It’s the Holiday Season and we are almost onto a new year. It’s a time to reflect on accomplishments both big and small and to spend time with those we hold dear. Many people use the final days of the year to relax, take time off and wind down. Instead of winding down, why not use this time to gear up for the new year?
The Holidays are the perfect time to slow down, take a step back and be inspired. It’s also a great time to plan ahead for the coming year. Below are some suggestions for making the most of your vacation and turning it into your best year ever!
Out with the Old
A new year is a time for new beginnings and a clean slate. Take some time to purge what you no longer need. Clean out your filing cabinet and tackle that stack of papers on your desk.
Your purging shouldn’t stop with the stuff around your desk. Your computer needs purging too. Whether you use a desktop, laptop or both take an hour or two to get it ready for all the hard work it will be doing in the New Year. Clean up your inbox. Delete your junk mail and any emails that are not important. Archive all of the emails you have saved either by using your email client’s archive function or if you use Adobe Acrobat Pro you can create a PDF archive of all of your emails.
Once your email is cleaned up go through the rest of your computer and get rid of any files that you no longer need. Save client project files in a client folder and archive them to a disc, flash drive or external hard drive and then remove them from your computer. Delete or archive anything else that you are no longer working with. Back up your entire computer to an external hard drive. If you don’t have one, get one as soon as possible. They are reasonably priced and can be a lifesaver in the event that your computer crashes.
Finally, once all of your files are managed, clean up your hard drive and do any maintenance checks needed. Also don’t forget to go into your internet browser and clear your browsing history and temporary files. When you’re ready to go back to work your computer will be too.
Brilliant Ideas are at Your Fingertips
Chances are you have a shelf full of books you’ve purchased but haven’t had the time to read. Or that audio program or system you thought was exactly what you needed for your business but never got around to listening to it. Give yourself that time now to do it. Choose something that will inspire you and use what you’ve learned to give your business an edge in 2020.
Write it Down
What do you want the next year to look like personally and professionally? Studies have proven that people who write down their goals and intentions are more likely to achieve them. Make a plan for what you want to accomplish. Break it down in even more detail by quarterly, monthly and weekly goals. Decide ahead of time on rewards you will give yourself for each goal met. You deserve it!
Connect
Have you been too busy lately to take advantage of tools like Facebook or Instagram? Now is a great time to reconnect with those you haven’t interacted with in a while and to make new contacts, create a fan page and start new conversations. If you’ve never used social networking tools, now is also a good time to learn how to use them and find out what the buzz is about.
Use some or all of these ideas to make the most of your downtime during the Holidays and get ready for a Happy and successful New Year!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published December 22, 2009 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness
