5 Things to Do During the Lost Week

Let’s be real, there just isn’t much productivity during the week between Christmas and the New Year.

Many people are out on vacation; legitimate ones that they planned with their work. Those are the responsible ones. The rest basically just clocking in and checking out.

Across the board, everyone knows the same thing: there is not much going to get done this week. With so many people out, offices closed, and budgets spent until the new year, there just is not much to do.

So what can you do to make the most of this time?

1. Relax

If you are not working this week, do just that.

Do not work.

Spend time with family, go hang out with friends, read that book gathering dust on your shelf.

Just do nothing.

And enjoy every second of it.

2. Hit the Gym

You may find yourself with some extra pounds after the holiday season. I know I definitely ate more than my usual helping of treats and sweets the last two weeks and also got out of my exercise routine during travel and general holiday malaise.

The good news is you may also find yourself with some extra time this week. Now is a great time to get back in the habit of working out.

About 50% of New Year’s resolutions are about getting fit or losing weight but why wait until next week? Go ahead and start NOW.

3. Reflect on The Last Year

Take some time this week to look back on the year.

What did you accomplish? What did you like about your life this year and what would you like to change?

If you have a partner, I recommend doing this with them. Talk with each other about the past 12 months and what you would like to keep doing the same and what you might like to try differently.

4. Do a 10-Year Vision

I got this technique from Chase Hobby, a former Naval Flight Officer who went to Wharton and started a CBD company, VRB Labs (listen to the interview HERE).

Here is how it works:

Sit down with a pen and paper (highly recommend doing this handwritten and not on the computer as it really helps sear it into your brain more) and write down what a perfect day looks like to you in ten years.

Be specific as possible. Describe when and how you wake up, what you eat for breakfast, what your house looks like, and where you live. Everything. The more detail, the better.

The idea is to help you visualize so that you can achieve.

5. Fear-Setting

I am personally not a huge fan of setting goals for anything over a few weeks.

I know- that’s a hot take in the world of personal development.

Whenever I hear people talk about their 5 and 10-year plans, I just can’t help but think that they are setting themself up for disappointment. Who I was 5 years ago is very different than who I am today so how can I set a goal for that far into the future when I have no idea who I will be then?

This does not mean you should not have ambition or think about where you want to be in the future, but I think there are better ways to get that life than writing down goals for a distant and undefined future.

Which brings me to fear-setting.

Fear-setting is not my idea; I took it from Tim Ferriss (see his post here for the in-depth how-to).

The basic idea is this: what do you want to do NOW? What fears do you have that are stopping you from doing that? What is the worst-case scenario and how can you mitigate it?

Fear-setting is meant to help you get to that vision you have for life by cutting through the noise and getting to the heart of what may stopping you: fear.

This week does not have to just be a week of aimless wandering and mindless scrolling.

Use this time to get ahead of where you want to be.

And don’t forget to relax.

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