When you want a fresh start: My 3 tips for starting anything
I love this time of year when we all engage in the debate about whether resolutions work or not. My view is resolutions until themselves are doomed to fail if we don't characterize them as goals with action plans, ready for checkmarks, and a little accountability behind them. When we back them up this way, they work.
I don't set resolutions but I do set goals. If you have read my blogs before you know that I am a big fan of Lara Casey's Cultivate What Matters planners and methodology. She believes in journaling, vision boards, thinking about legacy, and making lists that help you identify what you are saying yes to and what you are saying no to. All of these tools hang on my tool belt at the beginning of each year and, now, each quarter.
I will admit that this holiday break was not my usual rest and reset type of break. I can't put my finger on it, but I didn't feel refreshed at the end of it. I didn't approach the new year with the same gusto, focus, and drive that I have in previous years. Do any of you feel the same? I know my mojo is hiding somewhere and will come out soon, but I need a little more time to jumpstart this year.
I have my reading list established for 2023 and hope I can derive some insight from it. I am looking forward to reading more. I spent much of my time writing last year, but all good writers usually read a lot too, which is one of my resolutions, I mean goals.
I did take more joy in reflecting upon 2022 than in past years. I took my career in a different direction, published my first book, got married to my favorite person, and maintained my weight loss (more or less) amid wedding cakes, fried chicken, ballpark hot dogs, and every single Christmas cookie on the planet in December. Delicious!
Moving into 2023, I am feeling a batter's slump after so much change, which was all positive. But, as we all know, change can be complicated even if it is for the better. If you are feeling the same way, I just want to say that it is okay. It is okay to not be walking around with a "Get After It" T-shirt every day. It is okay to be a little tired. It is okay to need more time to prepare for another year.
Part of my reflection these past weeks has been about the direction of this blog. I have enjoyed writing this every week (except my honeymoon in September and the last two weeks of 2022). I am committed to helping people balance the tug of war between self, team, and bosses at work.
So, for 2023, I am focusing the intention of the blog on salient topics every month with tips for balancing yourself, your team, and your boss. This was the theme of my book available on Amazon: Succeed from the Middle: A middle manager's guide to stop being pulled apart and start balancing your team, your boss, and you. This will also serve as the theme of my online learning program I intend to publish later this year (notice my built-in accountability by announcing this). Looking at each topic from all three angles, I will provide 3-5 tips for succeeding at each.
If you are a little stuck staring at those Christmas lights that need to come down, unsure about the projects you might undertake this year, not knowing whether you have to return to an office, thinking about looking for a new job, or figuring out how to face your fears, here are three actions I take to start...well, anything.
Pick a Mantra, Word, or Picture.
Believe me, this works. For those of you who meditate, you sometimes conjure an image or words in the air. You know how that can manifest calmness in your thoughts. If you are a visual person, make a vision board or pick one picture that depicts how you will feel after you have accomplished whatever goals you want to achieve. I have quotes, sayings, and lines from books I admire all written down and sometimes displayed and even framed. Part of my annual planning includes choosing a word of the year. What is my word? FOCUS. I had a laundry list of goals last year; most of which I achieved but I am tired. This year, I am keeping it simple. I am focusing on 4 major things, not my usual 12. We don't need to be insanely busy to be successful. All those articles that say to be successful you need to get up at 4 am, run a thousand miles, and solve the world's problems by 8 am? Hooey. We need sleep and breaks, and we have limits. Know them. Abide by them. Succeed within them.
Baby Step It.
For those of you who don't know the movie: What About Bob? from the 1990s with Richard Dreyfuss and Bill Murray, watch it. You will either laugh hysterically or roll your eyes a lot. Either way...it has a profound message even though cloaked in satire, silliness, and snark. The book in the movie is called Baby Steps to help those with paralyzing phobias, and Bill Murray has about 50 of them. If I don't feel like doing much or can't find my mojo hanging out anywhere near my office, I break things into small steps and I focus (my word!) on one....just one. Action begets more action so taking one step usually gets me going.
Do Easy First.
Another principle I have read many times is to do the hard stuff first to get it out of the way. While I do subscribe to this generally, if I am struggling, I pick the easiest thing to do to build some momentum (see point #2). Sometimes, focusing on what is easy, eases you into the next step, if you'll pardon the pun. For me, the easy step is to outline the problem and brainstorm solutions. Planning and implementing solutions can be much harder. So, I mind map or draw out circles and boxes to think about the steps to take. This usually gets me out of my slump and running to first base.
Starting a new year is exciting, but for those of us who are limping into it a bit, try out these 3 things to get started. I am sure my mojo will put down the egg nog and join me at some point as yours will as well. Using your word, mantra, or visual, baby-stepping it, and going easy at first will help anyone spark their mojo.
Starting next week, look for my first 3 x 3 topic -- Remote and Hybrid Work. The first week will look at this from your perspective. The second week will look at it from a manager's perspective taking into account your team. The third week will look at this from leadership's point of view and how to manage up.