5 Things You Should Do In The New Year
I absolutely love December and Christmas time. The feeling of people slowing down is palpable. Wherever I go, it feels as though people are taking the time to relax and spend more time with family and friends. Fewer cars on the roads, more holiday photos on Facebook and a general feeling that globally we are all having a break.
It’s also the time of the year when there will be a flurry of resolution and goal setting. The new year feels like a clean slate. A time to re-start, re-set and consider where we see ourselves going in the coming new year. It is as though time is saying to us “it’s ok you have another chance to change”. This is quite powerful and definitely worth riding on.
Why not take this opportunity to do these 5 things which will not only kick start your new year but also help you to stick to your goals.
1) Look through your diary for this year.
Flip through your diary to get a sense of how much you have done in the year. List the top things you feel proud to have achieved in the year. What was the feeling when you accomplished them? What is your insight and learning? List a few things that you planned to get done in the year but were not able to achieve. What is your insight and learning from that?
Too often we are captivated by the new year and the promise it holds. But we need to honour our past and give ourselves due credit for our achievements. This is not an exercise in back patting but a deep exercise in recognizing what and how we learn to progress.
2) Reduce time online by 30 minutes a day.
The lure of the internet is undeniable. The internet cloud is always above our heads and the temptation is to constantly check our gadgets. I don’t know how and to what extent but I feel that our obsession with the internet is affecting our ability to pause and reflect. We appreciate the beauty around us less as we are glued to our devices more. Try going for a short walk without your gadget for 30 minutes a day and notice the impact it has on your well-being.
3) Write at least one article on any topic.
Writing is paradoxically one of the most difficult and easiest things to do. You don’t need to be a professional writer to write. Just write. Put your thoughts and learnings down on paper. It can be on any topic but if you are struggling on where to start, start with the 3 experiences you have had this year and what that has thought you about yourself.
Writing gives you a sense of achievement that you have given your thoughts a form of permanence.
4) Connect with someone you haven’t in a long time.
Networking events and meeting new people is great. But there are wonderful benefits of re-connecting with people we have not had contact with in sometime. The time gap is a great way to catch up and conversations can flow as we fill in the gaps. There is an acknowledgment that although we have not seen each other for sometime, we are still interested in each other’s lives. Furthermore, I am beginning to see more research which indicates that re-connecting with acquaintances is a great way to build businesses and networks.
5) Book yourself a mid-year check-in.
The coming year may seem long and distant. But don’t let time slip by. Book yourself a mid-year check-in with yourself. This can be a retreat, a holiday or just “white space” in your diary where you allow yourself to unplug. Book this and commit to it by planning your work around it. Barring any emergencies, this should be non-negotiable.
Once you have it in your diary, you may notice how you automatically work towards it and start achieving more.
Try these tips and notice what works for you. And remember that by the end of next year, you can put together your own list of things to do in the new year.