There can be 3 kinds of reactions

• Energizing – This is where we are left with a positive charge. We are motivated or excited. Often this happens when we have a romantic dinner with our partner or we meet a happy baby or receive an award. It is rare to have this kind of positive charge and spark in office meetings

• Neutral – Our emotions are relatively unaffected. For instance we bump into an acquaintance on the street we say hello and we move on. We are not impacted positively or negatively. The same may happen in many office meetings where people may join, not participate and leave

• Negative – This is when we meet someone and are left with a sour or negative feeling. It can happen in an office meeting when someone is shouting at someone or where the boss may have criticized you or others. This is a sad but common reality of many office interactions

Now list for yourself the people who energize you, those to whom you feel neutrally and those who drain your energy.

Dive Into the Positive – The people in the first list are your daily source of energy – your action is to meet or talk to one of them ideally daily.  For instance if your boss or a team mate gives you positive energy then find more time with them, engage more with them and set up time to discuss more topics with them.

• Make a list of the 5 people who energize you the most
• Call or message each of them to meet or do a call. On any subject
• Expand the list and repeat

Eliminate the Neutral – All those people and places that evoke no emotion or feelings in you then those are generally meaningless and peripheral things. Like FYI meetings. Or general calls where you know you may not be needing to speak. Eliminate as many as possible. All if possible.

• List the 5 things in your diary that take your time but leave you with no feeling
• Now starting deleting the least important of them one by one
• Aim to delete all over time

Ignore the Negative – Those who leave you with negative energy and feeling tired and drained. Some of these are avoidable. Some may not. Solution here is to become aware of the negative energy and work very hard to minimize or eliminate the exposure to this energy. How can you do that ?

• Make a list of people who leave you feeling drained and with negative energy
• Minimise your regular interactions with them as much as possible
• When faced with the inevitable engagement prepare for what is coming by developing a simple breathing meditation before, during and after the interaction – it will help you pass things smoothly

MAXIMISE your time spent with ENERGIZERS. They will bring you ideas, growth, success, happiness and love. Eliminate the rest.