The first thing I want to do is wish you all a healthy, prosperous and happy New Year!
Did you actually get round to making any New Year resolutions? If you did, are you still working on them, have you already given up (shame on you) or have you yet to start (come on, don’t procrastinate any longer)?
I made a few resolutions which I’m going to share with you:
The first one is a common one. I’m not fat, but I’m certainly not fit. So this year I’ve promised myself that I’ll go swimming and do a long, brisk walk at least once a week.
Another common one – I’m going to get out and about more. I’m going to visit galleries and events and hope that it broadens my horizons and that I meet interesting people. Social media and LinkedIn aren’t the only places for valuable networking. Nothing beats time spent face-to-face.
But the last one is a bit less obvious – I’m going to say ‘no’ more often. Over the last twelve months I’ve found myself agreeing to do things for people, or being roped into going to events I don’t really want to attend through politeness. I’m still going to be polite but I’m going to practise saying ‘no’ when I feel it’s an imposition. Over the Christmas break I’ve been reading through our Effective Time Management course again and it was the section on Assertion Techniques that really started me thinking.
Before agreeing to do anything – whether it’s taking on extra work from a colleague, baby sitting for relatives or interrupting what you’re doing to go out with a friend who’s bored – think about how it impacts on you. Will you enjoy doing it? Will it be of any benefit to you? Could they call on someone else, rather then you, or do they know you’re a ‘soft touch’? Then, if you decide you don’t want to do it, explain politely and clearly why. I know this might sound difficult but the section on Assertion Techniques that I’ve been studying shows you how to go about it without offending. You can then spend your time doing something more productive – and, more importantly, something you enjoy!
Plus The Effective Time Management course has lots of other useful sections that will help you to reduce stress levels, de-clutter and organise your life better for the coming year.
But, New Year resolutions can seem a little false. Many of them are swept to one side as the year progresses. The only real way to change your life for the better is decide what you need to do and get on with it. I know it’s a cliché but: actions speak louder than words.
Some people mock self-help books. But if you read them with the aim of only taking what you feel will be useful for you, then they can provide a useful kick-start. There are lots out there but here are three that I found helpful:
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg which teaches you how to be deliberate about building better habits both in your personal and business life.
Willpower by Roy F Baumeister and John Tierney shows how being in control of yourself will really help you on the road to success.
And finally that old favourite The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. You’ve probably heard of it, but it’s as useful today as when it was first written.
All of them are available on Amazon and I hope you’ll try at least one of them to see what you think.
Author: Diana Nadin
