Taking the friction out of starting
Avoid a stagnant start to 2020
Happy New Year y'all! Its the beginning of a new year where everyone is sprucing new beginnings and new starts. For some of us that have been around the sun a few times, we can find ourselves being cynical of such messages. For good reason too! It will only be a matter of weeks (or days in some cases) before the endorphins of 'new beginnings' wears off and is replaced by 'business as usual'.
Statistically, 92% of new year's resolutions will fail (University of Scraton), meaning that people will generally come back to work after the holiday period refreshed, possibly a little heavier (especially if they have a relationship with food like I do!), and with good intentions but little follow through.
Source: Ray Williams
High School Physics told us that an object with zero acceleration takes a lot more energy to get moving than an object already in motion (f=ma - Newton's 2nd Law). Like pushing a child on a swing. It takes more effort to get them started than what it takes to keep them swinging once they are away. Our work is the same. This time of year can be notorious for being slow and sluggish. It is tough to get into the swing of things. To hit the ground running.
By being aware of this, there are things we can do to set ourselves up to gain momentum from the start. A little bit of simple planning, visualisation, or focused attention on small jobs can give a sense of achievement and get us into the flow. But what about everyone else? How are you going to increase the flow of those around you? Your boss, your peers, your team, or your clients? It is one thing to get yourself going, but what about everyone else?
A few tips I have learnt from my research into building habits that create rhythm:
Identity - we are not what we do or even our track record. But, we can 'label' ourselves and give ourselves a self-image aligned with our goals. A leader may enter 2020 labeling themselves as The Coach. Someone that will keenly observe, listen, give feedback, and hold people accountable with quality questions.
The 2 minute rule - every task on your to-do list has to be done within two minutes. If it will take longer than this, then it is not a task, it is a project (or a chore!) Break down your to-do's into bite sized chunks and cross those bad-boys off!
Engineer the space - strategically set up your physical space to make new habits easier. Want to eat less chocolate? Have none in the house. Want to waste less time on your phone? Delete non-essential apps. Want to be more productive? Turn off email notifications. Want to sit less? Get a stand up desk. Set up your space so it is simple and dead-easy.
The critical step - pick one initiative and share it. Commit to it with others in your team. Your organisation. Or your community. I once set up a weekly accountability text with a client where we needed to send each other a 👍 to confirm we had each done our weekly tasks we had agreed upon in our monthly meetings to push our business forward. Boy did it create forward momentum!
What can you do to not only hit the ground running but create a pack of runners in January and beyond?
Banner Image Source: Cynthia Okimoto
