As I mentioned in my last blog post, Reach!, January is "Reach Your Potential" month.  Today I wanted to share something that I talk about in my upcoming book.  A topic that  plagues us all and could keep us from reaching our potential- Energy Vampires.  That’s right… those folks who zap your energy and monopolize your time.  If you learn to manage your energy well, you will be managing your time well.  As my pal Jim Estill writes, time management is really energy management.

Ah, those well-meaning, but negative, people.  When you are in their presence, or talking to them on the phone, you feel your own energy being sucked right out into the ethers. After an interaction with an Energy Vampire, you might feel depressed and spiraling downward. And you vow to yourself that next time you will "cut it short" when this energy sucker comes a-calling. 

Let’s take an inventory.  Who in your life is an Energy Vampire? Sometimes our Energy Vampires are our family members- siblings, parents or even, oh my gosh!, our spouses/ partners.  They could be co-workers or friends. Whoever they are, you know that you feel a certain "doom and gloom" when they appear at your office door or your cell phone caller id.

To empower ourselves to reach our potential, we need to effectively manage our Energy Vampires to keep our own energy levels soaring high and our time free for important issues.

I coach my clients to always do a reality check after each interaction they have.  Did this experience leave me feeling good or not so good?  Do I want to spend lots of time with this person in the future?  If the answers are not so good and no, then it’s time to pull back, get busy, find positive people to be around and limit your interactions with your Energy Vampire. 

You will see some remarkable results as you keep your own energy intact.  It will propel you toward reaching your potential.

Photo by Pete Woodhead on Flickr