If you’re ready to start the New Year off right, keep reading for 14 simple ways to make this year a success!
Here we are at the beginning of another New Year. Are you feeling disappointed or less than satisfied with last year’s accomplishments? The beauty of starting a new year is having a clean slate and renewed motivation. But what if you’re having trouble finding that motivation?
Here are 14 tips to help you start the New Year off with enthusiasm and excitement.
1. Take some downtime
If you don’t feel like you got a good rest over the holidays, take one now. If you start the year off drained and overworked, it will be much harder to dig yourself out of that rut. Take some time for yourself. Rest and refocus; your business {and family} will thank you for it!
2. Treat yourself
What did you set out to accomplish last year? Did you achieve it? Chances are you weren’t able to cross everything off of your list, but that doesn’t mean you weren’t successful. If you accomplished at least one goal, treat yourself to something special. You deserve it!
3. Drink more water
Drinking more water has many health benefits, and it’s important to start the year on a positive note. Strive to drink eight glasses a day, and your skin will look better; your muscles will be more energized, and you will help control your calorie intake.
4. Organize
Do you have a mess in your home office? Don’t work off of a to-do list? Create one. An organized workspace will help you feel less cluttered and more accomplished. It will streamline your work and help to keep you focused. Getting more done quicker is always a good thing.
If you need help in this area, grab this Free Daily Work From Home Schedule Planner. It can you organize your entire day for maximum productivity.
5. Plan your goals
If you haven’t formally outlined your business or marketing plan for the New Year, it’s not too late. Thinking through your goals and actually getting them down on paper will get you excited about new possibilities. Writing them down makes them more tangible, and it’s much easier to hold yourself accountable this way. This means you’re more likely to accomplish what you set out to. You can’t be totally motivated for the New Year unless you have a plan. Use your calendar and plan ahead. Make notes for all annual events, sales, promotions, and special items. Then, go in and plug in goals and other things you’d like to add. Seeing it on your calendar helps you plan and space events out to make them more attainable.
6. Prioritize
We all know or should know that we can’t do everything. Sometimes we have to say no, or forgo a goal because something else becomes more important. That’s okay; we’re human. By prioritizing your list, it’s easy to cross something off as the day-to-day becomes too overwhelming. Rather than make a rash decision down the line, plan now for what is really important to you.
7. Spruce it up
Literally and figuratively. Women that work from their own home office all day don’t usually dress for the office. Start improving your wardrobe and your makeup habits. You’ll feel better about yourself and, in turn, be more confident. If you sometimes lack professionalism, clean up your language and terminology, and set out to make a new, fresh impression this year.
8. Get moving
Exercise definitely helps make for a healthier lifestyle. Stretch during the day or do a few laps up and down the stairs. These periodic breaks will keep your blood flow moving and will prevent you from becoming distracted by giving you the natural breaks your brain needs anyway. Sitting in the same position all day is not good for your body anyway.
9. Pep it up
Give yourself that much-needed pep talk, or entrust a family member or close friend to do it for you. There is nothing better than a motivational talk to get yourself energized and ready to face the New Year.
10. Hold yourself accountable
It’s worthless to plan, prioritize, and set goals if you’re not going to hold yourself accountable. Set up a periodic checking system so that you can review your progress, or lack thereof, on a regular basis. Have a plan in place so that if you are falling behind, you can rebound quickly.
11. Recount
Look back at your goals from last year. What did you live up to, what didn’t you? Sure, there may be some goals you had set that you didn’t reach, but there are many that you did. Big or small, count your successes from the past year. What obstacles did you overcome? How did you improve? What did you learn? Focusing on the positive rather than the negative can help reinvigorate you.
12. Tie up loose ends
Maybe one of the reasons you are feeling less than satisfied about this year is the loose ends you haven’t yet tied up. If you still have unfinished projects or potential deals you’ve left hanging, it can create a sense of unsettlement in your business life. Go through your e-mail inbox and your abandoned to-do lists. Tie up the loose ends that you’ve been putting off. Or, if they’re big projects, put a plan in motion to do so. This will not only make you feel better about the past but give you new ambition for the future.
13. Reconnect
Are there people who inspire you that you’ve lost touch with? Are there business partners that you haven’t worked with for a while that lift you up? Are there forums that you find beneficial but haven’t visited recently? Reconnect with them. There are naturally people in your life that provide a special pick-me-up, and chances are you can think of them without too much effort. Reach out and make sure you are surrounding yourself with other motivated individuals.
14. Purge
Clean out your email, your voicemail, back up old computer files, etc. Don’t let irrelevant clutter cloud your vision for the New Year. Wipe the slate as clean as you can. This will help your year get off to a fresh start. If you’re like me and keep a handwritten to-do list, something as simple as a new notebook can set you in the right direction. You can still copy over some of your ‘leftover’ to-do items, but don’t copy over chaos. Tidy it up and reorganize your thoughts.
Conclusion
Starting the New Year off right doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. Use the simple tips and strategies to achieve your goals and make this the best year yet!
What other ideas do you have? I’d love to hear them! Wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year!
Leave a Comment