It’s time to pause already

Average Reading Time: 2 minutes 25 seconds

It’s hard to avoid all of the advice, tips and tricks for success in business and life at this time of year.

Wherever we go, especially online, we see something else we should be doing or another ‘six-steps to success strategy’ in our Facebook feed.

This results in us trying to implement yet another new tactic and then feeling bad when we don’t follow through on it. In the most part, this happens in the last week of January when we think we really should have “cracked it by now”.

My main message for you today is to cut yourself some slack and stop beating yourself up.

I say this for two reasons.

Number One:

It actually takes 66 days for most of us to form a new habit, so we’re not going to have it cracked by the end of January.  If you feel as though you’re struggling to create some new ways of working, take comfort in the fact that you’re exactly where you should be right now.

You’re half-way through the process of wiring-in your new habits. If you persevere and don’t let up for another 30 days, you’ll get there. And in doing so, you’ll be setting yourself up for a great year ahead.

Number Two:

January is a busy month in the world of work, which means it can be real a challenge to create new habits at this time.

The thing is, it’s not just us wanting to do things differently and start the year with momentum.

Our bosses have the same mindset, which means we must respond to their new ways of working aswell. We must get our heads around their goals and the part that we inevitably have to play in delivering them.

The net effect of these two factors is that our own goals, aspirations and new intentions can easily get lost in the craziness of the new year.

So, what’s the answer?

The answer is simple.

As we approach the end of January we need to carve out some time in our busy schedules to pause for thought.

We need to book a 90-minute meeting with our self.

In that time, we need to go for a walk and allow our minds to settle. Once we’ve done that we need to reflect on the past 30 days, where we are right now, and write down all of our thoughts.

Next, we need to reconnect with our plans and aspirations for the first quarter of this year and for 2019. This is about remembering where it is we are heading and what it is we are trying to achieve.

The final step is to build a plan to take you from where you are now, to where you want to be by the end of Q1. (Grab your new and improved 90 Day Plan Template here – no email sign-up required.)

Yes, it is easier said than done.

Yes, our diaries are busy and finding 90 minutes to think and plan feels like a challenge.

But I guarantee it will be the most productive meeting you have in January.

Good luck and lead on!