▷ Lessons learned from 2020

Christmas has just passed, but the calm between the years still lasts. I always use this time to review the year: What happened last year? Personal or corporate? Very personal?

In addition to the challenges caused by Corona, a lot has happened, there have been many experiences with new projects, new clients, new ways of living. I was able to learn a lot! And take some things with you as experience into the new year 2021. As you know me, it’s about productivity, but not only that. Is there something for you?

Be patient – it’s worth it

This year has required a lot of patience from us: during the shopping when it didn’t go as fast as usual because the glasses fogged up over the mask. During video conferences, when not each of us had our technology fully functional. Even the extension of lockdown measures puts patience to the test.

What’s so bad? Things may also go a little slower. The main thing is that we reach our goal. If you get impatient while in the checkout line, you’re just stressing yourself out. There is nothing faster and the cashier can’t do anything about it either.

Anyone who works on a task and doesn’t immediately see success should not give up or become overwhelmed with guilt. This is unproductive and also causes stress. So please be more patient – with ourselves and with others. For your stress-free life in 2021.

Review your goals

Again and again. And especially now, when you have the opportunity to reflect on your days off in peace. Dreams, goals, favorite projects can get old. What was once good for you no longer has to be good today and especially tomorrow.

Use this quiet time after Christmas to examine your goals. Maybe they don’t fit you anymore? Maybe just a small course correction is needed to adjust and refine the goal? Or you will experience tremendous reinforcement from this opportunity that you are still on the right path.

Checking your goals regularly ensures you work agilely and redefine your point of view with current information. For your meaningful life in 2021.

Let yourself be enchanted by your lens

Do you know this too? You work every day on a project that contributes to your goal. Do whatever brings you closer to your goal. But the enthusiasm somehow fades. More and more often you have to force yourself to sit at your desk to take a step forward. You lack the motivation to achieve exceptional performance and to work productively towards the outcome. The air is out!

This always happens when the target is too far away. You may see the result just in 6 months, a year. It’s too long. Then tackle your big goal again, with the why behind it. Why do you want to reach it? What does the result look like? What changes in your life? In a word: let yourself be enchanted by your lens again. Make it sexy for you again. Remember that you are doing something meaningful. And plan the next, very simple step to move forward. For your motivated life in 2021.

You can be grateful

For many of us, 2020 was an economic, psychological or health catastrophe. But it also taught us that there are still many things to be grateful for. For above-average medical care when we are unwell. For organic shops and well-stocked supermarkets (if you’re not looking for toilet paper). For many ways to stay connected with our loved ones. In fact, the ability to meet via video conference has finally brought me back into eye contact with friends and family abroad. Reason enough to be grateful for what you have, for what you can do, for what you have experienced.

Even if at first glance they seem rather banal, they are worth feeling gratitude for. This feeling makes you positive about life and enriches you. It reduces stress and makes you happy in a very simple way. So focus on the opportunity to feel gratitude for your fulfilled and happy life in 2021.

Take care of your health

I’m probably the hundredth person to tell you this. But it’s just important. The crisis in particular has shown that we should take all possible precautions to protect our health. Sports, healthy eating and regular sleep are one side. The other is reasonable and considerate behavior in public spaces. In this case we not only protect our health, but also that of those around us. It is really a small effort to ensure that masks are worn correctly and distance is maintained. And wash your hands more often than usual.

If no rockets or firecrackers will be sold on New Year’s Eve this year, and hopefully none will be set off, this is also a health precaution. Each year, fireworks-related accidents place additional demands on emergency rooms. It’s not just that we don’t need it in 2020. So also think about what risks you want to take for fun, for healthy living in 2021.

Get out of your comfort zone!

Good advice for introverts, because their social comfort zone is usually very narrow. The conditions here this year were quite favorable. Online meetings are quick and easy to organize and it’s up to you to decide whether to show yourself with videos, images or not at all. A playground to try things with complete strangers.

Your knowledge also has a comfort zone. So why not learn and master a new area that will help you achieve your goals? Build your own website, record videos, place Facebook ads, learn a new foreign language: dare and try it too. Ideally in a safe space with colleagues who also want to grow and try new things. For correct and grateful feedback. And for a productive life in 2021.

Write by hand again

Finally, a very personal piece of advice from me to all those who for a long time have only filled out forms by hand, written shopping lists or sent a few handwritten Christmas cards: write by hand again.

For the past year I’ve kept a bullet journal and also handwritten excerpts from books I’ve read in a notebook. It took some time, but the time I spent writing kept me incredibly focused:

about the tasks I added to the daily list
on the ideas that reading offered me
on pen and paper, on my hand

Handwritten notes keep you focused and allow you to capture the essence of what you are planning or recording on paper. An almost meditative situation that promotes your productivity. You are completely alone, multitasking is excluded. Ideal for your morning routine. And for your conscious life in 2021.