What We Need Is A Gentle January. Who's With Me?

Who else is feeling the 2022 scaries about coming back to work this week? And this is after a substantial break I count myself fortunate to have and with a heart full of gratitude for a rewarding job and amazing colleagues. Many of the healthcare, delivery, retail, and frontline workers that afforded us our time off didn’t get any breaks and are still living in the trenches of Omicron, burned out, no end in sight.

Bigger question: Why, even if we’re lucky enough to get some real rest, do things not quite feel better? I like to work hard and chase big goals, but am also going to be the first to tell you that I’m looking for a gentle January.

January is often the busiest month at work: we come back from vacation fired up with new ideas, hiring revs up again after a few weeks of relative dormancy, and this year, the Great Resignation will continue to keep all of us on our toes as leaders or busy interviewing if we’re in the mood. Great.

Let’s ease in. Do smart things that make sense, not all the things. As the memes say, be real quiet and don’t touch anything. But how? Let’s see what a few experts around the globe have to say!

LinkedIn Global Knowledge Management Specialist Mirhonda Studevant Aims for Gratitude, Grace, and Progress Over Perfection 

Be kind to everyone (including yourself)! Start meetings by stating one thing you admire about a fellow attendee. Then have that person share about a different attendee and so on. Ward off your inner critic by extending grace to yourself. Strive for progress rather than perfection. Embrace gratitude, whether it's preparing a cup of tea, updating a slide deck, or sending an email, take a moment each day to appreciate some aspect of your routine. We have multiple resources at our fingertips that we often take for granted. Finally, soothe yourself with a soundtrack. Get fired up or wind down by integrating music to match your mood. Set an alarm for a dance break to beat the afternoon slump!

CoachHub Customer Success Team Lead Silke Prodinger-Leong Leans on Intentions and Affirmations

This year, I stepped away from making New Years’ resolutions all together, as they are not serving to be gentle on myself nor support my development. Instead, I made a mindfulness pact with myself to be 1) intentional about my actions (both personal and professionally) as well as 2) set up some helpful affirmations for myself that help me put things in perspective. In short, I have created a New Year’s routine around picking 3 intentions for the day and an affirmation to support me during the day. I combine this with a short 5-10 minute meditation practice, and am experiencing some real calmness and mental clarity as I work through my professional task-lists and other things that life throws at me!

Here are my Top 6 Intentions and Affirmations for January:

Intentions

• I will be present
• I will only say "yes" or "no" when I mean it
• I will protect and nurture my inner child
• I will respect the gift that is my intuition
• I will stay active and look after my physical & mental well-being
• I will set, and stick to, my boundaries

Affirmations

• My perspective and my feelings matter
• I am honest with myself and others
• I am on my way
• Everything I go through is working in my favour
• I forgive myself for my mistakes
• I trust my path is unfolding as it should

Male Ally and VP of Content at Udacity Kirk Werner Advises Taking Small Steps for Big Impact

The pressure of “new year, new you” thinking can lead us to frustration. Making broad, audacious changes is very difficult with a snap of the fingers. I find it easier to have big goals but ease into them with smaller, more sustainable changes. Want to lose 40 lbs? Instead of completely blowing up your schedule and diet, do two small things like adding a walk around your neighborhood and drinking a liter of water a day. Then once you’ve got that in your schedule, add in an exercise class (in-person or online) and a full vegetarian meal twice a week.

Want that next work opportunity? Instead of aggressively pushing on those goals, working 12 hours a day, and cutting off all chances of work/life balance, you can build a vision and work with your mentor on the steps to achieve it within a reasonable timeline. Setting smaller, more achievable goals gives us successes along the way that we can build on. Skills we get while we're on the journey. And those skills can be applied throughout our business and personal lives.

And Some Final Thoughts From Me…In the Spirit of Gentle January, I’m not Lighting Up As Many Inboxes for Advice This Month

1.   Decide What You Want More and Less of Instead of Making Goals

Where do you get your energy, and what drains it? Note the people, situations, and projects, work and personal. Aim to start tipping the balance in your favor this year, knowing 2022 will surely keep us on our feet with changes just as 2020-2021 did.

2.   Stop Playing Small

My Women@LinkedIn ERG co-chair, Sharyn Muir, is famous for reminding us not to play small. You know...not going for the job you know you’d be better at than anyone else. Taking the time to prove yourself to someone who doesn’t see your value. This is your year, so claim it. Do something big and bold you’re not sure about IF you’re sure you’d be pleased when it comes to fruition. Start that business, go for the promotion, set the boundary that keeps you healthy.

3.   Make Work Easier, Especially for Yourself

If you’re a people leader, pause on the big projects after vacation. Connect with people, for real. If you’re an individual contributor, consider how you can make things go more smoothly for yourself and your colleagues. At all levels, appreciation and empathy go farther than big goals, and they’ll accelerate your actual business progress more than being a jerk and demanding excellence. Ask yourself the hard questions about what you need to do your best work, and then go over that with your manager—what conditions can you co-create to make it happen?

4.   Thank the People Who Really Keep You Going

These are the people you go to to vent, the doctors who keep you alive and moving, the folks who delivered your packages and mail and took your trash, the friends who make time when they don’t have energy, the volunteers who show up with you week after week in support of something bigger. Choosing gratitude is always a great idea to boost your mood and keep you in a state of awe that we’re still here helping each other in hard times.

5.   Decide What You’re Leaving Behind

As we’re about to enter two full years of pandemic life, our priorities are continuing to shift. What isn’t serving you anymore? This is the year to leave it—whether it’s eating habits or second-guessing yourself or closing the door on a friendship that expired sometime last year. You, without the things that make you feel less than. Imagine that. It doesn’t have to happen January 5th, but make sure you don’t leave it until December.

So Now What?

Above all, here's hoping you give yourself grace and space. Call out the things that don't feel right. If you have a problem with someone or something, discuss it openly and focus on mutual wins. Be your own cheer squad on days that feel cold. You’re resourceful, resilient, and full of the very magic 2022 needs!

Onward! On behalf of all the Women@LinkedIn ERG, wishing you a year of spectacular health, happiness, and fulfillment.