If you are like me (particularly if you live in Oz) January and those long school summer holidays seem to go on forever and whilst my boys are much older now, I still find it hard to get into my groove in January. Pre-COVID, we would generally be travelling over the summer, so I suspect that is also impacting my mindset. Here is how my new year started…
I had my first day back in my office on Monday 10th January and having had a couple of weeks off, I thought “I am so ready for 2022”. I intended to hit the ground running but instead I hit the ground. I fell flat. My energy was not there. I did not feel revitalised or excited for the year ahead despite having put in place some solid plans. It was rough. My boys were nagging for the beach or needing to be taxied about the place. I had a week’s holiday coming up and I was thinking about that – the idea of disconnecting, chilling with friends and simply stepping away. I was alarmed that less than 2 weeks into the new year my head was wanting to step off. What did this mean for the year ahead? Was I set to fall flat?
I have done a fair bit of work over the years on paying attention to my energy and trying to work with it. I love to be super productive but also in flow, listening to how I am feeling. So…I was not feeling it but I was also mindful that I have some seriously big plans for the year ahead. What a quandary!
Ideal tasks that will pay off
I decided that I would do some work, but it would be work that would help set me up for the year ahead rather than actual “doing” kind of stuff. Here is what I used my January for…
Organise your calendar
I reviewed my calendar bookings system – this year I want to be more effective in how I coach, and I also want to give myself more time to work on my business. I am determined to have Fridays as a flexiday where I can do work or take time off.
I also spoke with my hubby about how we work together and what would help him to be more efficient. His answer was clear and simple – having my undivided attention. Even though we share an office, we spent a good chunk of time communication via Trello boards – this is great as I can write things down but not ideal for him as he has no-one to bounce things off and as a creative, this can be a hard and lonely place to work. So, with that in mind, I wanted to ensure Monday and Tuesday are clear so I can work with my husband (who is the resident web designer) on projects in our biz and for clients.
I have tried to follow a working week structure and this habit fell by the wayside this year so I am hoping to stick to my new structure – I will let you know how it goes.
Review your social media ABOUT sections
This is a relatively easy task and involves you going through each one of your social media accounts and updating that ABOUT or BIO or PROFILE section. Check all your info is current and correct. This is important as you want a consistent message across the internet. Last year, we updated my website, and I was mindful that all my socials said the same thing. This task is quite simple but can feel like it was a good job done.
Declutter anything and everything
Our home has been in chaos since Christmas – hubby has painted the entire house and we have now had new carpets laid. I used this as an opportunity to do some decluttering of physical stuff. It was a big project and I managed to enlist our youngest (with the bribery of money). I love starting the new year with fresh energy around my home and office. This task can be as big or small as you make it. I spent days decluttering but went hard – did my pantry, fridge and freezer, all kitchen cupboards, bathrooms, and laundry. WOW, it feels good. We are just finalising a new office layout (this is the 4th bedroom in our home) and it has made me feel energised just going into that space now.
If you are sitting there scrolling, use this time to declutter your phone. I have an alarm app and I just add new alarms every time I need one – I had 44 alarms on there – so excessive. You could also review all apps on your phone, go through your Notes app as well as your photos and videos. All will help you be more organised.
Remember, the less stuff you have both physically and virtually, the more organised you feel and hopefully, less time spent looking for stuff.
Set some goals
I love being organised and having goals. Every year, I set them in my biz. If you haven’t done this, there are so many tools out there. Think about what you want to achieve and work back from there. It is so inspiring to see the year ahead planned out.
And finally..breathe
It is the end of January as I am writing this and good news, I have found my mojo. I had the most wonderful holiday and this time; I came back refreshed. I was relaxed and felt like I knew what was ahead. But the important lesson in this was that I need to listen to that inner voice and follow my feelings. Rather than pushing hard, I stepped back from my biz, worked a little rather than a lot and intentionally relaxed and gave myself space away from my business. I am so excited for 2022 and its totally cool that it is only really kicking off properly in February – I will still smash my goals but even more importantly, am starting in flow with my energy and enthusiasm high. I hope that you feel inspired to pay attention to your energy and set yourself up for success with just a few simple tasks for January.
