January often comes with a quiet expectation that we should feel refreshed, focused, and ready to go.
We’re at the end of the first week, and I found myself wishing for another week off. That surprised me, especially because I’m falling back in love with my work.
But the late movie nights with my girls, sleeping in, and then lounging and reading uninterrupted for hours, were glorious. Moving through our days without urgency was what I needed.
And yet, here we are. A new year, a new quarter, and an expectation that everyone is rested, focused, and ready to move fast again – even as life swirls unpredictably around us.
Many of us are trying to reset routines while avoiding a slide back into exhaustion, all against the backdrop of Q1 performance goals, economic concerns, real harm and uncertainty unfolding beyond our workplaces, plus our own personal challenges.
Rather than forcing ourselves to “get back to it” at the same pace as last year, this moment invites different questions.
- What’s actually needed now?
- What actions make sense given the reality in front of us?
That’s the focus of our upcoming Lunch and Learn, Managing Well in 60 Days: Resetting Expectations and Stabilizing Your Team During Uncertainty. We’ll discuss what’s contributing to strain and share practical ways to reduce unnecessary pressure without compromising effectiveness or accountability.
