7 Things To Do Before The New Year
There are a few ways you can choose to close out your 2022, but two of the most obvious options are to wrap up the year with maximum productivity as your focus or you can get into a chill mode and end 2022 by slowing down. No matter which way you’re leaning, we’re all still a work in progress.
I’ve been thinking about some of the ways I need to freshen up my life so that I’m starting this new year as strong as possible.
Here are a few suggestions.
Plan a solo retreat - Normally retreats are with groups of people where you explore health, fitness, or self-improvement, but a solo retreat can be where you dedicate time to yourself and reset your habits, routines, and rituals. Make sure you plan for your retreat - What are your intentions? What are your days going to look like? The goal is to walk away from this 2-3 day retreat and feel like you’ve made a difference in your life. It’s an opportunity to get yourself back on track and out of a rut. Even if a few days away from home is not practical arrange for a quiet weekend or full day for yourself. Major key: No excessive phone use and no social media.
Freshen up your calendar - Whatever you use for your daily planning, take a look at it and see if it still fits your current lifestyle. Remove outdated notifications and tasks. Update your calendar so it is aligned with where you are in your life and where you’d like to go. Major key: Try an online calendar for your general life and business calendar and a paper/written calendar for your personal schedule.
Create a capsule uniform - A daily aesthetic look that you can commit to weekly is a game changer. Maybe on the weekend, you’ll switch up your outfits but have a few staple outfits to simplify your life during the week. It makes your mornings so much easier when you know you have quality pieces to rely on in your closet to help you feel good and look good on a day-to-day basis. Think about the colors, textures, and styles you like to wear and use what you have to make some outfits. Major key: I swear by Pinterest for outfit inspiration.
Create a weekly meal plan - Thinking about what to have for dinner is a daily puzzle, but it doesn’t have to be that way. To maximize your productivity during the week, create a meal plan — at least for Monday through Friday. I do this and it saves loads of time, money, and indecision. I make a grocery list on Sunday, plan out at least a week of meals, and secure the grub. When I have the food in the house to cook for the week, I’m not tempted to stop at a local restaurant. Major key: I peep recipes from New York Times Cooking with 4-5 stars for inspiration.
Upgrade your home - Home improvements like investing in a new bed, adding a few pieces of art to your home, new plants, or even a small kitchen appliance may seem unnecessary, but your home environment can have a great impact on your productivity. When your home is out of order your life tends to be as well. I just replaced a blender that completely died after a few years of use. When I got the new blender, I was shocked at how well it worked. How crazy is it that I was stalling on replacing the old one which was leaking and really not blending my food as I needed? Make a list of what you need to upgrade and spread the purchases out over a few months if it’s not in your budget right now. Major key: Get some home decor inspiration here.
Attend networking events - Networking sounds so “worky,” but hear me out. If you've been feeling stuck in a slump, being more social and getting yourself out there and it could have a surprisingly positive effect on your personal and professional life. Your efforts don’t have to be career-related — sign up for a class or attend a community event to learn something new and see some new faces. You never know what great opportunities could come your way. Major key: Do an online search for events happening in your neighborhood or ask a friend to venture out with you to something new.
Streamline your business and/or work - Make sure the things you are pursuing are in line with where you’d like to go in the next year and beyond. What do you want to continue and what can you afford to let go of so that you can refocus your priorities elsewhere? Major key: This is a process, take a day or two to really figure out some goals.
I hope this inspired and encouraged you to think about the ways you can beautifully step into the coming year!
