Wrap up your year in style, here’s how!

Wrap up your year in style, here’s how!

Let’s be honest: half of us are ending the year overwhelmed, and the other half are pretending we’re not. If your brain feels like 47 tabs open and none of them loading, this is your invitation to reset, simply, calmly, without guilt.

Here’s how to wrap up your year without unravelling yourself.

As a Project Manager, I understand the frustrations and busy-ness of being a sole trader, consultant and human. I tend to use this simple process at the end of projects, launches or strategy days, as well as for my personal development at the end of the year. You can apply these tips to your business, career or life.

To avoid overwhelm and increase clarity and focus, these three simple-to apply frameworks will hold you in good stead to start the new year, new project or new you!

Where to start?

Take a deep breath. Yes, that’s right. Breathing will help you balance your physiology, getting you ready to focus! Ready?

Try the Box Breathing method: Breath in for the count of 4, hold your breath for the count of 4 and exhale for the count of 4. Do this three times before following your natural breathing pattern for two minutes (unless a medical practitioner has told you not to, always follow their advice).

The great thing about breathing is you can do it any time, any where and it’s free.

The 3-W’s

Take a moment to reflect over your year (or project) and jot down:

• Wobbles
• Worked
• What to change

Wobbles are anything that has gone awry or not as planned. It’s perfectly OK to have wobbles, we all do throughout the year. Instead of letting them get on top of you, write them down. What lessons have these wobbles taught you? What can you take from these lessons into your next year? Notice how these wobbles are gifts helping you overcome obstacles.

The more we look and learn from wobbles the less hairy and scary they become. Over time what seemed like mountains become molehills.

Looking at what has Worked is essential. Write a list of what’s worked, write as many as you can remember. Looking at that list, how many of those successes did you celebrate? Celebrating successes small or large is essential for keeping motivated and fuelled for the year ahead. By celebrating what’s worked throughout they year we are giving our brain and body the ‘feel good’ factor.

To ramp up that feeling, celebrate as each success as it occurs. You deserve to feel good!

Knowing What to change helps you plan smarter and better. Ever heard of the Pareto Principle? Twenty percent effort achieves 80% of the results (or there abouts). Think of knowing what to change as being the guidance you need to get you where you are going.

WOOP there it is!

A great quote reads that ‘fear’ stands for Feeling Excited And Ready. Here’s where the process gets exciting.

The analogy ‘WOOP’ was designed by psychologist Gabriele Oettingen to help with motivation. WOOP stands for:

• Wish
• Outcome
• Obstacle
• Plan

Simply put, writing your wish as a positive statement helps to focus on the goal you wish to achieve. Pure positive thinking alone won’t get you there, a dash of realistic planning and action will.

The outcome is the result of the wish you have written. What will this wish do for you, what will be gained as a result? Meaning and purpose make the outcome more achievable.

Think about potential obstacles you may face. Write down anything that may get in the way of your wish. With a list of potential obstacles, any curveballs can be mitigated.

What is the plan for dealing with obstacles, use: If x then do y.  If [a curveball] happens then do [action]. Write down a plan for each obstacle.

Now you have a detailed list of what to do, when and how you can take informed actions.

Thrival!

You are now confidently on your way to thrival – staying in the state of thriving rather than surviving. By using your breath, reflecting on the 3-W’s and using WOOP, you have robust plan in place to boldly move forward.

Here’s to exciting new ventures.

Written by Cheryl-lya Broadfoot