2021,
A year where taking care of our mental health is more important than ever.
We have so much free time on our hands.
Having time at our disposal can be positive if used wisely,
Or excessively harmful if used to overthink and procrastinate.
I see these times as an opportunity to better ourselves as individuals.
These are three things I am focusing on more this year.
1.
Reduce time on social media Social media is a great way to connect,
There is no doubt about it.
We often find ourselves opening the apps on our mobile and swiping away.
Wasting precious time,
Which we could place into other,
More productive areas of our life.
I do not mean removing all social media from our lives,
But using it in a way that serves us.
My idea is to set up a time to use it and only be active once a day.
I intend to make a post,
Reply to direct messages,
Maybe even post a story,
Check for any updates.
My goal is to repeat the same process the next day,
Setting up a time,
The same time every day to make it a habit.
Do not be too hard on yourself if you slip up,
We have become addicted to social media.
Ultimately progress is what we are seeking.
2.
Read more We live in an era of limitless knowledge at our fingertips.
I spent most of my time in 2020 surfing through YouTube,
Exploring new channels and ended up in a loop,
Watching video recommendation after video recommendation,
Overindulging in the same topic expressed through different perspectives.
This year I will focus more of my time on reading.
Knowledge is excellent,
But the sensation that comes while reading a book is unique and the many other benefits it has.
My aim is one hour,
Maybe even two hours a day.
I have learned that aiming too high will only stress me out.
Get the time that works for you and stick to it,
Even if it's only 5 or 10 minutes.
3.
Be more productive In the past I have been a master procrastinator,
Overflowing with creative ideas,
Playing them out in my mind.
I learned that nothing would ever change if I never acted upon them.
Being more productive comes down to three fundamental ingredients.
Choice,
Action and consistency.
Choice,
Action and consistency.
Often it can be challenging for us to focus our attention on what we want,
Due to the fear of failure or not being good enough.
With this mindset we have lost before we have even started.
A problem can be wanting to focus on too much at once.
We do not have enough time to pursue a thousand different projects,
Even if we wanted to.
Choice Break down the many options you have and ask yourself,
What do I want to focus on at this period of my life?
What is most important for me and the world around me?
Once we make a choice,
We gain direction and this creates internal space.
Action,
Do not overthink the outcome or what obstacles may appear on your path.
Just do it and as you progress the puzzle will come together.
Consistency,
Be consistent.
Do not expect miracles to happen and everything to change overnight.
Put your head down,
Be consistent and results will emerge as a natural result of your effort.
Do not underestimate the power of tiny increments.
Progress is the moto.
The pursuit of mental clarity is a lifelong journey.
One that begins when we dare to take the first step.
Start now with what you have,
Where you are.
It's the first day of the month.
What changes will you make this month?
What changes would you make this year,
Today?
Charles Diderich once said,
Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
