Make a date with 2021

2020 was the year of rain checks, delayed dreams and cancelled plans. The verdict is still out on whether 2021 will be any more certain. But there are a few steps you can take to be hopeful and positive even though the road ahead is shrouded in fog.

End 2020 with a full stop

In the beginning of lockdown, many companies were worried that productivity among their workers would take a turn for the worst. Instead, the opposite happened.

Our critical indicators like clocking in at 8am and knocking off at 5pm vanished as most people adjusted to working from home. The boundaries between work and home blurred, and most of us are answering emails later and later and switching on our laptops earlier and earlier. The unfounded fear of non-productivity has been supplanted by a far greater risk to businesses: burn-out.

Fatigue is as much of a threat to the health of companies as it is to the well being of individuals. Exhaustion dulls our minds and leaves our bodies more vulnerable to illness. Keeping strict boundaries between work and rest is not a nice-to-have – it is key to sanity and health.

Just as it is essential to draw a clear line between work and leisure during the week, it is crucial to do the same as 2020 comes to an end. If you don’t, you might find yourself opening your laptop on Christmas day instead of presents.

And when 2021 arrives, make sure work and down time remain in their own corners:

• stick to your cut-off times at the end of the day. Don’t respond to calls, emails or WhatsApps after hours
• find your own rhythm and organise your working hours around it – it doesn’t necessarily have to be from 8am to 5pm
• set aside quality time to spend with loved ones and
• schedule offline days during which you can clear your mind, think and plan ahead.

Silence the negative narrative

One of the most effective ways of changing those gnawing messages of “I shouldn’t have” or “if only” is to understand where they’re coming from, says Deneera Singh, a certified life coach.

“Negative narratives diminish our desire to move forward. The best way to alter them is to replace them with empowering thoughts. We can reinforce these positive beliefs by repeating them to ourselves consistently until we achieve the positive change we want to see.”

The old adage that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks can’t be further from the truth, says Hilton Calder, a clinical psychologist.

We can rewire our brains, no matter what our age. “Physiologically there’s no limitation to learning new things until the day you die. The brain’s plasticity remains,” says Calder. It’s just a matter of changing focus and sticking with your new resolutions.

Sanitise your social media habits

There are no filters on social media and we often spend hours engaging with opinions that are more harmful than helpful.

Besides keeping our screen time in check, we also need to put a break on the content we post, share or like on social media. Consider the following questions:

• is what you read news or an opinion?
• is it supported by facts?
• is it biased?

By applying these filters you can protect yourself and others, and keep stress to a minimum.

Accentuate the positive

Being thankful is not only about positive energy – it has a significant impact on your health and state of mind.

Research has shown that cultivating a sense of gratitude can reduce stress and anxiety, improve your mood, and even strengthen your immune system.

“The feel-good sensation that emanates from gratitude is due to the dopamine that is released,” says Calder. Through his work with chronically ill patients, Calder has experienced first-hand how feelings of gratitude improves their states of mind. “When they turn their attention to what they’re grateful for, and pay less attention to what they’re petrified of, they get better.”

There are a few things you can do to make gratitude part of your daily routine:

• think about the person you are specifically grateful for on a specific day
• list five body parts you are grateful for or
• consider the ways in which your life today is better than a year ago.

Embrace uncertainty

There are no guarantees that our lives will return to normal in 2021. In fact, living with uncertainty has become the new normal.

But we can choose how we react to uncertainty. “If we’re negative about it, it will leave us exhausted, emotionally drained and disempowered. It’s a vicious cycle,” says Singh.

Conversely, keeping a positive perspective allows us to think creatively about solutions and find new resources to help us deal with adversities.

Pause, reflect and move on

2020 was a year in which we were all forced to slow down and readjust our habits, routines and goals. We dealt with two pandemics – a virus and feelings of hopelessness that often overwhelmed us.

Fatigue, fear and insecurities will no doubt be undesirable companions in the months to come, but self-awareness, clear boundaries and a positive attitude can help us cope with the uncertainty of a new year.

We as individuals cannot eradicate the virus, but we can change what is under our own control. Positivity is a ripple that flows outwards – focusing on the small stuff is key to moving forward.

It may sound like a cliché, but positive thinking brings positive results.