My Practice of Elimination – 5 for 5: Part 2 

By Leigh Martinuzzi (revised – original post 07.09.2014)

Last week I revised an article I wrote on a practice I developed a few years back. To be honest, nothing too spectacular, but rather an exercise of clearing out the rubbish and replacing it with more good. You can check out the post here.

It came out of necessity. As I found myself halfway through the year, I began to notice patterns creeping back into my daily life. Things that I believed were disrupting the accomplishment of my goals. In reflection, I realised this and began to do work to remove what wasn’t working and improve on what was.

Below I outline the five specifics I decided to remove and the five I wished to improve on or implement. Many of you can probably relate. I hope by sharing I can inspire you to do a little reflection on your life and try out this 5 for 5.

To be Eliminated…

Drinking

I love a drink and as my friends and even follower of The Hidden Why likely understand sometimes I tend to overindulge. I’ve gone weeks without drinking, and the results that came in were outstanding. The health of my body and mind were improved. I had more energy, positivity, clarity, ability, focus and happiness. I felt unstoppable.

Overconsumption of any poison, and yes, alcohol is a poison, is not a wise thing to do. The body is very resilient and can recover from small amounts however from excisive and continued use it will affect the body, mind, performance and overall well-being.

Alcohol sends our entire system into imbalance. It reaps havoc on our biological processes and numbs our emotions, the good and the bad. What I notice most of all is how significantly my motivation levels decrease. Drinking is very unproductive, limiting and disastrous on the achievement of my goals. Importantly it’s detrimental to our state joy.

Watching TV

Mindless activities get me nowhere. Using TV as an escape or an excuse to avoid what I should be doing is wasteful. TV is mind-numbing and often negative. Screen time right before bed is also said to affect the quality of our sleep. An excellent way to sometimes unwind but a very unproductive task indeed.

In saying that I do enjoy switching off and love watching a good movie or drama. However, while it may be stimulating, I could spend my time better on writing, reading or meditating.

I don’t believe there is anything wrong with watching a bit of media but if it interrupts you achieving your goals then perhaps it’s a good idea to reduce it or skip it altogether.

Negative People

You become the people you surround yourself with. The truth is that negative people and those who aren’t on the same path as we are can suck us of our energy, time and focus. I could better put this towards that which I wish to accomplish and to surround myself with people that favour my direction is more likely to assist me in achieving it.

The goal is to be mindful and carefully select those who I want to associate with, socially and professionally. I want to be around people that will enhance my life. If there isn’t an alignment in passions, purpose or positive intentions then perhaps I need to disassociate myself.

It may sound harsh however in the pursuit of happiness what’s more important? Negative or limiting folk or those who will make us thrive?

Emails, Calls & Social Media

Technology can is a great tool and yet use incorrectly can severely impact our productivity. I choose to eliminate unwanted emails and calls. Demands of others that distracts my attention that has little or no gain.

It does not mean to eliminate the use of technology entirely but to use it in a way that doesn’t control our best intentions. The time suck and clutter of tech, a request to act based out of another’s inefficiencies or goals limits ourselves from our Self-progression. Is it purposeful?

It may be essential to respond to or at least acknowledge these matters but is it a priority? Turn down the volume and switch off the distractions. Take control of your life. Be humble, compassionate and even educate others that use tech in an unproductive fashion. It will be good for the attainment of your goals.

Procrastination

Procrastination is one thing that I am usually pretty good at however I still find I procrastinate over things that I know I really should do and that will truly benefit me. Why? Usually, it’s because I have been busy or lack the energy to act.

I’ve written and recorded a podcast on the subject of procrastination – found here.

A few questions I need to ask myself when I find myself in procrastination.

Is this necessary?
What’s stopping me from doing this now?
What is the benefit of doing this now?
Can it be delayed?
Is it purposeful towards the attainment of my goal(s)?

Procrastination is quite often a waste of time, energy and mental clarity. It can also cause a great deal of stress which can be detrimental to achieving other things on our list.

If what we spend time procrastinating over serves a purpose, is a priority and if it takes us towards our goals, then bite the bullet and get it done! You will feel better for it and be one step closer to living your dreams.

The Improvements or Implementers…

Reading & listening more

Growth and learning, a fundamental human need. It creates fulfilment and brings us joy because it gives us a sense of progression. For me, this is enough of a reason to read more. Put more good stuff in and wash out the bad. It also includes listening to more educational and inspiring audio, books, courses, podcasts.

I’ve heard that by listening to audio programs while in the car every day for a year is like the equivalent of studying a 3-year bachelor degree. Since implementing reading and listening to audio into my life, I genuinely feel I can attest to that. I believe I’ve learnt more in the last three years doing this then I did at university.

The best investment we can make is the investment in ourselves. And I’m not talking about a haircut, make-up and a new pair of jeans. I’m talking about an investment in your personal development. Reading is one investment that doesn’t take a vast deal of capital or time, and the payoff is immense.

Join the 5 am Club

Is this essential? Perhaps not! For many people, they claim that they just aren’t a morning person. I for one know that I am. My performance and productivity are ten-fold. That is one good reason to get out of bed a little earlier however another motivator is that fact that I don’t want to sleep my life away.

Sleep and rest are essential. While the amount we each need may vary slightly we all need it. Rather than staying up to watch the late night news, I could head to bed early, wake up early, and do some much-needed work on what I love.

It’s also a very peaceful time of the day. No distractions and no interruptions. Giving me the headspace and focus on getting more quality work done.

Since writing the original post, my morning routine has become second nature. It’s a must. You can read/listen to it using the links below.

Daily exercise

I love lying in bed, cosey and content with a great nights sleep. Grateful for my life. It’s a great time to do some positive self-talk and affirmations. Even think about the plan for the day ahead. Occasionally I feel the need for some more rest, but often I am too eager to jump out of bed and get into my day. I’ve found the best activation technique is exercise first thing.

Within a matter of minutes, exercise will get the heart pumping and the blood flowing. It may even be a routine of push-ups and star-jumps. It triggers you off like someones just jabbed you with a syringe of adrenaline. Alert, firing, and ready to tackle the day.

When I start my day off this way, it is rare that I finish the day disappointed with my output. Morning exercise tends to help me accomplish more – great tool when you’ve got dreams to awaken.
Of course, there are plenty of health benefits, too.

Outsource and Delegate

I have always been one to outsource things. Not sure if this is a natural leadership thing or laziness. What I can say is that by outsourcing I’ve managed to free up more time to get more done, focus on what I’m good at and complete essential tasks.

It’s madness trying to do everything yourself. Time is an undervalued resource and yet one thing that we all want more. By outsourcing and delegating, we can create more. It will assist us to achieve our future success.

Here is a straightforward example. I used to spend a bit over an hour on Sundays ironing my shirts. A task I am not fond of and one that ate into my Sunday. All until I found a local lady who could iron my clothes for only a dollar fifty per item. Cheap! If I gave up two cups of coffee a week, I’d get back that hour on a Sunday. A great payoff.

I can and have outsourced a lot of things in both my personal and professional life. It has given me more time and allowed me to focus on what I want to achieve. I have loved this process so dearly that I set-up an outsourcing business and even wrote a book on this subject. I’d be happy to send you a free digital copy – email me below.

Creative Time

Creative time, perhaps not on everyone’s list to include in daily practice but definitely on mine. I think we all have a need for artistic expression and therefore all have the ability but maybe we just haven’t made the connection between the value it brings into our lives.

I love writing. It brings me a great deal of joy and fulfilment. The Hidden Why exists out of my wish to fulfil this need. By eliminating some of the above activity, I can spend more time writing, and it seems to bring me a never-ending sense of joy.

Following our passion in life is critical. Finding that thing that allows you to express yourself creatively is dynamite. I’ve written an entire post on this topic alone – read it here.

Four years ago these were my five for five. I am grateful that most of the above things have I’ve removed and others implemented, and still, as I revise this post, they are relevant and vital to me. It’s amazing what happens when you remove the clutter and the unessential and replace it with good behaviours and activities. Life transforms.

The journey is not always a quick one, self-mastery and progression take time, and no one said it was going to be easy. Keep pushing forward. The dreams can come alive.

Further Reading and Resources 

TED Talks: Ideas worth spreading

Psychology Today: Psychology Today is devoted exclusively to everybody’s favourite subject – Ourselves

Life Hack: Tips for Life

Elite Daily: The Voice of Generation Y

Four Hour Work Week: How to escape the 9-5, live anywhere and join the new rich.

The Minimalists: How to pursue a minimalist lifestyle and be happier.

Mind Hacks: Tips and Tricks for Using Your Brain

Rich Roll: Plantpowered Wellness Advocate

The Art of Charm: Build confidence, feel comfortable and networking differently.

American Psychological Association: The largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United State

The Art of Manliness: Encouraging men to be better husbands, fathers, brothers, citizens.

Tiny Buddha: Simple wisdom for complex lives.

Brain Pickings: An inventory of cross-disciplinary interestingness, spanning art, science, design, history, philosophy, and more.

Mind Body Green: Lifestyle media brand dedicated to inspiring you to live your best life.

Zen Habits: Find simplicity and mindfulness in life.

Creative NonFiction: “true stories well told.” 

Addicted 2 Success: Motivation & Inspiration Website full of quotes and inspiring articles for entrepreneurs.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree: science-based answers and expert insight on how to be awesome at life.

The Positivity Blog: Practical articles on happiness, self-esteem, productivity and social skills.