The week leading up to the new year is an odd one for me mentally and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
I wrote recently about this vacuum and how it affects us. It’s basically this large gap between Christmas and New Years where I feel many people say “what’s the point?”
What’s the point of continuing your goals? You’ll pick new ones in the new year.
What’s the point of going that extra mile still? It’s almost new years, take a break and start fresh then.
But it’s that kind of excuse that sets those who hustle more in this week and those who don’t apart.
By all means take a break, but do so constructively. Use this time to declutter your mind a little more. Get some clarity and direction in where you want to go in life.
Doing this is really simple in theory, but again it’s a development of a habit so it can get tough. Here’s the steps that I suggest we all take.
First step is to meditate as often as you can. Meditation calms your mind and reorganizes it. Even just stopping what you’re doing and sit comfortably for 5 minutes can help. The main idea is to slow yourself down and breathe.
Secondly is to set some expectations for yourself. Not goals, expectations. Expectations that you want to hit every month or every week. Yes they are similar to goals, but expectations develop habits that compliment the habits you’re building towards those goals.
Thirdly, clean up your work space or even your entire house or apartment. Cleaning can be strenuous, but the amount of relief you’ll get from a clean space is well worth it. Don’t skip over it.
And lastly reflect on everything that has led you up to this point. Remember the lessons you’ve learned, the connections you’ve made. Think about the people around you, your network. Reconnect with those people as best you can, make an effort in the new year or the next week to do that. Create as many meaningful connections as you can as those count for something.
Decluttering your mind is to clean up the things around you as well. Every day and every year is a fresh start when you think about it. And it’s for that very reason why this vacuum, the week leading up to the new year, is simply another excuse.