New Year, New You?

That is the age old new year motto right? Well I am not here to encourage this mentality but with a New Year often people choose this time to realign with their goals or take note of where their objectives are and what needs to happen to achieve them so i prefer “New Year, New Focus”. Something about that fresh year start that we have been taught our whole lives that it is the time to have a fresh start ourselves, whether that is in your personal goals, work objectives or any aspect of your life. 

Firstly I want to start off by saying if you are reading this at ANY time of the year, then you do not need to wait until Monday, or the start of the month, or the start of the year to make your changes. It is an avoidant trait that we use to give ourselves more time and push back our goals. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t everyone, but the majority of us lean into that “I will start my diet on Monday” mentality. But why put off until tomorrow what you can do today? Will pushing your goals back help you or is it just delaying it? That is something you need to answer yourself. Of course goals often need time to plan and prepare, but even that is an actionable task that should be done sooner rather than later to help you execute your plan. 

So lets get stuck into a few bitesize tips on how to get the most out of your New Year New Focus:

1. 1. We have already said it, but start! Stop avoiding your tasks or hoping that you will feel more prepared on a future date. If you wait until Monday, imagine how much you could have put in place or achieved if you start today. Even just 30 minutes today instead of 30 minutes next week will set you ahead of your current pace. Just Start! Whether you are starting over, starting late, starting with fear of what is to come, just start!

• Set time and stick to it. If you are a business owner or trying to start a business you will know that there is no one to hold you accountable (unless you have a business coach) so no one is making you do it, no one is holding your hand and no one has skin in the game like you do. So you need to set aside your time and hold yourself accountable to do it. Those businesses that look like they were an overnight success come from years of hard work that no one can see. 

• Find your “Go Zone”. We are all different and all work best under different circumstances and times. A million books will tell you to get up at 5am, go for a run and start your day early because the early bird gets the worm, but not everyone works at their most efficient or with their best outputs in the morning. I for one am a night owl. The speed and quality of my work is far greater in the evening than it is in the morning and that is ok. Just recognise when you get the most out of yourself and schedule your time to utilise this “go zone”.

• Set achievable goals. Yes we are all for setting the big dreams and big vision boards, but don’t forget about the small wins. The wins that will give you that buzz when you can tick them off are instrumental to getting those big goals. Not all aspects of business growth are going to be pleasant and you may take a step back here and there, so celebrate the small wins and milestones along the way because they keep you driving forward.