10 Gifts to Give Yourself for the New Year – TPW476

Let's give ourselves a truly meaningful (and useful) gift this year

During this holiday season I thought it would be fun to do a gift-ideas episode. I actually intended to assemble a list of productivity-related gift ideas for other people, but when I started working on it my thoughts went a completely different direction. So I’m going to share with you my ideas for gifts you can give yourself this holiday season and for the coming new year--some gifts that just might make it the most productive year of all.

1. The gift of time

Time is perhaps our most finite resource. One of the most productive things we can do is to make the best use possible of the time we have. 

* Simplify your life--your schedule, your space--to leave more time for the things that matter most to you. 

* Tweak your tools--your calendar, your task manager--to make sure they’re working best for you. 

* Tangible gifts--new planner? new notepad and pens? hire help for housecleaning or filing?

2. The gift of health

Often when life is full the first thing we drop is taking care of ourselves, but it’s hard to show up as our best selves if we’re not physically, mentally, and emotionally as healthy as we could be. 

* Do the basics: schedule your medical, dental, and eye checkups now if you don’t already have them scheduled. 

* Carve out time on purpose to eat well, get enough sleep, and move your body every day. 

* Evaluate your inputs (physical, mental, emotional) and eliminate those that don’t contribute to your health, replacing them with others that do. 

* Tangible gifts--a gym membership or a few sessions with a trainer? new sneakers or a treadmill? a few sessions with a therapist or counselor? fresh flowers for your desk or kitchen island?

3. The gift of learning

A truly productive person is a lifelong learner, both with respect to practical skills and general knowledge. 

* There’s always something new to learn, whether about our job, our relationships, or the world in general. The act of learning helps keep us engaged and enthusiastic, and therefore more productive. 

* Take a class or take some lessons or read a book about something new. Commit to setting aside time each week to learn something new. My son, recently retired from the U.S. Navy, is taking horseback riding lessons for the first time in his life. 

* Tangible gifts--sign up for a class or some lessons or a conference; buy a book

4. The gift of perspective

Learning to see things from a broader perspective is valuable for our wellbeing, our ability to deal with difficulties, our creativity and problem-solving abilities, our relationships, and our ability to resolve conflicts. All of these affect our productivity. 

* Read or listen to something that comes from a different life experience or cultural background than yours, or have a conversation with someone you disagree with, or travel to a place very different. 

* Intentionally cultivate curiosity (instead of judgment) about people, places, circumstances, events.

* One article recommends trying the improv comedy technique of “yes, and . . .”: 

Each of us has our own habits of mind—things we are reflexively negative about, and the stories we repetitively tell ourselves about what is or isn’t possible. Maybe you don’t apply for certain jobs or pitch ideas at work because you’re sure that it won’t be successful. But there are ways to break out of that sort of thinking. Taking a nod from improv comedy, you can expand and shift your vision to consider a multitude of possibilities.