10 questions to Wrap Up 2020 and Plan For 2021…
The thing I hear most from clients and friends right now is:
“How can I plan for 2021, when I have no idea what will happen*?!”
(*More than usual, of course. Things will always happen that are out of our control. But with the pandemic, pretty much everything is a question mark these days.)
Will we travel?
Will we all get vaccinated?
Will we wear masks for evermore, or go back to the way things were?
Who knows. I certainly don’t.
But I do believe in the importance of wrapping up a year: taking time to reflect in order to put the year behind us, and start the new year afresh.
So, I put my thinking cap on and came up with 10 questions to help you wrap up 2020 and make some form of plan for 2021.
Grab a pen and paper, and get scribbling!
(Or copy and paste, if you prefer to type your thoughts out.)
10 questions to wrap up 2020 and plan for 2021…
- How do you want to feel next year? (if the situation stays the same)
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…………………………………………………………………………………… - What 1–3 things could you do to help that happen?
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…………………………………………………………………………………… - If things do get back to normal, what are the first three things you want to do? (We will likely want to do all the things. But that might not be possible, or realistic.)
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…………………………………………………………………………………… - What is ONE habit you could start that would help you next year?
…………………………………………………………………………………… - What 1–3 things did you dislike most about this year (the pandemic, lockdown, etc). How could you help to alleviate them in any way?
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…………………………………………………………………………………… - What 1–3 things did you LIKE most about this year and the pandemic/lockdown? Note: there could be learning from this ;)
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…………………………………………………………………………………… - What have you learned as a result of this pandemic? What do you think the world has learned?
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…………………………………………………………………………………… - What, if anything, did you wish you had done differently this year?
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…………………………………………………………………………………… - Did you slow down at all this year during the pandemic? If not, why not?
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…………………………………………………………………………………… - What will you tell your children / grandchildren / younger people about this time in our lives? What would you advise them if they go through something similar?
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There we have it!
I hope that helps you with your planning for the new year.
Give yourself a pat on the back.
It’s not easy planning during a time of global uncertainty.
And while you’re at it, give yourself a pat on the back for surviving 2020 as well.
I know there were some tough moments. But we got through it.
And hopefully we’ll have some learnings that will carry us through, not just for the next year, but onwards from that as well.
(Which is a pretty big win, when you think about it!)
Hang in there. Stay safe. And remember: we’re all doing the best we can, the best way we know how.
Claire
A version of this article first appeared in the Bullish Society, and was reproduced on The Five Percent.
Claire O’Connor is an accountability coach and writer, working with people who need motivation and structure. She helps people prioritize their tasks and make significant progress, in easy and fun ways.
Read her blog or follow her on Facebook.
