Give January a Break

I read somewhere recently, sorry don’t remember exactly, that January was just the free trial for the year, and that he would get started in February.

How true?

For most, you may set up some goals for the year. For others, you may just be getting off of the holiday and new year celebrations and trying to get back into a “normal” routine.

Here you are in January and society is pressuring you to make changes, set goals, lose weight, etc… and you have already given up on goals and attempts to change things up.

I am here to tell you that is OK.

First, it takes time to get things moving, especially if it is a big change or something you have not really done before. If you haven’t gone to the gym in eleven months, it is difficult to just start going to the gym.

Second it is much easier to start something new when the rest of your life is more situated and routine. As I mentioned, we come out of the holiday season and we need to teach ourselves how to get back into a daily routine such as going back to work, eating our normal meals, and not having all day party plans every other week.

You set some goals and want to make some changes, but you are in the midst of changing from year end stuff to normal stuff, so don’t be too hard on yourself for having difficulty with the goals or changes you were hoping to see in your life.

Use January as a free trial run. Start thinking about the new year, begin writing things down and planning, and keep those thoughts in your head.

Start in February. Set a goal to eat better on the first, go to the gym on Monday February 7th, or organize your closet on that first February Friday.

And the next step: Invest in it!

How many free trial offers do you NOT use? Part of the reason most people don’t do anything with their free trial offer is that it is free - there is no actual investment in that offer.

When we spend money or time on acquiring something, we don’t want to admit is was a waste.

So, spend time or money on that change you want to make. Want a career change - get a career coach, want to organize the garage - buy those plastic bins, or want to loose weight - find a partner to hold each other accountable.

Also, don’t forget that in most change cases things will get worse before they get better. Don’t let that stop you, in fact, let that be evidence you are on the right track.

Now, I say this in reference to you or me, but we are also leaders and managers. That means we have to use these concepts when working with our team.

By understanding that your teammates are going through these same thoughts, letdowns, and stumbles, we can have more empathy that we can use to help lead them through their changes, improvements, and goals.

Remember to think about them in these contexts when they are struggling or not meeting their deliverables.

Let’s take a fresh look at the new year by giving January a break and treat it like a free trial offer. Let’s cut ourselves and others some slack, and ease into the new year. Take a deep breath, review what you are looking forward to accomplishing, and get ready to kick it off in February.