Do you believe that time discipline = time freedom? As I am wrapping up the final season of 2022, I am doing a seasonal check-in as I do every 3 months to better understand where I am at in my current state of life & how I can better utilize my time and energy to create more moments of joy & bring better focus to my daily, intentional efforts. You may find that you’ve gotten off track in one area of your life or another & this 2-3 hour seasonal check-in is a great way to better connect with yourself and provide the clarity you need to move forward with confidence into a new year or a new phase in life. Today on the blog & podcast, I’m sharing 5 steps for a successful seasonal check-in so you can experience more joy in the new year. Set aside a chunk of time on a Sunday afternoon, get cozy, and put on your favorite tunes as you work through these steps below & approach the next 3 months with intention.
5 Steps For a Successful Seasonal Check-In
#1 Bringing Awareness to Your Current Use of Time
We all have the same 24 hours a day 7 days a week, but how are you spending this time? This step is about bringing non-judgmental awareness to your current use of time. Look at your calendar and life and write down where your time is currently being spent & pay attention to how this aligns with your priorities for the next season and where you may need to adjust your schedule.
#2 Doing a Phone Cleanse
Go through and eliminate any apps you don’t need to have on your phone anymore (like apps for booking dinner reservations or boarding flights you aren’t currently using) & turn off notifications for apps you don’t need. You may even find you want to turn off notifications for all apps. This step will help bring your focus back to yourself so you can experience more time discipline. and therefore more time freedom, without being distracted by unnecessary interruptions or allowing your phone to pull you in when it doesn’t need to.
#3 Create an Inbox Zero System
A goal of mine is to always have “inbox zero” at the end of every day, whether it’s personal or work emails. If this is currently something you focus on, try creating systems that will allow you to achieve this goal in baby steps. From unsubscribing to emails you no longer read to creating folders to store important emails you’ll need to reference in the future, this will provide you more time freedom and less stress every time you go to read your daily emails.
#4 Align Your Time with Your Priorities
Remember that time will blend in the favor of what you prioritize. Where you spend your time shows your priorities and after doing these exercises you may need to adjust as you realize your time is being spent in areas that don’t matter to you. Ask yourself, “What can I automate, delegate, and eliminate?”
#5 Write Out Your Goals
Finally, use this time to dive into a deeper self-discovery exercise. At this point in the process of your seasonal check-in, it’s important to ask yourself deep questions to better understand your focus and where your inner joy subsides & how to tap into that inner joy more often in the upcoming season. For example, “What brings me the most joy? How can I structure my day to achieve more of that?” After answering these deeper questions, take time to write out your goals for the next 3 months as they align with your bigger vision of the joyful, intentional life you desire.
Remember: In order to get new results, you have to believe in new thoughts. Allow this process to change you & provide a foundation for personal growth with curiosity and non-judgemental awareness of your current state in life while you pursue a life of more joy in the future.
Tune in to the podcast episode below to dive deeper into these 5 steps to a successful seasonal check-in…
Listen to the podcast episode below:
Thank you for listening in and reading along… I would love to hear your thoughts… Join the conversation & send me an email at elizabeth@integratedbeingllc.com. I look forward to connecting with you & going on this journey of life together.
xo, Lizzie