January Confuses Activity With Progress

We’re a couple of weeks into the new year now, and I’ve found myself reflecting on the familiar tidal wave that comes with it.

I’ve never been particularly fond of it.

The rush of resolutions, plans, frameworks and declarations of intent is usually well meaning. But it often carries an unspoken pressure, that we should be clearer, more certain, more decisive simply because the calendar has changed.

A new year, therefore a new version of ourselves.

Reflection and planning matter. I’m not dismissing that.
What I question is why so many of us treat them as a January only activity.

Curiosity isn’t seasonal.
Neither is growth.
And resilience doesn’t wait for a clean calendar page.

In my own work, I see how this pressure shows up, both individually and in organisations.

People arrive wanting answers, clarity, direction, a plan. In the workplace, it often appears as a rush to restructure, re prioritise, or “get aligned” quickly. As if movement itself is proof of progress.

What they usually need first is space.

Not necessarily more time, which is rarely available, but the permission to create a bit of space within the time that already exists. That permission isn’t easy. It often runs against habit, expectation, and the pressure to keep moving.

Space to think.
To notice what’s been ignored.
To reconnect with what actually matters, rather than what they feel they should be focused on.

That kind of space doesn’t look dramatic.
It doesn’t announce itself.
But it’s often where better decisions come from.

January tends to reward activity. Lists. Plans. Action.

Progress is quieter.

It shows up in attention, in judgment, in the quality of the questions we’re willing to sit with rather than rush past. It shows up when we resist the urge to do something, just to feel like we’re moving.

Which brings me back to the new year.

Maybe the better question isn’t “What’s your plan for the year ahead?”
Maybe it’s “Where are you paying attention, and where aren’t you?”

If you’re a couple of weeks in and feeling busy but not quite clear, that uncertainty is often the right place to start.

If this resonates and you’re curious about creating space to think, for yourself or within your organisation, feel free to reach out or simply sit with the question. Either is a good start.