A motivated start to the year

It can be challenging to get yourself motivated in the first couple of months of the year. 

Here are some practical ideas which may help. 

Give yourself time

It may sound counter-intuitive but waking up earlier can set you up for a more productive day. 

Waking earlier and giving yourself time to have breakfast and to focus on the day ahead can allow you to prioritise key tasks.

Celebrate wins

Every day is a fresh start. Celebrate the little victories in your day. It could be as simple as sending an email today rather than delaying until tomorrow or making some progress on a project. If you make time to celebrate each little victory, you will feel more rewarded and happier with yourself, increasing your work mentality and boosting your motivation. 

Set new goals for the year ahead

The start of a new year is an opportunity to take on challenges. Maybe this will be the year that you win your biggest client or launch a new product or service. Once you set your goals, review them regularly and try to focus on progressing at least one of them each day.

Prioritise

Always start with what is most important to you. Make time for your family - even if it’s just sitting down and having a meal together each day. When it comes to work, focus on progressing your key objectives rather than allowing your inbox to dictate your day. Multi-tasking is not an effective approach. Focus on doing one thing at a time and doing it properly. 

Take control of your wellbeing.

One hour of exercise is only 4% of your day. View it as an investment in your wellbeing. The return on that investment is more energy, less stress, better sleep and more productive and focused work. As investments go, it’s worth committing 4% of your time to your wellbeing.