So it's the start of a new year
Typically, around this time, I like to clean up my life, my systems, my house, and my thinking.
I'm a creature of habits, as we all tend to be. Oh, how the brain likes to be efficient and routine, and some habits (more than others) can be good or bad, and the bad ones can be hard to break.
I've thrashed around with productivity tools and systems my entire life, but as a neurodivergent gal, I struggle to get overwhelmed and stay consistent. If you've ever found yourself on ADHD Tiktok, you'll know what I mean. It's common for ADHDers to have bursts of intense interest that dissipate after the excitement of something new wears off. That's why I'm working on reducing the number of new things I venture into simultaneously and minimizing the things that aren't doing me well.
Logging into LinkedIn and Twitter multiple times a day
I think I'll share a post on the downfall of Twitter at a later date, but if you don't already know, things are pretty bleak over there. LinkedIn has also become a rather annoying and discouraging place to be. The rise of influencers and mass layoffs make logging on a big downer. I get very anxious when the world feels like it's falling apart all the time -who knew? I wish LinkedIn would allow me to see my messages without logging into the app like they did years ago.
Giving time and attention to design and tech influencers
Often these folks are contrarian, pretentious, and trying to sell me something. Sometimes all three attributes are combined. It's a time and energy suck, and if I haven't directly paid some of them for courses or products, I've paid them with my time, and they don't deserve that from me. I've gotten caught responding to some aggravating statements in 2022, and it's never a good use of time. I'm working on focusing on my own thing and not consuming so damned much.
Forgoing my boundaries for the sake of being polite
As someone who's spent a fair bit of time learning about boundaries and has started implementing them, I plan to implement a lot more, even in professional settings. It has often felt like boundaries are impossible when they are tied to income, but I'm still going to try. I'll share more on this throughout the year.
Helping people who aren't invested/committed
I've decided that my energy isn't well spent trying to support individuals who merely ask. I love to help people, but not all help is welcome, and other times when asked, my support can be challenging for individuals who don't like being challenged. By doing this, I've forgone my own needs to support others who aren't helping themselves. I plan to develop a rubric for support levels for others and will focus on spending my desire to help inwards instead.
Overall, this year is going to be about managing energy with intention. I'll focus on checking my energy-draining habits more regularly and use this energy with more valuable outcomes instead.
