To Do Lists can feel overwhelming and crazy making! Simplify them and create more positive energy around them using the 3Bs: Bag, Barter, Better.
Slowing down for a Type-A personality is like asking a fish to stop swimming—nearly impossible. But unlike a fish who actually has to swim to stay alive, we humans don’t need to do a million things to keep our heart beating. We make the choice to be super busy, usually with the result of feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and frequently asking, “Where does the time go?”
And since we all have the power of choice, why not choose to enjoy our tasks or, better yet, choose to do less in order to free up time to enjoy life more?
Simple Solution: Bag Barter Better
Expand your awareness of your day-to-day living, preserve energy, boost productivity, open up time to do more of what you love by practicing the 3Bs: Bag Barter Better, taught to me by my mentor, Martha Beck.
Begin by writing your To Do List (TDL). Review each task and notice if just the idea of doing it makes you tense and anxious. If so, apply the 3Bs, choosing the one which helps to alleviate the anxiety the most:
> Bag It = Don’t do it if you really don’t have to.
> Barter It = Give it to someone else to do (aka, delegate!); or Hire someone to do it for you; or Swap the task with someone else by offering an exchange of service.
> Better It = Improve the experience by adding something fun to the process or by planning a reward once it’s complete. (Not unlike a Bribe!) Play your favorite music while cleaning, sip tea while writing that report, plan to have a glass (or two) of wine once the kids are in bed, etc…
Rewrite the list using your 3B solutions. Notice how each task now feels. If there’s one that still doesn’t feel good, re-apply the 3Bs until you create a solution that does!
Martha teaches this technique in conjunction with one of my other all-time favorite simple solutions: The Body Compass. If you’d like to learn that tool along with the 3Bs, dial-into my free Clear Life Call, held the first Wednesday of the month. Simply send me an email and I’ll send you the dial-in info.
How will you use the 3Bs, today?
