Believe it or not, now is a great time to make a fresh start. We all have at least one project that nags at us. In the back of our minds, we know it is something we should work on, but somehow never are able to get fired up to actually begin.
If you haven’t been able to, there may be a good reason why….
When you shouldn’t focus on a fresh start
For some, the reason is a crisis. Something big has happened, and you feel as though we’re barely getting by. Sometime it’s something good, like you’re moving or you just had a baby. And, sometimes it is plain horrible. I know how that feels. (My life turned upside-down two years ago).
Whatever the upheaval may be, when you’re in the midst of it, let yourself off the hook. Forget about starting a new project. Instead, prioritize self-care. These resources can help:
- When bad things happen: What women should and shouldn’t do
- Battery-life preservation mode: What to do when you’re overworked and exhausted
- Ten Tips for Saying No
How to make a fresh start
For others, a fresh start is challenging because they are overwhelmed with all they need to do. Smart and caring women are likely to have more people relying on them. It’s understandable if you feel overworked, stretched to the limit, and exhausted.
But there is a way to get started. You don’t need a major overhaul. What you need is a bit of focus:
- It helps to know what it is you truly desire. That is, in order to motivate you to start (and stick with) a project, tackle a want not a should. (That’s something we discussed last month.) If you’re having trouble with this, continue to the next section for some good questions.
- If you have an idea of what you want, but still can’t get started. Try this anti-procrastination technique: Make it less blobby.
Good questions for a fresh start
So, if you don’t know what project you want to start, try asking yourself some good questions:
- What are things you wish that others close to you would do?
- If you have kids, what do you find yourself nagging them to do?
- What do you wish your partner, parents, or friends would finally do?
- What have your boss or co-workers left undone that annoys you?
These are not the questions you expected to get, right?
In my experience, these are are surprisingly effective at getting to the heart of what you desire. So, spend a moment, just 5 minutes, and write down all of answers to the questions that pop in your mind. Then, take a break and come back to them. Do you see any patterns?
Because we have little control over what others do, you are likely to find that if you want something, you may have to do it yourself or at least get it started.
And for many caring women, sometimes we do for others what we actually want ourselves. For example, we may urge our children or husband to make plans with their friends, when in reality, we may desire time for our own friends!
Next steps
Once you have a better sense of what your project might be, it will be easier to tackle if you break it down into smaller steps and make sure that the project is well-defined.
You may also want to manage your time wisely to give yourself the best opportunity to work on the project.
I hope this helps you get your fresh start! If you would like to save some time and energy, contact me. I’d be happy to work with you to customize evidence-based solutions targeted to your specific situation.