I’m pretty organised when it comes to my business.
But my family (and I) are always last-minute Larrys when it comes to life admin.
So when we popped into the Asda, the night before schools opened in January to top up on some school uniforms, my daughter and I made a little bet about whether we would spot any Easter things.
I was surprised (yet not so surprised) that we are already being rushed into getting ready for Easter and Spring.
Every year, things seem to get earlier and earlier. And while I try hard not to buy into the whole mass-produced, seasonal decor, opting to forage and bring a little bit of the outdoors inside, it still feels completely discombobulating to have just waded through the snow and see Easter eggs and mass-produced bunny decor on the shelves.
Between retailers and influencers, it’s easy to feel like we are rushing through each season without enough time to truly savour the moment and take on the lesson each season brings.
This is especially true in winter when most of us would happily rush through, but if I’m honest, I love the quiet and darkness of winter.
I have been actively rebelling against the idea of rushing straight into the next season and allowing myself to really soak up the wisdom this winter season has to offer.
The Discombobulation of January
Sometimes, it’s easy to feel like you’re behind when, in reality, things are just happening far too early.
That is why January can have that same discombobulating feeling. Our bodies and the natural world around us are still in hibernation mode, but the internet, stores, and some of the people around us are giving us spring vibes of rebirth, goal setting, dreaming big, and taking action.
There is no denying that January feels like a giant reset, which, in many ways, is really intoxicating. Plus, we are also feeling the energy of Capricorn, which is adding to the feeling or desire to set ambitious long-term goals.
I have felt this dichotomy even more this year, with some discussing their lofty New Year goals. And so many more people talking about having a gentle start to the year, slowly setting intentions, choosing their word of the year, and advice for how they are easing into the new year (which is amazing)!!
Having let go of the “new year, the new me” rhetoric favouring a more seasonal approach to living and working, I am really happy to read about other people’s approach
Easing into the new year and back into your business
This year, I have been feeling detached from all of it.
I am happy to return to my desk with no concrete plans or intentions set in place but a desire to find a new rhythm and slowly ease myself back into work mode.
I have been doing some gentle daydreaming, journaling, creating little ideas in Notion, and thinking about the possibilities for the year, but I am not rushing into action just yet.
I haven’t chosen my word of the year just yet. I have a few in mind, but I’m just letting them sit there. I trust in my human design and know that when I get that signature splenic hit, I’ll know what the “right” word is.
I’ve decided to fully embrace the tension that this time of year creates. While I know the time for work and action-taking is on the horizon, I’m still honouring my body’s desire for time to rest and dream.
Here are some simple January Rituals to guide you through this time of year
To help you find that seemingly elusive balance between reflection and gentle action. To let your dreams, hopes, and desires percolate a little longer, without feeling the pressure to act just yet.
By the time you read this, you have probably already gone back to work, but it’s never too late to Reset your business.
Ritual 1: Clear your workspace and clear your mind.
You don’t need the calendar to tell you when it’s time for a little reset. You can do this today, tomorrow, or whenever it feels good.
Personally, I am using my first week back at work as a bit of a catch-up week. I am giving myself enough time to clear out my inbox, get back in touch with all of my clients, and re-organise my office.
I plan on lighting a candle or some lovely incense gifted to me and spending 20-30 minutes a day tackling a small area of my office (and business)—starting with my desk drawers, which just seem to be where I shove things to be dealt with later.
I will also intentionally do this in silence, as opposed to putting on a Podcast or some music, so that I can listen to all the swirling ideas, tasks, worries, and hopes for the new year. I will add them to my mindful task collection tool in Notion – click here for a free copy!
Ritual 2: Reset your weekly rhythm.
I am always tempted to force myself to dive right into work after time off.
With a full inbox, a backlog of tasks, and a list of things I set aside for the new year, it’s easy to feel the pressure to be your most productive self as soon as you step back into work mode.
But what if you intentionally slowed yourself down a little (even if it feels uncomfortable)?
I hope you don’t feel the pressure to catch up on your first day back. Instead, be gentle with yourself and slowly, slowly, ease yourself back into work mode and gently catch up.
I think January is a great time to examine your work rhythm and see if there is a better way of doing things. I love using this more introspective time of the year to reflect on what worked well last year and what didn’t.
If you haven’t given this much thought and really don’t have a clue about what your weekly work rhythm looks like, I would highly suggest tracking your time and energy levels over the next few weeks. This will help you create awareness around where your time and energy are flowing and whether you would like to make any changes to your weekly schedule/rhythm.
I have a helpful Notion Energy Tracker you can download with some journal prompts, but if you don’t use Notion, jotting things down in a notebook can be just as effective.
My clients are often surprised to see how long things take (adding to the feeling of always being behind) and where they are expelling their energy.
I will remind you (as I always remind my clients) that this ritual isn’t to be used as a way to judge yourself or feel like you should be more productive. It is to notice patterns around your work and give you the awareness to spend your energy and time more intentionally.
Having reflected on last year, I can see that I really found a rhythm that worked for me and that I have slowly shifted my offers and work to support a rhythm that works best for my human design as a Projector.
However, I wanted to formalise some of my daily and weekly practices to ensure I stick to them. I often let these slip when things get busy, and so I wanted a visual reminder to do these things every day and every week.
This is on my list of things to do as I ease myself back into work mode.
Ritual 3: Create a sacred space for your ideas without the pressure to commit to actually doing them
Another ritual that is kind of a daily ritual for me at this point but might be a good idea for you to try in January is to capture your ideas, goals, desires, and intentions, but don’t quite commit to them just yet!
Winter is a time for dreaming, and if you have given yourself some space and time to rest, you are likely overflowing with ideas and things you want to do this year.
But if you are anything like me, you probably feel the intense need to act on them immediately before your energy or interest wanes.
This often leads to feeling overwhelmed and pressured at this time of year. Instead of writing it on a random piece of paper or in a notebook you are likely to lose or abandon in a couple of weeks, why not create a sacred space for your ideas, hopes, desires, and goals?
Somewhere, you can physically see them daily and remind yourself that when the time is right, you will get to all these things.
A large part of my work with clients involves getting them to slow down, break big ideas and projects into smaller tasks, and build trust that they will eventually get things done.
Part of this is creating a space for all your ideas to live and knowing when to work on them, when to leave them for another season, or when to set them free for someone else to discover.
Ritual 4: Choose a word for the year to be your guide
I didn’t create this ritual, and I would love to know who initially came up with the idea?But I have been doing this for the past few years, and typically, the word just comes to me, but this year, I think I have been forcing myself to find the perfect word.
I have done some journaling about how I want to feel this year and what energy I want to embody, yet I still find myself overthinking and comparing as more and more people announce their word of the year.
So, instead, I am opening myself up to signs from the universe.
I’m trying to let words appear and think about how they feel in my body and whether they align with my values and vision for myself (and my business)—noticing which words excite me or embody the energy for what I truly need for 2025.
I wish I had a three-step guide on how to find your word of the year, but I have learned to trust that it will somehow find its way to you if you stay open and curious. So, let me know how you found yours.
I hope these rituals help you go into January with ease and intention.
And remind you that January doesn’t have to be all about goal setting, unrealistic, hyper-productive new routines (that you are likely to abandon because they don’t work for you or your energy type), or the pressure to change yourself.
You are perfect, just as you are. I would argue that, if anything, you probably need to lean into doing things your way and throw the rule book of “how to have your best year” out the window.
You get to create your own quiet rebellion and gently ease into the new year on your terms.
Let’s transform how you start a new year in your business
P.S. If we don’t know each other, I’m Stacey. An (anti) productivity guide & business manager, helping deeply feeling photographers & solopreneurs reshape their businesses so you can go from feeling stuck and drained to knowing how to manage your business and energy in a way that supports you! If you want to learn more about my 1:1 work, click here.
P.P.S. Thanks so much for reading – If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it with a friend who will love it too!
P.P.P.S If you enjoyed this post and would like more thoughts delivered straight to your inbox, you can sign up for my email newsletter, Rituals and Remedies. I love to share my personal practice and rituals for running my business in alignment with the wheel of the year and the natural rhythms of life.
