Shireen Motara
As we approach the end of 2024, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on how far we have come and be intentional about creating a fulfilling final quarter. This will set you up for 2025 before you get there. Here are some practical strategies to prioritise you and your goals:
Prioritising health and wellbeing
This year has been a struggle for me mentally and physically, which affected my exercise routine and mindfulness practices that I have been doing for years. I could feel how it affected me negatively. To start caring for my wellbeing, I have started doing short meditations again.
Instead of scrolling on my phone first thing in the morning, I now go straight to my meditation app. Getting back to my breathing and meditation is helping to face the day with new energy. On the exercise front, I have started, when I have energy, to do short Qigong exercises. Now that it's getting warmer, I am better able to improve my healthy habits by keeping it simple and “snacking” on nuts or dates instead of sweets.
What you can do: Identify one wellbeing issue that you can take a small, consistent action on now - do it consistently. This will build motivation for the next step. The key is consistency, not big, audacious out of reach goals.
Get your goals on track
This has been the first year that my goals have fallen significantly behind. However, I accept that it was bound to happen because I had to navigate a number of challenges so far this year. That being said, I can also point to the successes so far. For the rest of this quarter, I want to focus on a small number of things that are essential to complete before year end. Everything else can wait.
What you can do: Reflect on what you have achieved, and what is outstanding. Celebrate the successes! Identify one or two key goals that you must move forward before the end of the year. Use the Eisenhower Matrix, to distinguish between what's urgent and what is important. Then decide what you can do; what you can schedule for a later date; what you can delegate to someone else; and what can just fall off the list (let go of). Believe there is often alot!
Balancing work and life / rest
This time of the year also presents an opportunity to stop or reduce overworking (and overthinking that can spiral into unhealthy judgement of yourself). I have the tendency to (while I am resting) sit on my phone and work, often late into the night. I have now made a conscious decision to stop “working” on my phone by 6pm. This allows my brain to disconnect and for my body to settle into rest mode. This has been difficult and I still struggle with it but I can feel the difference if I disconnect. In essence, I set a boundary for myself recognising that I am the one standing in my own way.
What you can do: Identify one action you can take to prioritise rest or reduce overworking. Set a boundary with yourself or others. Clearly communicate it to those affected, and clarify your expectations. Get support from a friend to hold you accountable to this commitment. Enjoy the rest or time out and do something fun, connect with family and friends or read that book that has been laying on your nightstand for months.
Instead of putting pressure on yourself to “perform, use the rest of 2024 to come back to being a human being not just a human doing. See it as an opportunity to build a foundation of revolutionary rest and wellbeing that you need to do everything else.
Shireen Motara is an African Feminist and Women’s Leadership Coach. She is the Founder CEO of Tara Transform and The Next Chapter; and the business owner of four online brands in the custom gifting and home improvement spaces.
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