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Taking the last quarter to refocus

Career Tips

The last quarter of the year is interesting for people who set goals. On the one hand, it affords us the opportunity to reflect on what we have done so far. On the other, and this is probably more scary for compulsive goal setters, it offers the last opportunity to make up for lost time and can easily cause burn out.

How we then deal with this burn out is by taking the two weeks around the holiday season to force 11 months worth of rejuvenation.

Unfortunately, this could result in feeling even more frazzled than rested at the start of the next year. How do you start setting up your last quarter so that it is a recipe for a better year than one where you feel like you’re constantly feeling left behind?

Step back to engage better In the creative industry, we are advised to take time off, not so much to avoid burnout which is also as valid, but to allow for freshness and creativity to find an outlet. This can be applied across all frontiers, not just for creatives.

It is akin to taking a break from a problem or complex situation that you are tackling and coming back to view it with fresh eyes. When you actively stop staring at a problem this gives the creative side of your brain the chance to come up with an ‘outside the box’ solution.

Find focus

Ambition is a great thing, most certainly. But pushing yourself to the limits of your body could have more negative lasting effects than the realisation that some goals may take longer to place in the ‘done’ box. Evaluate those items in your to-do list that you had considered as must-do’s for the year from a ‘what is the worst that will happen’ if this spills over to next year perspective.

Sometimes we forget that because as women we wear so many hats, we should similarly give ourselves a break when things are not aligning. Sometimes, that is a sign that we are pushing too far in the opposite direction.

Celebrate

Identify what you have actually accomplished so far and give yourself credit for checking some items off your to do list. Measure your accomplishments by your own yardstick and not by comparing yourself with other people, as this is not only bad for your focus but it breeds unnecessary resentment.

If there are measures you can take to complete some of your important goals, then by all means look for the support to do it but be realistic about what is possible and what is not.

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