Having trouble getting a grip on your routine after the holidays? Many of my executive coaching clients are. It's a common challenge for everyone coming off of holidays, long stint of sick days or vacation days. How do we recalibrate after being off our normal game for an extended period? Heck! Sometimes an even not-so-extended period renders us feeling like lost sheep as we attempt to re-enter the work week. Chances are you go through this every year and yet it still stumps you - how do you get back on track, back into some semblance of balance, assuming balance is even a thing in your "normal" life.
Here are some tips I offer my coaching clients to help re-calibrate and re-focus after a major shift in tempo:
1- Be OK with the Imbalance.
First and foremost, let's just accept what is and what is not. Let's be ok with the fact that maybe you overindulged over the holidays or perhaps you binge-watched more shows than your poor brain could comfortably ingest. So you didn't exercise for a week (or two, or since Thanksgiving..) So What? You are here NOW. Be kind to yourself and accept what has past. My Cuban grandmother had a saying I absolutely adore: "Lo bailado y gozado nadie te lo quita!" Basically it means that no one can take away what you have already heartily enjoyed: the joyful moments of dancing, merriment and even a little over-indulgence. Those stay with us. The pounds you can get rid of.
Be OK with moments of being off-balance. Make space for it. Sometimes you need that, just as much as you need routine and structure.
2- Shift your mindset.
Don't think of it as "falling off and getting back on." Instead think of it as recalibration, like a dancer balancing on one foot gracefully - She may look like she is in perfect stillness, perfect balance, when actually she is making a million tiny little constant moves of recalibration. Nothing in life is ever static. There is always motion, ebbs and flows. The trick is to make the necessary motions that keep us on track towards what is important. If that means shifting a little in your eating habits, morning habits or organizational habits, then make the necessary shifts. It will not always be smooth. Sometimes it will take several starts and stops, but just keep the intention clear and strong.
3- Focus on the Vision.
When we struggle with keeping a steady course towards a goal, it is Vision that ultimately pulls us through. Have a clear vision of what you want to accomplish, whether it is a productive morning routine, a healthier and more energetic body, a work flow that doesn't leave you reeling and overwhelmed at the end of each day, or more money - Yes! all that is totally OK! But keep in mind what all those things will result in. Why are those things important to you? What will that look and feel like? When roadblocks to our goals challenge us, Vision will pull us through. Keep that vision in front of you, post it on a wall, on your car visor, in your bathroom mirror! Focus on the vision.
4- Actualize a plan.
Write out your simple and actionable plan for getting back on track - a few simple action items you can do daily - then Do It.
For example, if you are trying to get out of bed earlier, a simple few steps may be:
- Put the alarm in another room so you have to get up to turn it off
- Set the coffee maker on auto so the aroma gets you going
- Put the exercise clothes next to your bed or in the bathroom as a prompt to get moving
Follow the KISS Rule! Keep It Simple Stupid! (Or as one of my clients prefers: Keep It Simple Sweetie!)
The simpler the steps (Simple, NOT necessarily Easy), the more likely you are to actually execute them.
The important thing to keep in mind is that you are not going for perfection but progress, a little or lot each day - and progress is not linear, as my best friend and brilliant poet, Yaddyra Peralta, always reminds me. Take the wins where they come. Set up focus items you want to strive for. Celebrate the things you accomplish as you check them off your list. Then focus on the very next most important thing.
When we shift our focus from what was Not done, what we Don't have, what we Didn't accomplish, to what we Will do, what we Do have (and are grateful for), and what we Will accomplish, we are shifting to a mindset of abundance and creativity.
Whether at work, at home, in your volunteer activities or personally, go out there and get abundant and creative!
Mitch Savoie Hill, "Engagement Expert", is a Certified Professional Coach, TEDx Speaker, and DISC Certified Trainer, as well as the CEO of SavHill Consulting LLC. With over 25 years of experience in Sales, Hospitality, Training and Leadership, she delivers engaging and energetic presentations for any company or group wanting to clarify their vision, map out strategies and Stretch Their Horizons!
To find out how you can more effectively engage your clients or teams, and attain your goals despite roadblocks, schedule a Coaching or Corporate Training Consultation today -