The Ultimate Review and Planning Checklist for the Next 6 Months of 2023 — Mid-year reset

How to make the most of the next 6 months

Half the year has passed.

Maybe the first 6 months of 2023 haven’t been easy and you found it difficult to achieve your goals.

But, you have the power to hit that refresh button and create a positive shift in your life. Because it’s not just the New Year when you have to start fresh!

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Throughout this article, we’ll explore a range of strategies to help you create the perfect mid-year reset from decluttering, goal-setting, routines, new habits, and much more.

It’s all about finding what resonates with you and building a roadmap to make the most of the remainder of the year.

So grab a coffee, a notebook or a planner and something to write with, and get ready!

Reflect

It’s tempting to skip this part, but it’s VERY important.

It will allow you to pause, look inward, and gain a deeper understanding of yourself.

You’ll become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, and experiences, which can lead to valuable insights and positive changes in your life.

By reflecting, you’ll know exactly what you did wrong and right and that will help you set the perfect goals and create the best strategy for the rest of the year.

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Here’s what you can do:-

1. Set aside an hour. Make your area relaxing. Grab a coffee and a journal and give yourself an hour without distractions.
2. Write down three things you are grateful for, whether big or small.
3. Reflect on your goals and celebrate your wins. Look at your vision board, or goals you might have set at the beginning of the year. What steps did you take to achieve them? Review what you have accomplished.
4. Identify areas where you’ve fallen behind or encountered challenges. Why did you fall back? What went wrong? What could have been better? If you could do it all again, how would you go about it?

Plan

Now that you have a clear understanding of your current situation and aspirations, it’s time to leverage that information and create a detailed plan.

Begin with the end in mind.

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• Set 5 goals
• Prioritise those goals
• Put these goals somewhere where you can see them daily.
• Break them down.
• Create habits/routines to ensure you are going something daily to get closer to your goals.
• Set deadlines and milestones.
• Reflect on these goals weekly to check your progress and motivate yourself.

Ensure you are setting goals in all important areas of your life, and giving enough time to each area.

Different types of goals to consider:

1. Personal Goals: Examples include improving relationships, learning new skills, pursuing hobbies etc.
2. Professional Goals
3. Health Goals: Health goals revolve around improving physical and mental well-being.
4. Financial Goals.
5. Intellectual goals: Taking up new courses or taking out time to read books/blogs.
6. Family Goals

Consider using the SMART goal-setting framework:

1. Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve. Be specific about the desired outcome, the actions required, and the resources needed.
2. Measurable: Establish criteria to measure your progress and determine when the goal has been accomplished. Use quantifiable metrics or milestones to track your success.
3. Achievable: Set goals that are realistic and attainable. Consider your capabilities, available resources, and potential challenges. Ensure that your goals stretch you, but are still within reach.
4. Relevant: Align your goals with your overall priorities and values. Ensure they are meaningful and significant to you. Focus on goals that are relevant to your personal and professional aspirations.
5. Time-bound: Set a specific timeline for achieving your goals. Having deadlines helps create a sense of urgency and motivates you to take action. Break down your goals into shorter-term milestones to stay on track.

How to break down larger goals into actionable steps:

1. Identify the major components: Break down your larger goal into smaller, manageable components or tasks. Identify the key steps or milestones that will lead you toward achieving the overall goal.
2. Prioritize the steps: Determine the order in which you need to complete the steps.
3. Set deadlines: Assign specific deadlines to each step or milestone. This will keep you accountable.
4. Define action items: Break down each step into actionable items or tasks. Be specific about what needs to be done, who will be responsible, and any necessary resources or support required.
5. Track progress: Regularly monitor your progress and adjust as needed. Make necessary modifications to keep yourself on track toward reaching your ultimate goal.

Declutter

Trust me, the best way to start over and feel fresh is to clean and organise.

By organising, I don’t just mean your physical spaces. It’s important to organise your digital life as well.

To organise physically, you can follow the Marie Kondo method:-

• Commit to tidying up your space.
• Start by discarding items that no longer bring you joy.
• Organize belongings by category, not location.
• Follow a specific order: clothes, books, papers, miscellaneous items, sentimental items.
• Store items in a way that is visible and accessible.
• Use storage solutions that spark joy and fit your needs.
• Maintain tidiness by regularly reassessing and decluttering.

To organise digitally:-

1. Sort and delete unnecessary files.
2. Organize files into folders and subfolders.
3. Rename files for easy identification.
4. Clear out your downloads folder.
5. Unsubscribe from unnecessary email subscriptions.
6. Delete or archive old emails.
7. Organize your email inbox using folders and filters.
8. Clean up bookmarks and remove unnecessary ones.
9. Delete unused or redundant apps on your devices.
10. Organize and categorize apps into folders.
11. Clean up your desktop by removing unused apps/folders.
12. Clear browser cache and cookies.
13. Unfollow or mute accounts that no longer interest you.

Create routines

Routines are literally the key to success.

When you have a routine in place, you know what needs to be done and when.

This eliminates the need to waste time figuring out what to do next, allowing you to make the most of your day and accomplish more.

Here are a few routines you can consider:-

Daily Routines

Start by identifying the key activities that are essential to your day.

• A consistent morning routine
• Night Routine
• Specific time blocks for important tasks such as work or study.
• Regular breaks to rest and recharge (a.k.a self-care routines)
• Time blocks for your hobbies/personal projects (Eg-writing)
• Other important activities like — exercise, meditation, or journaling.

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Weekly Routines

• Set aside dedicated time each week for planning and organizing. You can follow David Allen’s Weekly Review.
• Designate a time block for cleaning and organising.
• Include time for hobbies, socializing, or pursuing personal interests.

Monthly Routines

• Evaluate your achievements, identify areas for improvement, and adjust your strategies accordingly.
• Schedule regular self-assessment sessions to track your personal growth and make necessary adjustments to your routines.

Adapt to a new productivity system/method

It is essential to have a system to help you manage your life. This system is how you’ll store your information, use your calendar, manage your tasks etc. It helps you keep everything in place.

Some of the most popular systems/methods that people use all around the world are — GTD (Getting things done), Kanban Method, Time Blocking etc. You can read about these systems here.

It’s not always necessary to adapt to someone else’s systems. After experimenting for a long time, I finally created a system for myself that helps me organise my life.

Here are some videos you can take ideas from:

• Ali Abdaal — How to create the ultimate productivity
• Trident Calendar System
• Matt D’avella’s Productivity System
• A minimal productivity system
• Weekly review with notion
• Lavendaire’s productivity system

Here’s what you can do:-

1. Take a close look at your existing systems for managing tasks, time, and information.
2. Familiarize yourself with popular productivity systems such as the Pomodoro Technique or Getting Things Done (GTD). Consider which system aligns best with your needs and preferences.
3. Customize the System. Adapt the chosen productivity system to fit your unique requirements.
4. Set Up Tools and Resources: Choose and set up the necessary tools and resources to support your new system. This may include digital apps, task management software, physical planners, or specialized tools for tracking progress and managing tasks.
5. Keep experimenting until you find the best fit!

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A mid-year reset will give you a valuable opportunity to reflect on your progress, reassess your goals, and make necessary adjustments to ensure a successful and fulfilling year ahead.

So, take a moment to reflect, declutter, set new goals, establish routines, adapt systems, and build positive habits.

Remember, success is within your reach, and with the right mindset and actionable steps, you can make the second half of the year truly remarkable!

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