MonkAtWork.com

The new year is almost upon us… and you may be feeling completely unprepared for it. Of course, you may also be excited as a three-year-old on Christmas morning about it (something I got to witness first-hand this week).

Either way, a new year presents a wonderful opportunity. Sure, you could say it’s just another day, another week, another month. But there’s a shift that happens when a new year dawns; a hope that you can feel—and take advantage of—to make changes in the way you do things. The question then becomes: what to change?

Of course, it all depends on your priorities… and they fall in line behind your goals… which are a product of what’s important to you. To help you get a bit more clear on what’s important to you, and brainstorm a bit about possible changes to make, here are a few ideas to sit with and see what sparks your interest.

1. Redefine your targets.

What’s important to you in your life? Another way of asking that is: What are you working towards? Retirement (years from now)? Location-Independent living? A few extra trinkets for you and yours?

If you aren’t clear on what your targets are, you’ll want to take some time to think long and hard about this one. After all, it’s a big world, and the choices are limitless… you can craft your life however you want. Knowing what targets you’re aiming at influences every action, every decision, every choice that follows.

(If you haven’t yet read The Four-Hour WorkWeek, you owe it to yourself to get a hold of a copy… Tim has an eye-opening philosophy when it comes to life, as well as excellent tools to help you get clear on what you’ll need to achieve your plans.)

2. Planning sessions.

Once you’re clear on your targets, take some time to do some planning. You may want to set aside some alone time to dream, mind-map, and feel into your path. You may also want the support that a mastermind group can offer; if you don’t have a group, think about starting one. Either way, working without a plan is like driving a race car blindfolded; you’ll stand a much better chance of getting where you want to go if you can see where you’re headed.

3. Clean out your office.

Working in a space that’s bogged down with old papers, unused files, and irrelevant project materials is like taking your grandmother with you on a first date; there’s history there that’s just not helpful. Instead, clear out the clutter from your space, organize it in a way that’s productive, and freshen things up; you’ll benefit immensely from the mental space you feel.

4. Clean up your computer.

Does your desktop look like an unfinished jigsaw puzzle? Do you have scores of folders and files piling up on your hard drive, making it hard to find what you need? You can save yourself a lot of time and headaches by devoting some time to clearing out your old computer detritus. Can’t part with it? Put the stuff you aren’t sure if you’ll need or not into storage: burn some DVDs, or stash it online.

5. Paint a room, or a wall.

You’d be amazed what some color can do for you. My office is mostly green, but I’ve got one wall that’s red, and it’s amazing. New color = new life.

6. Show your gratitude and love to someone.

Maybe there’s someone in your life that you haven’t been in touch with in a while, or someone who plays a special role in your life that you haven’t shared your feelings with lately; ringing in the new year is a great reason to reach out. But it doesn’t have to be a person, either: is there an organization you’ve admired, but haven’t made contact with? It could be a humanitarian organization or an environmental group, a software company, or a non-profit that serves your area. Call them, write them, or visit. It’ll do you both a world of good.

7. Commit to your health.

As they say, “Without your health, you haven’t got anything.” So what in your routine could use some tweaking, or a complete overhaul? Your eating habits? Exercise? Sleep patterns? There’s a world of good information out there; grab a recommendation from someone who’s got the area you want to focus on dialed in, and see what you can learn. After all, none of us are getting any younger!

8. Learn something new.

There’s nothing like following a passion to learn something new to breathe new energy into your life. You can focus on anything you want… and, you may want to learn something that plays into your work; it’s up to you. Need ideas? How about a new language to expand your client base? A software program that will allow you to do all kinds of fun things with your work? Or a skill (like typing dvorak to rid yourself of RSI), or a sport (to interact with new people), or a musical instrument?

9. Lighten the weight of debt.

There’s nothing like dropping old baggage to make you feel light again… resolving to clearing up old debt is a great way to head into the new year. It doesn’t just have to be financial debt, either. If you feel an outstanding obligation in a relationship you have, or the feeling that you owe somebody for something they’ve done for you, pay it back it whatever way you can. You’ll feel so much better once you do.

10. Commit to your spiritual well-being.

Your spiritual health is a deciding factor in your enjoyment of life, your ability to be creative and spontaneous, and your sense of purpose and fulfillment. But that doesn’t mean being spiritual can’t also be a blast! Look for ways to let your spiritual connection be a source of fun, as well as an outlet for your devotional tendencies. You can try new spiritual practices, or play with ways to make your tried-and-true acts of devotion more fulfilling, more expanding, or more celebratory.

What are you going to do to get ready for 2008?

Let us know in the comments. Or, if you need some help figuring it out, ask for it in the comments, too.

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Image by bingbing on Flickr, via Creative Commons license.

And thanks to all those who commented on the previous post so far: Jean Browman, Michelle Van, Vitor