If you read the title of this blog, you may think I’m being very unprofessional talking about drinking in an article that should be about business and marketing. But I’m not talking about an alcohol-induced hangover; I mean the type where we’re carrying around the weight of everything that’s happened, and we let the past hang over (and hold back) the future.
Taking a well-deserved break
I don’t know about you, but the Christmas holiday is the one time I can truly recharge each year without worrying about the state of my inbox when I return, because almost everyone is also taking a break. It was really needed this year; as much as 2021 was an improvement on 2020, in many ways, it felt like 2020 ‘part 2’. I didn’t make the mistake of thinking that in January 2021, things would be completely different, and I won’t do in 2022 either, but I’m also less concerned about what’s around the corner. January 2022 marks three years since I took over management of the Ideal Marketing Company, and what a three years we’ve had with big ups and downs. It would be easy to think that any of the downs could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, but a Global Workplace study by Marcus Buckingham in 2020 found that the more changes you experience, the more resilient you are.
Starting fresh in the new year
Of course, change isn’t the only factor that affects resilience. I find it helpful to use the break in between Christmas and New Year to consciously put the previous year to bed. It’s my way of shedding the ‘hangover’, at the same time as resetting my energy levels. It’s not rocket science, but it works for me, so I hope this or something similar will work for you as the new working year begins.
- Review all that was achieved in the past year – it’s a reminder of what you’re capable of and gives hope and energy to the next set of challenges and opportunities. Hopefully, you celebrate your wins regularly, but a lot can happen in a year, so this calls for a bumper celebration!
- Consider the lessons learned from the challenges you’ve faced, and then make a conscious effort to leave the event behind and take the lesson forward.
- And of course, look forward to what your priorities are for the year ahead and plan how you’re going to make it happen.
You could celebrate the wins on your website, social media and definitely with your team. So what are your big wins for 2021? What do you hope to achieve by this time next year?
MD & Head of Digital Marketing
Jessica has worked in digital marketing for over 10 years and has watched it evolve from an experimental marketing option to an essential tool for most businesses. She is driven to help businesses achieve their objectives using the best digital marketing resources available and recognises that each business is different. Jessica devours the latest news about digital marketing and is constantly learning in order to stay ahead of the trends for clients.
