We bet you are feeling it, too. The internal shift that happens every time the yearly calendar rolls over. After a full year of dedication and hard work, it can take a special dose of effort and motivation to return to the office after the holidays. After all, the celebration season is over, and now it’s time to get back to business.
At Future Legacy Partners, we have the incredible opportunity to work with hundreds of business leaders and teams each year, and we know this can be a tough transition for many, so we’ve put together a list of four intentional activities you can adopt to start 2022 off with strength and momentum:
1. Foster a positive state of mind.
We all have thousands of thoughts running through our minds every day. Check yourself. Do you find most of your thoughts are negative or are they positive? Are you focused on solutions or mostly on the problems? How is your self-talk? Do you build yourself up or are you tearing yourself down? It can be an eye-opening exercise to really focus on what’s going through your mind on a daily basis.
It’s important to fill your mind with positive thoughts and perspectives. Think about what you CAN do rather than what you CAN’T do. Think about what IS controllable and work to focus in this area instead of what you cannot control. Surround yourself with positive people who pour into you – the people who are FOR you. Try to find the bright side or the learning in challenging situations. Doing all of these things will allow you to open your mind to new possibilities and perspectives, and you will feel happier and more in control.
2. Take time for yourself.
This one is very challenging, especially when you have so many competing priorities. I personally have had to work on this one the most over the past few years. Juggling a career, family, self-care, and personal development is a lot to take on!
Start your day with some quiet time meditating or praying. Just a few minutes can make all the difference.
If you are a morning person, follow that by moving your body or make a plan to do it later in the day – the key is to find an exercise routine that fits your personality and your goals.
Make yourself a healthy breakfast and take time to enjoy it. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and it sets the tone for the day.
Spend just 15 minutes planning for your day ahead – set your intention for the day. In your planned day, be sure to take a lunch break because your mind and your body will need it.
Make time for the things you love. Read the book, watch the movie, go to dinner with a friend, go golfing, etc.
Take the vacation – yes, take the trip. It is amazing what two days away from the normal, day-to-day routine will do for the soul.
You will find that if you prioritize yourself, there will be more bandwidth to dedicate to other areas of your life.
3. Get organized.
Organize - I’m not talking about the level of organized where you start color-grouping items in your fridge. I’m talking about organization that helps you accomplish your to-do list without feeling like you’re never really finished with what you need to do. This applies to both your responsibilities at work and at home. Do you get frustrated that you can’t ever find the files you’re looking for? Consider setting aside an hour each day for several days to reorganize your file-naming structure. Or, if you are like me, set aside a bigger block of time to get things in order. I find it is easier to get in the zone and stay there until it’s finished!
Declutter - It’s time to throw things away, store them away, or give them away! I read a book about the psychological impact of decluttering, and it’s amazing what it does for the mind and the body! Because I needed help in this area, I even hired a personal organizer to train me on how to declutter and organize. I could not believe how it took my stress level down and actually made me feel so accomplished!
Time block - We’ve shared on this topic before, and that’s because it is so important and it works! Look at your 7-day week and schedule out the things that you know need to be done on a weekly basis…. doing laundry, grocery shopping, meal prepping, cleaning the house, weekly planning, etc. Determine where to plug in all of those activities that seem to be time consumers, or even sneak up on you.
Plan your work day in the same time-blocking fashion. In your work day, when are you the most alert and when do you have the most energy? Do the hardest, more energy-draining things in those times of the day – you will have more focus. If you find yourself lacking in energy at a certain time off the day, plan the activities that take less brain power and energy in those times. For example, I am more of a mid-morning person, so writing a blog article like this one is easier for me at this time of day, versus doing it first thing or late in the day.
What is the secret? Dedicate some time to find a system that works for you! I challenge you to give this a try for 30 days. I truly believe you will be shocked at how much this helps you!
4. And lastly, set healthy goals.
As a health coach, this topic is near and dear to my heart. This is an area all about intention, consistency, and accountability. If there are many areas you want to change or work on, it is best to choose ONE area and focus there to find the best succuss. Then, add the next area of focus when you are ready. I have found through working with many clients that trying to change too many areas at once is a recipe for disappointment. Set yourself up for success and be intentional, consistent, and accountable in one area.
For example, if you want to improve your healthy eating, start with learning to read labels and buying foods that fuel your body well. Or, start with drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. Here are some areas you can choose from:
Healthy eating - Adding in more fruits, vegetables, healthy whole grains, healthy protein, fiber, health fats, limiting processed foods, limiting artificial dyes, reading labels, meal planning, eating out less frequently
Drinking more water - Limiting caffeine, artificially sweetened drinks, drinks with artificial colors
Exercising
Meditation or prayer
Rest and restoration
No matter what you’re struggling with, developing a plan to overcome that challenge will help you feel more accomplished. Life is about the journey, not just the destination. Determine where you want to be and start creating a plan to get there! And, if you need some help in this arena, let us help you! We would love to share more about what we are doing in Future Legacy Partners, Future Legacy Leaders, and Future Legacy Wellness.
Wishing you a year of strength and momentum,
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