How to prepare for the New Year to make it successful: detailed instructions

المدرب العصبي

“As the New Year approaches, we are faced with opportunities to consciously prepare for the changes ahead. During this period, it is important to pay attention to both the completion of old things and the preparation for the upcoming ones. And it’s not just about the traditional decorating of the house, choosing gifts, etc.”.

Attitude to the coming year affects the course of events in our lives. It really does. Proactive holiday preparation, pre-planning and proper goal setting are the key points that can make your upcoming year a success. So what are the conscious actions to take?

1- Organizational Tasks

With the hustle and bustle of New Year’s Eve, it is important to have a clear plan of action. Otherwise, you can either miss out on something important or blow your entire gift budget by getting too caught up in the New Year atmosphere.

Preparing gifts

• Start by making a list of the people you want to buy gifts for.
• Set a budget in advance to avoid financial surprises.
• Allocate time to research and buy gifts, prioritizing more important tasks and controlling your desire for something else to buy or look at.

2. Cleaning

Actually, the easiest solution is to book the services of a cleaning company with good reviews. But it is quite possible that in December everyone has a busy schedule and double the rate. Then you will have to do it with your own hands.

Divide the cleaning into stages and distribute it among family members or helpers. Take time to get rid of unnecessary things that clutter the space and that you don’t use. Also, don’t forget to decorate your home to create a festive mood in advance.

Tips for making a list of pre-holiday tasks.

1. Prioritize.
2. Categorize tasks by their importance and urgency.
3. Identify major goals and tasks that should be given more attention.
4. Provide specific deadlines for each task.
5. Delegate responsibilities. If possible, delegate some tasks to other family members or coworkers. Joining forces helps you handle multiple tasks more effectively.

3. Plan New Year’s Eve activities

Before New Year’s Eve, make a list of activities you would like to do over the vacations. Consider virtual meetings if your loved ones are far away. Create yourself a New Year’s calendar of activities to make efficient use of your time. It is quite possible to give yourself one or two days to sleep and recover. But you need a plan, not improvisation, to avoid sleeping through the entire New Year’s vacation.

4. Psychological preparation for the holiday

An important part of a harmonious transition into the new year is emotional preparation. This aspect includes not only reflecting on the past, but also being able to set clear goals for the next year. Here are a few recommendations that will help in this process.

1. You should start by reminiscing about the past year and then summarize its results. Refresh your memory of highlights, achievements and lessons learned. Thank the passing year for them.
2. Dissect the difficult situations and mistakes, look at the key moments and draw useful lessons and conclusions from them. What did it teach you? What can you do differently? What experiences have you gained?
3. Set goals for the next year. Formulate specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals. In coaching, this goal-setting formula is called the SMART model.

How does SMART stand for?

• S – Specific. The goal should be clear and specific to avoid misunderstandings and provide a clear understanding of what needs to be done. Questions that will help are: “What do I want to achieve? Why is this important? How will it be achieved?”.
• M – Measurable. The goal should be measurable so you can tell if it is achieved or not. Helpful questions: “How will I measure progress? How will I know if the goal has been achieved?”.
• A – Achievable. The goal should be realistic and achievable. Make sure you have the resources available to accomplish the goal. A helpful question to ask is, “Do I have the skills and resources I need to achieve the goal?”
• R – Relevant. The goal should be related to your overall context and goals. It should make sense and align with your values. A helpful question is: “How does this goal relate to my overall goals and values?”.
• T – Time-Bound. The goal should have a time limit or an end date. This helps to create a clear frame and motivate action. A helpful question to ask is “When do I plan to accomplish this goal?”.

Applying the SMART model helps to clarify your goals, make them more feasible and increase the chances of successfully achieving them. Divide all goals into categories such as personal development, career, health, and relationships. This will help you analyze which areas have more goals and which have less and make adjustments.

5. Maintaining a positive mood

Avoid excessive focus on negative news and factors and limit social media scrolling. Be selective about the information you absorb and prioritize the positive aspects.

Emotional preparation for the new year will help you enter the new year with optimism, focus on your goals and handle challenges with confidence and determination.

Practice breathing techniques and meditation to build psychological reserve before the new year begins. Regular meditation helps to relieve stress, focus and inner balance.

6. Physical Preparation

Taking care of your health and fitness is an investment in your future well-being. Getting ready for the new year includes not only the emotional and organizational sides, but also physical preparation. Here are some tips on how you can do this.

1. Find a sport that you enjoy so that exercise is fun.
2. Diversify your workouts to include cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises.
3. Set specific fitness goals that can be achieved before the new year.
4. Integrate physical activity into your daily life. For example, prefer the stairs to the elevator or take a walk after dinner.
5. Find a skating rink and go ice skating to get a feel for the holiday atmosphere and energy beforehand.

7. Take care of your nutrition

Eating a balanced diet with a variety of foods will provide your body with all the nutrients it needs. Reduce your intake of processed foods, sugar and salt. Observe moderation and control portion size. Drink adequate amounts of water throughout the day to maintain hydration. Especially on the day of the holiday.

Make a menu for the holiday table, paying attention to the variety and benefits of foods. Let everything be in moderation, so that the dishes please you, not cause you to feel the need to eat them since they are in front of you.

In winter, many people face a lack of sunlight and lifestyle changes, which can affect activity levels and overall health. The following vitamins and minerals are recommended to keep you physically and brain active :

• Vitamin D is often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin” because the body synthesizes it when exposed to ultraviolet light. However, in winter, when the sun may be less available, it is important to get this vitamin from other sources;
• vitamin B12 is essential for the normal functioning of the nervous system and the production of red blood cells. Its deficiency can affect energy levels and cause fatigue;
• vitamin C supports the immune system and can help fight fatigue. It is also important for collagen synthesis, which is essential for healthy joints, skin and blood vessels;
• omega-3 fatty acids are important for brain and heart health. They can also affect mood and stress levels;
• magnesium is involved in regulating energy metabolism and may help fight fatigue. It also affects muscle and nerve function;
• folic acid (vitamin B9) plays an important role in DNA synthesis and the formation of red blood cells. A deficiency can affect energy levels and overall health.

8. Normalize sleep

Create a regular sleep schedule by trying to go to bed and get up at the same time. Make your bedroom comfortable by choosing comfortable mattresses and pillows.

Avoid consuming caffeine before bedtime. Tea and coffee should be replaced by herbal collections. If you have trouble falling asleep, spray your pillow with lavender. You can put in the bedroom aroma diffuser with essential oil. It can be lavender or chamomile. An evening walk and a warm bath will help free your brain from restless thoughts before bedtime.

Taking care of physical health will allow you to meet New Year’s Eve with energy and vitality, as well as provide the basis for successful completion of tasks and achievement of goals. It is known that how we start the new year is how we will continue it.

The second half of December is not only a logical time transition in our lives, but also an opportunity to actively influence the course of future events. Conscious and timely preparation influences how the year will unfold for us.

Proactive actions before the new year ease our worries in the pre-holiday period and form a special mood that can make our perception of the holiday more joyful and harmonious.

Thus, entering the new year with clear plans, we create favorable conditions for it to become for us a time of new opportunities, joy and positive changes. May your new year be bright and successful!