The time for relaxation has ended, the hiatus is and that means the moment to jump back in the saddle has arrived. Metaphorically speaking, while the date and time physically indicate Monday morning, during this transition most of us are mentally still somewhere between Friday night and Saturday night. While the concept of looking back to a period of fun and carefree activity may seem much more appealing, reality has us moving forward which depending on the circumstances could mean one of three things:
- Picking up where you left off.
- Making up lost progress.
- Starting fresh again.
Though getting back on the horse may seem like a dreadful adjustment initially, it can be quite easy to do if you’re properly prepared. Here are a few ways to hit the ground running after some time away from the everyday grind.
1. Plan in Advance
Ideally, you’ll want to plan as far in advance as circumstances will allow. This way, when it’s time to get back into the regular swing of things, you’re not stuck figuring it out as you go along. This is best done by writing down what you’ll be doing for the foreseeable future and how you plan on tackling it. A written list gives a visual aide of what you’ll be handling and can help you prioritize tasks and goals. The idea here is to make the act of transitioning from R&R to #NoDaysOff as smooth as possible.
2. Setup in Advance
Continuing in the same vein, handling the seemingly mundane pre-responsibilities related to a task or goal up front will save big on resources when it comes time to actually do the thing(s) you need to. These resources are namely time and potentially money. Two of the most basic examples of this that are almost subconsciously overlooked are getting dressed and eating throughout the day. The panic, stress and potential time lost of figuring out what to wear on the day of an engagement can be virtually avoided by picking an outfit the night before. Equally by comparison, meal prepping in advance almost undoubtedly will save money and avoid the hassle in debating “what am I going to eat today?”. Handling those smaller details up front is a great way to make both tackling larger assignments and getting through any general day much easier.
3. Create Consistency
Predictability and ease are borderline essential for jumping back into anything after a considerable hiatus. Routines are a great example of a tool to help create a sense of both as they help establish a pattern that you can build from. As you create your sense of consistency, assess your current capabilities and start where you are presently. Many times, people make the mistake of trying to pick up exactly where they left off only to find it more difficult than what initial expectations are (Think getting back into the gym after not lifting weights for a month.) The goal with creating consistency is to make both getting started and continuing as easy as possible.
4. Find an Accountability Partner
You’ve started, you’ve done a couple of sessions, but somewhere down the line you may have hit the wall. At this point, any number of factors could be causing either a plateau or even possibly regression from the grind. Times like these are where accountability partners can be your additional lifeline. They are there to help keep you on track by encouraging you along the way, motivating you through their own actions and even outright reminding you when you may be slacking off. As the African proverb goes, “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
5. Trust in Yourself
The last but definitely not least thing here may seem like an obvious thing to do, but believing in yourself can also be the hardest thing to do at times. YOU are the best tool and asset at your own disposal. YOU can do anything you set your mind to. YOU got this. YOU can do it! YOU deserve it! There are so many other things that can be said about who you are, but it always starts with you trusting those things are true about you. This matters most during times of doubt and discouragement since they both can rapidly erode confidence and ultimately progress if left unchecked. Again, plainly stated, YOU GOT THIS!!!
If you’ve read to this point, look back on how your year has gone until now. Did you make a resolution for this year? If so, how far along or behind are you on that resolution? Maybe there’s another goal in mind to consider. Whatever it is remember this: There’s four months left in 2019, and it’s never too late to start, or finish for that matter.
DC EASY
#hardworkeasyliving – Do HWEL For Yourself
#hardworkeasyliving 