“Just step off the ledge,” I could hear myself chanting inwardly as the force of the harness against my body made my heart lose gravity. And then, it was so simple rappelling into a bat filled cave.
As a self-proclaimed work-o-holic, it was a challenge to let go of my blackberry and laptop for two weeks. But so easy to embrace the freedom that accompanied having absolutely nothing scheduled!
Rested and recharged from a double duty vacation - Polished Promotions’ 1 Year Anniversary and the 2nd anniversary of coupledom with my boyfriend – It took me 5 post-holiday days urging the worker bee in me to emerge from her hibernation.
And here I am. Regardless of if you spent the holiday season with friends and family at home or away –here are a few tips to help launch into a new year!
1. Reflect and record. What happened in 2008? What would you like to improve and/or embrace? Write down your goals.
2. Compile a to-do list. This tactic has worked for me since high school. A to-do list holds you accountable to the tasks at hand (getting you closer to your goals). Plus it feels really great to check things off and recognize your daily accomplishments.
3. Insist on balance. If you’re like me (and almost every other small business owner I have met) intentions to balance life are always there – but more often than not, they seem impossible to achieve. Now, with a fresh calendar in front of you, you can schedule in your much deserved time with family and friends.
4. Create new habits. Some sources say it takes 21 days to create a habit (others say 3 months). Why not start now. My business coach, Cathy Clark has the best suggestion - use a timer. On my to-do list I have time allocation written next to each project. I set the timer on my blackberry or over (we don’t have a microwave) and diligently finish the project – avoiding web surfing, phone calls and emails.
5. This is really an addition to number 4 – stop multitasking. I used to think that multitasking was the key to my success. Then I realized it was taking me twice as long to finish projects and I was doing only satisfactory work. Spend the time, do it right and then move on.
Happy New Year!
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