Reset

August 16, 2020

tablet with calendar for 2021, a cup of coffee and a red alarm clock on a wooden background flat lay

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” -Ben Franklin. One of my all time favorite quotes! Even in times of uncertainty, it is much easier to adjust and tweak existing plans than “wing it” with no plans. That may work for a period of time, but it is bound to have you in a jam with not so good results. What can you do differently? Establish routines and attainable plans, but don’t leave them hanging, it is important to conduct periodic checks to see how you are doing and make adjustments as necessary–RESET. So here are a few tips to help you RESET:

  • Establish one day a week to RESET, while I review my calendar on Sundays and make additional adjustments, the majority of my planning occur on Fridays. Why Friday? 1)It is an opportunity to review my work tasks and carry-over unfinished tasks into next week projected tasks. 2)It also allows me a clear mind and a plan of action for upcoming week versus not having one and having those thoughts infiltrate my precious weekend. 3)It frees my weekend to spend time on that which is real important to me, my family, self-care (whatever that means to you–exercise, relaxation, dining, reading) and Sabbath day (Sunday Worship for me).

  • RESET your surroundings–home, office, closet/clothes… I get it, sometimes our week is exhausting and you don’t have time to return items to its rightful home, and if they don’t have one, STOP and schedule an upcoming tasks to find a home for all homeless contents (i.e., unpacked boxes stuck in garage or basement). Spend the last 20-30 minutes of your last work weekday clearing your desk; deleting/storing emails; storing work and reference materials; and, cleaning/disinfecting work space. It is a welcomed joy to enter a clean space after the weekend.

  • Establish one day a month to RESET, again be intentional about setting monthly goals, scheduling appointments, planning new activities and re-attacking old ones not fully accomplished. Are their upcoming Birthdays and special moments for which you need to buy cards and/or gifts? Any appointments that require you requesting leave at the office? Travel plans… wishful thinking! By all means, remember to review Finances/Budget. In an ideal world, doing so weekly makes this task less tedious, but recommend completing at least monthly.

It is a fact that from day-to-day we operate in uncertainty with our current world events and at times our plans offer no guarantees. However, having a system and plans in place will provide you some peace of mind and a baseline of how you and even your family function. More importantly, having a plan ensures that we have a way to review and RESET; your mind will thank you.