These are things that, here and there, I have already talked about but to start off well, so that this is truly a happy new year , we have to start from the basics again, with a little recap, resetting and getting ready to roll up our sleeves.
1. Rethink your space.
I am firmly convinced that a workspace that represents us can be of great inspiration, even if only for the simple fact that we live it for many hours of our time and that being in a place we like helps us stay there.
Mood has a great impact on lucidity and the latter is necessary to face one's objectives.
Another thing I firmly believe is that tidying up and keeping things in order is fundamental. There is no rule about order, everyone has their own order, but it must be there.
I am very minimal and I am in favor of less is more but perhaps the right space for someone else could be a full and colorful desk.
Try like this:
Take a look at your workspace, whether it's your home office or the shared one you go to every morning or your kitchen table. Start by cleaning your desk and choosing only the essential items, the ones you use every day, keeping them within reach. Lesser used items can be sorted by type and placed in a drawer or cabinet (containers and labels are your best friends here). There is no need for imaginative or expensive storage solutions: you can reuse objects found at home such as shoe boxes, decorating them with washi or painting them, applying a sticker to label the contents.
Giving everything a place helps mental clarity and minimizes distractions.
2. Do some digital detox.
It's no secret that some of the most disorganized (and distracting) areas of our lives reside in our phones and computers. Whether it's an ever-growing list of old, unread emails, a memory full of photos, hundreds of files on your desktop, or unused apps and excessive notifications, all this digital clutter can slow us down, stress us out, and make us unnecessarily complicated. find what we need.
Some suggestions:
- Keep your devices tidy: Make a set time in your diary once a week to delete emails, review new photos from the past week, and organize downloads and files. Even 10 minutes a week can have a huge impact on your mental clarity when it comes time to find that important email.
- Reevaluate your notifications: Digital notifications can be useful in the right context, but most only serve to distract us from important work. Consider turning off all notifications on your phone and desktop and instead set a dedicated time, a spot on your daily to do list to look at notifications, emails, various apps and social media. Give yourself a time and stick to it.
- Try it, stay away from your phone or social media platforms for a day and see how your productivity goes, this will help you become aware of what is essential and what can be classified as unnecessary and will help you to reframe what is possible when distractions are eliminated.
I did it and it was enlightening.
3. Objectives VS good intentions
I was talking about this in a post just the other day: There's nothing like a fresh start and the sense of possibility that comes with a new year, as opportunities for a new lifestyle, outlook, or habits become warranted.
However, it's also easy for an unattainable New Year's resolution to quickly result in discouragement and disappointment. The solution? To good intentions, I prefer objectives that can be divided into actionable and achievable steps. Good resolutions may fail not because you lack willpower, but rather because the goal you set is too vague, uninspiring, or lacking clear steps.
Try using the SMART project management tool, to choose your next goal.
SMART stands for SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, RELEVANT, TIME-BASED
- Specific : What is the goal and what steps need to be taken to achieve it?
- Measurable : You need to be able to track your progress. As? For example, through a tool like a habit tracker, which allows us to take a snapshot of progress, allowing us to celebrate and adjust it. Find more information on our blog here.
- Achievable : Take a step back now that you've identified the details. Being realistic about your goal and time will set you up for success and the satisfaction that comes from reaching each milestone.
- Relevant : Make sure the goal aligns with your values and long-term goals.
- Time-Related : Setting a realistic deadline or time frame can help motivate you and ensure you stay on track.
4. Establish a routine.
Establishing a morning routine can lead to a multitude of benefits for your work and overall well-being, including reduced stress, increased productivity and better decision-making skills. I think taking a few minutes at the start of each day to review your schedule, evaluate tasks and priorities, and set goals for the day can set the stage for greater confidence, productivity, and creativity.
It doesn't end there: find the routines that work for you. It could be journaling, keeping a diary to write in the evening, to unplug from various devices and brainstorm new ideas (we know that writing by hand helps to develop ideas). Or really dedicate that time to reading, even a little, every day. Or it could be a walk that helps to oxygenate ideas.
Try to create your own space, a time for you, to be in so you feel less overwhelmed when to-do lists get long and schedules are busy.
Try following a new short daily routine for 2 weeks and see what it can bring to your life.
