The holiday season is over and the new year is well and truly here. This transition back to work has felt for myself and some others a little like the ultimate “Sunday Scaries.” It’s time to swap mince pies for meetings and mulled wine for emails and deadlines as we head back into work mode. But let’s be real – getting back into the swing of things after weeks of festive cheer, late nights, and Netflix binges (I loved the Carry On film with Taron Edgerton) can feel like trying to reboot your first ever laptop – painful and migrain-inducing.
If you’re in tech, where the pace rarely slows, returning to work after the break can feel even more overwhelming. As I prepare myself to get back into the swing of things, here are some simple, intentional ways to reset, refocus, and start the new year strong. My words for this month are ‘grounded’ and ‘productive’ and I hope to have the right mindset to hit the ground running and start 2025 strong.
Decluttering your digital and physical workspaces
Whether you’re remote or in the office, a tidy space can work wonders for your focus and productivity. Clearing out those crumbs from your keyboard, reorganising your desk, realign cables, and maybe even adding some new decor or photos can be good way to mentally refresh. Update your space and update your perspective ready for new activities and habits. I work from home and for me lighting is super important – especially during these seasons in the UK where a lot of people experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD). I’ve recently got a seasonal affective disorder lamp to try out and use as my work sidekick so I hope all the good things I’ve heard ring true.
The next decluttering activity I’ll be doing is of my digital workspace. I am one of those people who always have way too many tabs and desktop windows open because I don’t want to lose anything. The thing is this just makes me less productive because my laptop never runs efficiently, it always sounds like it’s about to fly away to another continent, and sometimes it just crashes and everything goes anyway! As I get stuck in again, I’ll be clearing my browser tabs with the OneTab an extension which doesn’t delete them, but saves them for a later date while keeping your browser windows super lite. I’ll also address any “low storage” notifications across my devices – I know most of us have way too many screenshots and duplicate files. My desktop is currently drowning in screenshots and unfinished files and it isn’t pretty!
The aim is to get a streamlined workspace – both physical and digital – that creates clarity and reduces friction for you when jumping back into your workflow.
Checking in with yourself for intentional reflection
January is prime time for resolutions, but let’s be real: the “new year, new me” mindset often fizzles out by February. Instead of big promises to yourself, try to focus on micro-adjustments that are sustainable and reflections that help you move the dial.
I’ve gone simple this year as I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, I’m taking a step back to think about what would make work better for me in 2025. Whatever it is for you, now’s the time to plan for it. I’m asking:
- What’s been working?
- What hasn’t?
- How can I approach these challenges differently?
Some of the simple changes I’ll be making are creating a better morning routine that works for my neurodivergent brain, getting better at feedback, and making documentation second nature for every project.
Think about what worked (or didn’t) for you last year. Was there a project management tool that increased your team’s collaboration? Did a specific action or planning activity improve focus during sprints? Reflecting on the wins and learning are a good way to build better workflows and ultimately your workself. OKRs are even better for documenting this and keeping yourself actionable.
Identify potential quick wins to build back momentum
A good way to achieve some quick wins without having to come back and dive straight into complex problem-solving or endless Jira tickets is by identifying low-effort, high-impact tasks you can knock out quickly. Start small and don’t dive straight into your to-do without first slowing down and prioritising it. Completing small tasks builds momentum and sets a productive tone for the rest of your day, week and ultimately month.
If your team’s workflow allows, suggest a “soft start” approach where you focus on planning and lower-stakes activities for the first few days. Keep the festive vibes alive with small rewards like a nice new lunch, catch ups with colleagues, or even just a coffee break with your favorite playlist. I really love listening to hertz frequencies for concentration – works for me.
Set the right systems and make small tweaks
Tech professionals are great at working within systems, but even the best workflows need occasional updates and tweaks. The new year is a great opportunity to optimise core workflows and personal routines and to reflect not just as an individual but also with your team on what worked well last year or what was a key friction point to time to value and general productivity. Do you need new submission forms, better cadences, better feedback loops? Do you need more breaks or less, do you need to exercise more or go for lunchtime walks, or do you need to upskill and do more learning? For me, I’m going to be better at sharing my goals and also mixing entertainment with education to learn something new everyday. What worked for me really well last year is habit-stacking which is essentially where you build a new habit by attaching it to an existing one. For example, a tech marketer after a customer call might start noting key insights and experimenting with ideas for future campaign messaging. Or after checking your calendar each morning, you might also start sending a quick Slack message to your team outlining the day’s priorities or any important updates.
Celebrate wins and drive a culture of progress
Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean the celebrations have to stop. Find opportunities to inject positivity into your work environment or where you can collaborate. For example, consider starting a monthly “demo day” where team members showcase small wins, or use platforms in cool or new, useful ways. Highlighting progress and wins not only boosts morale but also is important for driving a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. While we’re on the topic of celebrating if you making it to the end of the first work week without imploding or crying or getting anxiety about sending an email – treat yo’ self. I’ll be giving myself a reward and pat on the back this weekend for making it through because after such a long time off it is deserved!
So here are a few of things I’m doing and I’m going to be doing this month to reset after the holiday season and new year.
- Tidy up your physical and digital workspaces
- Reflect on what you need to succeed at work and to create work/life harmony
- Ease in slowly and don’t burn out on day one by overloading yourself
- Pick one habit to stick with and double down on being consistent
Lastly, take this as a reminder to be kind to yourself. Progress is better than perfection. For me, the aim is not to do a complete overhaul but instead to make subtle tweaks to my personal and work life like decluttering my workspace, refreshing my goals and OKRs, easing back in, tweaking routines, and celebrating all the great work from last year. I’m already feeling re-energised and ready to tackle the year ahead. To my fellow techies, here’s to building, iterating, and thriving in 2025! Plus, if it does get a little overwhelming a good dopamine drink and a killer playlist does wonders. Here is my playlist of choice!
Also – any other tips please send my way. My Linkedin is always open.
Whitney Abigail is a Go-To-Market, Product Marketer & Emerging Tech Educator. She works with ambitious businesses to elevate their brand and to equip individuals with the knowledge needed to future-proof their career, and businesses too.
