Harnessing the power of the ‘Fresh Start Effect’
As the lazy dog days of summer wind down, it’s time to get back to the grind, back to responsibilities and finishing the goals you set at the beginning of the year. You would be forgiven if this prospect makes you feel a little bit blue.
Fear not! The ‘Fresh Start Effect’ is here to rescue you from the clutches of demotivation. It’s that burst of energy that comes when you declare, “You know what? September is MY month. I’m going to crush it!”
The ‘Fresh Start Effect’ is a psychological phenomenon that taps into the innate human desire for new beginnings and fresh opportunities. It’s that feeling of a clean slate that prompts you to break free and dive headfirst into a realm of possibilities.
So take advantage of the September milestone and use it to mentally re-set and get a collective boost in energy to finish off existing projects, plan for new ones, and look with fresh eyes at ways of working.
Now, you might be wondering, “How do I make the most of this magical fresh start?” Well, let’s break it down:
Reflect and Reset: Reflect on the experiences and lessons of the year so far. Think about what went well and why. Examine what has not gone the way you thought it would and decide if there was a better approach to adopt going forward. Reset your priorities to ensure you get the important stuff done before the end of the year.
Set New Goals: Take advantage of the ‘Fresh Start Effect’ by setting specific and achievable goals for the post-summer period. Having clear objectives can provide a sense of purpose and motivation.
Break Goals into Smaller Steps: Large, daunting tasks can be demotivating. Break down your goals into smaller, manageable steps. Achieving these smaller milestones provides a sense of accomplishment and propels you forward.
Visualize Success: Imagine the positive outcomes of your efforts. Visualization can create a mental connection between your actions and the desired results, enhancing your motivation to work toward your goals.
Create a Routine: While routines might seem counterintuitive after a leisurely summer, they provide structure and stability. Design a routine that incorporates both work and personal activities, ensuring a balanced and productive lifestyle.
Celebrate Progress: Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Recognizing your progress reinforces the connection between effort and reward, boosting motivation.
Stay Curious: Approach your tasks with curiosity and a willingness to adapt. Embrace new approaches to problems and do not fear exploring new technologies to solve the issues.
Fresh Solutions
The key to making a fresh start actually work is to allow yourself to mentally start again. Look at your prior approach with the intent to change and adapt it for the better.
One way people are doing this around the world right now is by using new technologies and digital tools to be more productive, efficient and understand the work realm better.
So, ask yourself are there tools out there that could make you better at your job and make your life easier?
In Safety, digitalisation is offering more streamlined processes, greater oversight and easy-to-access risk assessments, improved engagement and less time wasted on bureaucracy which are just a few of its potential advantages. Giving you more time to focus on delivering real safety improvements.
To help you get started, here is This is a really handy, quick checklist on digital transformation, with clear, actionable steps so you can start mapping out how you can approach a digitisation project.
It would be easy to give in to trepidation about changing the way you do things and convince yourself that ‘Change is too hard, so why bother?!’. But if you remind yourself that the new you is intent on change and on new and better ways of doing things – focus instead on the benefits that will come with new technology. Work out how you can position yourself to be the champion of change and ultimately expert of the new technology.
Don’t be a digital ostrich
The Time Is Now
The months of September and October are the perfect window to harness the ‘Fresh Start Effect’.
If you start planning now, following the steps we outline above, the chances are people around you might also feel reinvigorated and buy into your ideas.
If you delay, by November and December, the pressure is more intense and people will be rushing around to finish their tasks before end of year.
September and October are the sweet spot for getting the brain cogs moving and working out your strategy and tactics to move the needle in the upcoming months and in 2024.
To find out how you can win friends and become more influential in the office, read our article about persuasion. And if you want to learn how RiskPal can keep making people safer more straightforward, email us at info@riskpal.co.uk.
