By Vania Pokraeva & Tricia Kidd
The state we are in now
As the end of the year approaches, we find ourselves in a way too familiar mode.
On one hand, trying to finalize whatever work we can squeeze in December while also trying to reflect on what we have achieved this year. All this with the ups and downs of still living with a worldwide pandemic, working from home for the bigger part of the year and lately with social life again brought to a halt in some countries.
A lot of online meetings this month started with the usual remark “I can’t believe where the time went”, this time maybe even ‘faster' than any other years. Is it because we are always too worried or caught up in a current work issue we are trying to solve, progressing the project we are working on, or dealing with complicated and challenging office dynamics that we’re not marking the passing of time?
How do we view obstacles and worries?
Looking back to some of our (work) worries and ‘problems’ in the past couple of years, not only is it that all of them are not relevant anymore, but if we look closely, they weren’t even ‘real’ problems, they were more like interesting challenges! But you might say, they felt like real problems, and this is the absolute truth (mine or your truth)! The clue is how we look at everything around us, do we see an issue, or do we see an opportunity?
What we have learned is that we change, our perspective changes and EVERYTHING passes, every difficult or easy (work) phase has an end, every struggle has a resolution and maybe every success is followed by another new opportunity. Maybe we should regularly stop and celebrate our small successes throughout the year. Ask yourself, are you lingering too long in a ‘worrying’ mode? Tell yourself: ‘all will be well!’ draw a line under it and move on.
Don’t linger on your concerns
So, when you have some time to reflect, look back at what you have managed to achieve this year and it’s probably a lot. Think about the problems that you have solved and prove to yourself that everything does pass. Start practicing a self-care habit, whether just drinking tea quietly with only your thoughts, practice 10-minute meditation or have a brisk walk outside. This will help you in letting go of your worries right this minute, or maybe silence your anxious voice that goes continuously through your to-do list.
Move on
In the grand scheme of things, there will always be something to keep you occupied, or worry you or sometimes frustrate you. But the important thing is to address it, eventually let it go and make room for something new. Something new that will trigger your curiosity to explore more and learn more! Ask your brain to help you to move on and it will.
Take your time
When the end of year holiday starts, your head is often still in work. Your home life makes different demands on you. The first few days of the holiday, your head is a mixed-up jumble of your work thoughts being processed and your home demands crashing in. There’s not much you can do about that except let your beautiful brain do its work. Be kind to your head, get some sleep and let your thoughts organise themselves. Some worries will fade away, new ideas will crop up. Your brain has a wonderful way of resetting whilst you are sleeping, just give it the chance. Ask it to help you move on and in a few days, you’ll be rebalanced and ready to face the New Year.
Here is to moving on in 2022!
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Enjoy the holidays!