Of all my three “years,” I think the fall might be my favorite.
Not just because the weather gets cooler, routines get back into place, and my favorite shows are back on (although I love those things, too!), but because it is often my most productive time of year.
Something about the energy in the fall propels me to energetically get things done. It’s a great time of year!
The Energy of Each Year
I’ve talked before about how I split my year into thirds, and how I structured The Productive Home Solution Program to follow those seasonal bursts of energy.
During each “year,” I revisit my long-term goals and short-term to-dos, as well as evaluate my current Sunday Basket, in a Deep Dive.
Life in Waves
Life comes at us in waves. High tide is in September, January, and May, and with those months comes a big burst of natural energy. If we can ride that high tide and take advantage of it, it’s an incredibly productive time!
But how? Right before these high tides, we feel worn out, distracted, and overwhelmed. Which is perfectly reasonable, because life is overwhelming at these times! In order to ride the high tide, we’ve got to make decisions and let some things go. What aren’t you going to take with you into this new “year?”
How I Spent my Last Middle Tide
For me and Organize 365, we let go of our Etsy shop and the several ebooks that were being sold. We were still making money in these endeavors, but the products were outdated and we needed to focus on our meatier ventures–namely, The Productive Home Solution, the Professional Organizer’s Think Tank, and our line of brand new products that are more closely aligned with our brand’s mission. We launched everything in July and things calmed down significantly after that.
Low Tide
This brings us to low tide, which happens in July, November, and February. These are the months we wonder, “Where did the time go? Did I do anything in those months?!” I call July the Bermuda Triangle of months because I can never figure out what exactly I accomplished–although I remember being awfully busy!
The Deep Dive
At the end of the high tide times, I often take a good chunk of time to dedicate to a “deep dive,” which I talked at length about over on the Sunday Basket Podcast. This is when I sit down and evaluate all the areas of my life–my business, my eating, my fitness, my clothing, my schedules, and my family’s routines.
I look at how I’m spending my time and how I’m prioritizing my tasks, and I make each item on the list defend itself. Why am I spending my time here? Is this important? Is it vital that I do this task? Could it be delegated, or not done at all?
I also do some goal-setting and planning. What do I want to accomplish? What big events are coming up that could get in the way? How can I best prepare for the unexpected?
If I see a trend anywhere of the ways I’m spending my time where I shouldn’t, then it’s time to clear out. Time to quit this, end that, move this, purge that. Time to rearrange and do my best to align what I’m doing with what I truly want to be doing.
Just like in your Sunday Basket, go through all those areas of your life where you’re spending your time, but instead of asking, “Can this wait until next Sunday?” ask yourself, “Can this wait until January?”
Picking Just a Few
When faced with the span of four months time, it’s easy to overdo it. Sure, I’ll join a yoga class, go back to school, declutter my garage, and compete in Miss America! I can do anything! Or, the reverse–I’ll never have enough time for it all, so I may as well not start.
Sound familiar?
It should be because this is a trend I see all over the place in our Facebook group and in my circle of friends and colleagues.
The key is to acknowledge and accept your own humanity and limits and decide on just a few things you’ll really get to this year. Keep them small, keep them simple, and you’ll be much better positioned to make true success.
If you tried any of my suggestions, I’d love to see them! Follow me on Instagram and join the Facebook group for more great organizing tips, then share your photos with me by tagging me @organize365 or using #organize365!
