There are around 50 days left in 2024.
And for most people it's a pretty demanding time of year.
So it's a great time to pause for a moment and check that you're all set up with the mindset and actions that will get you to December 31st in great shape, ready to roll into an energetic, efficient and effective 2025.
Here's a selection of high performance strategies that we see work really well for busy leaders, executives and anyone who wants results but is pushed for time.
You could pick one or more of these to prioritise for the next 50 days, or choose something different that you feel will work for you. Maybe something that’s been on your mind for a while to address, and with a little extra focus for a fixed period, will help you feel better and provide you with a real sense of achievement.
10 Healthy habits that make a huge positive difference to your energy, efficiency and enjoyment of every day
Regulate wake up time (which is a great way to keep bed time under control).
Push back the first check of email in the day and go for a walk before the onslaught begins.
Keep coffee intake under control. This helps regulate energy levels, mood, focus and sleep.
Make an advance plan for alcohol consumption.
Schedule a break in the middle of the day to review priorities and course correct as appropriate
Pick one thing a week to delegate. Additional demands often crop up at this time of year and you will need time and space to accommodate them.
Eat breakfast. Check your schedule to see where you'll be each day between waking and 0900 and make sure you'll have access to something to eat that will set you on the road to positive energy levels for the day.
Plan your days. Choose how best to invest your time, identify your priorities and tackle these first.
Make a weekly family meal and shopping plan at the weekends. Everyone's schedule gets disrupted at this time of year so take a moment each weekend to check what you need for the week. This can save you a lot of time and stress during busy work days.
Prioritise balance in your routine. You will need some me-time / down time each week and ideally every day. Decide in advance when this will take place, what you will do with it, and put it in your calendar.
Whatever change(s) you’re aiming to incorporate into your routine for this period, there are seven key mindset shifts to set yourself up for success.
Take it one day at a time
Although we’re looking at a roughly 7-week period, the best way to establish and maintain new habits is to focus only on each day. What can you realistically do today that will make a positive difference?
Set yourself up for success
Visualise yourself either going to bed at the end of each day having been successful with your desired habit, or waking up each morning having achieved your goal the previous day.
Reinforcing the positive feelings of success and viewing each day as a total unit of time helps take the heat and emotion out of minute to minute temptations to make out dated decisions that don't serve you well.
Keep a record of your progress
Use an app, your phone notes or a journal to track your progress. You’ll be amazed how motivating it can be to see the successful days accumulate. And how quickly these days add up when you stay focused on your aims.
Don’t beat yourself up along the way
Focus on what you are achieving rather than any moments where you wander off track. Learn from every part of the process to refine the plan that works for you. It might feel like failure in the moment but it's actually great feedback for longer term success.
Allow a day of leeway, but not two days
One day off track is quick to rectify but two can quickly become three, four and then a whole week before you know it. If you feel yourself drifting away from your positive intentions for a day, take a little extra time to identify what you need to do tomorrow to get back on track.
Don’t deprive yourself of anything
If there’s something you’re trying to reduce or cut out - alcohol, coffee, sweet snacks, Netflix, social media etc - it helps to identify a substitute behaviour you can go to at the times when you’d usually revert to the current habits.
If you feel you’re missing out on something you’ll resist making the change. If you feel you’re there’s a clear positive benefit of the new behaviour change you’ll be more likely to follow through with it.
For example, don't think about missing one episode of your favourite series which could give you joy for 30-60 minutes, focus instead on gaining some extra sleep time which will potentially make the whole of the next day run better for you.
Be creative with your alternative positive benefits
When thinking about how to replace any feeling of missing out the solutions may lie in some unlikely places. But give it enough thought and you'll always come up with something.
A good example of this came from someone who recently told us how they reduced their alcohol consumption.
Previously they enjoyed a drink or two in the evenings as this marked the end of the working day, a way to relax and a transition phase from their professional mindset to their personal headspace.
But they wanted to make a change.
The strategy they came up with was that whenever they were about to take a drink they instead sent the cost of that drink to a new bank account dedicated to saving for a specific dream holiday to celebrate a future special wedding anniversary.
What will you do for the next 50 days?
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