Historically, the most productive parts of any year for me have been the beginning and the end. In the beginning, I have all this excitement and energy to start new projects for the year. At the end, I realize I’m running out of time to add to what I’ve done during the year, so I hurry up and make up for what I can.
The middle of the year, though, is where everything actually happens. I get less done in a month in the middle than in the same amount of time in the beginning or end of the year, but there’s simply more months during the middle of the year. The extra time means the bulk of the progress I make on anything during the year happens in the middle, note, when I’m least productive.
It’s the long slog. It’s the waiting patiently. It’s the sticking it out until the end. It’s portion of the year that does the mundane, heavy lifting.
With any realization like this, there are pretty much two options for improvement. Look at what doesn’t work and try to fix it, and look at what does work and try to optimize it.
Right now, at the turn of the year, I’m in the optimization mode. What can I do now that will be the most valuable use of my excitement and energy at the beginning of the year?
It occurs to me, though, that I can also use this time to help with the middle. I can help the middle by directing some of my energy now to put systems in place to ensure that I best stay on track in the middle.
