Today is one of my favorite days of the year – not only because I’m Canadian but because it is the day after all the rush, the celebrating, the greetings and good byes; the day after the hub bub. It’s a day to absorb and reflect.
Long-time readers know my absolute favorite season is the Fall; but what I’ve never really shared before is my second favorite time of year is literally “the New Year” <-which, in my world, is the week after Christmas into the first week of the next year.
This is the time when everyone is still in the holiday spirit but without the frenzied rush. In most law offices, the rare emergency here or there happens, but it’s much more likely for the courts to be closed and lots of people to be on vacation.
Those left in the office feel it – a hush happens as the people and conversations are not going on all around you and the constant ringing of phones stops. It’s the time that instead of frantically darting from one thing to the next, you can focus on the task at hand for more than 5 minutes and take the time to reflect on what is working and what is not.
This is what makes it the perfect time to literally clean out your office – cull and close the files that need closing, throw out the stuff that needs to be tossed and put in place the things you need to stay at the top of your game for the new year ahead.
Hence, why it is a favorite time of year for me! Not only do I get to organize, the auto-pilot type tasks coupled with the almost mindless physical most of it, leaves my brain to ponder – do I want to be doing this again this way NEXT year?! And so I get to ruminate and explore options and improvements as I go… doubling my productivity. OK. I listen to really loud music too (if no one is around) 😉
As of right now, this week, I am physically setting up my version of Bullet Journal, making sure my 2017 financial binder is ready for the CPA, and tossing out anything I haven’t used, touched, or needed in the past year <- given my office is literally 7’ x 8’ anything not actually used – goes.
As I clear out the old and think about all that has transpired in the past year, reflect and absorb on all that I have been up to – from redesigning the function of purpose of the LT website (to make it easy to sign up for a service vs. educate the world about working virtually) and then creating the place where I can educate all who work in legal about all things virtual, I am ending the year on a really positive note.
Even better, looking ahead, I see a bright 2018 – not only as LT is again growing, but I am growing personally with the leadership and communication skills of ToastMasters and Napoleon Hill being put to work and tested in my new role as Director of the Virtual Bar Association.
It is in this role that I hope to help as many people as I can understand how to positively connect and find value and appreciation for such connections vs. just being blindly connected all the time. To do so, I’m hosting and moderating a ton of events (in person and virtual) – some educational, some just fun and yes, some involve food!
So if you work at a law firm and are not already a member of the Virtual Bar Association – I invite you to join and if you select “Regular Member” and use promo code VIP17 you’ll see what knowing me (or at least reading this far) will do to the price. But you have to act this week as any special pricing ends as we ring in the New Year!
Happy Boxing Day!