What was 2008 like for you? Did you accomplish all that you set out to? Perhaps not, but I’ll wager that you accomplished way more than you’ve given yourself credit for. In fact, I’ll bet that on days you thought you did absolutely nothing, you accomplished a list of things almost as long as your arm!

The fact is, most people do not give themselves credit for “the little things,” but these little things comprise a huge part of life. Case in point, do you count cleaning, cooking, or laundry as accomplishments? They are huge time consumers for many, but counted almost as “fillers” instead of accomplishments. Well, what would happen if they were not done? The health department would probably be making a visit, families would be starving, and not too many people would want to stand in your general vicinity, right? Daily tasks are important accomplishments and should be treated as such.

Speaking of accomplishments, why not use 2008 as a year long learning experience? Look at the things that were highly effective and the things that crashed and burned. If you can keep the good things going and tweak the things that were a tad less effective, you’ll be ahead of the game for 2009. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel, but build on the things that have worked successfully for you. If you’re having trouble deciding exactly what worked in 2008, take some time to sit down and figure it out. This is one case where some pre-planning will be a major time saver down the road. Did you learn to manage your time better by ______(fill-in the blank), or did you find a wonderful way to market your business services, or determine that in order to be most effective you needed a little outside help? Well, while situations continually change, it is often most helpful to start with a proven method. Your track record is the best proven method for you. Remember to use it as a tool for the coming year.

What about you? If the previous year is your best guide for the future, who do you think is the best person to carry out the job?

Y-O-U!!! Did you take care of yourself in 2008? Did you visit the doctor, take vitamins or supplements, exercise, meditate, and remember to give yourself kudos? If not, 2008 could have been a much more productive year for you. YOU are the most important piece of the puzzle that is your life. If you are not running in top form other things begin to break down. Unfortunately, when it comes to self-care, it is often the first thing that goes out the window when other demands come into play.

If you did make strides to turn this around in 2008, keep it up in the New Year. You’ll find that when you are operating at top form, many other areas will seem to follow suit, almost automatically. Let’s face it, it’s so much easier to wake up early and greet the day with a smile when you are well rested, or to perform tasks in a more organized fashion when the mind is not overwhelmed. So t ake a look at your physical and mental state. Do you see any areas that could use some attention? Taking time out for you each and every day is a necessity, not a luxury. Make it a priority in 2009.

2009 is your blank canvas! You can make it anything you want. Taking a little time to reflect now, can make a huge difference in the results you produce later. If reflecting on an entire year seems a bit overwhelming, perhaps starting the year off by making an effort to reflect on a daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis will be a better method. It doesn’t matter when you do it, simply that you do it! And you can!

Wishing you a happy and prosperous 2009!

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This entry was posted on Sunday, February 8th, 2009 at 12:50 am and is filed under Motivation, Personal Development, Time Management. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.