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INERTIA

Sometimes we put off taking action just because we don't feel enthusiastic about it. Entrepreneurs are famous for this, probably because they keep their own schedules and don't report to anyone for the most part. Sometimes, after launching a new business, the thrill is gone and they just feel bored. They need a new challenge. Successful entrepreneurs have learned to combat this feeling and maintain their excitement by taking on new projects or bigger opportunities. They find new challenges and thrive on taking risks. The only caution with this is not to overwhelm yourself and take on more than you can possibly handle.

People avoid taking actions because they let things pile up instead of having one task at a time. The solution is first to be aware that this is your problem, then decide to make a change, then prioritize the work, and take one task at a time until your tasks are finished.

LACK OF CONFIDENCE

Fear and doubt can start to overwhelm the best of us from time to time. Most of the things you fear will never happen. Here's a secret - people who are really good at moving quickly from one task to the next often do so because it’s even more stressful for them to put something off than it is to do it. You might take a lesson from them. Putting off achieving your goals by not taking action might be more painful than just going ahead and doing it.

LOW SELF-WORTH

If you have low self-esteem, you might believe that you don't deserve success. This can happen because of old negative belief systems or a traumatic past. People with low self-esteem can find all sorts of reasons or excuses not to take the first step to a better future. They can also sabotage themselves at any point along the path. If this is your problem, you're not alone. Look into this for the sake of your future. Many books and Internet forums are dedicated to this subject. Make it a priority to get to the bottom of this. You deserve not to be stuck in this place.

YOU DON'T LIKE THE WORK

Even if you like most of what you're doing and it is in line with your desired goals, you might not like every part of what you're doing. Successful people do one of two things: they go ahead and do it anyway, or they pay someone to do it for them. Also, you might still be in a job you don't like because you are afraid to leave for financial reasons. Again, you have two choices: stay in a job you don't like and find ways to make it more pleasurable, or face the fact that life is full of risk and change. You'll have to face your fears if you want a more fulfilling life.

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There's a lot you can do in your home to save energy through your choice of appliances, heating and air-conditioning, and your water tank. Buying energy-efficient appliances can save you a ton of money.

An Energy Star rated washing machine uses half the water and electricity used by less efficient models. Washing machines use about 14% of the water consumed in the home. You can save water by waiting till you have a full load of clothes to wash. Washers use 32 to 59 gallons of water for each cycle. Up to 90% of the energy used for washing clothes goes to heating the water. Here's something you might not know - the temperature of the rinse doesn't affect the cleaning of the clothes. A warm water wash and a cold rinse will work just as well as a hot water wash and a warm rinse on nearly all clothes.

An Energy Star dishwasher can reduce your energy usage by 25% and save water too. You'll save even more if you fill your dishwasher before running it and don't use the pre-rinse or the heat dry cycles.

Refrigerators with an energy Star rating can cut electricity use by 15% to 40%. Save even more energy by letting air circulate around the condenser coils in the back, by checking that the door seals are secure, and by setting the temperatures to 35 to 38°F and 0°F for the freezer. Clean the condenser coils on the back or bottom of your refrigerator at least once a year. Keep the door gasket clean to make sure the seal is not broken.

Air conditioners - if we all raise the settings of our air conditioners by 6°, we could save 190,000 barrels of oil every day. Don’t switch your air conditioner to a colder setting when you turn it on. It will cool the room any faster and it will waste energy. Clean or replace the filters once a month; otherwise the fan works harder and consumes more electricity.

Stoves/ovens - for gas stoves, an electronic ignition system will use about 40% less gas than a pilot light. The pilot light and burner should burn with a blue cone shaped flame. If the flames yellow, burners and ports are clogged and need to be cleaned.

Your local electric utility is a good source for information on energy conservation. They often provide low-cost home energy audits, and have literature that details tips about energy conservation.