Anyone else feel like the holidays are as distant a memory as those New Year’s Resolutions?

Meanwhile, I'm noticing this week that you are all ready to dive right the ef back in, huh? I am simultaneously impressed by the energy and overwhelmed by it.

I love that a lot of folks got an extended break as so many offices were closed until Monday the 6th. I personally went back to work on Thursday the 2nd, which felt great because no one wanted to do anything and I spent the first two business days of the year getting set up and slowly regaining my motivation. Now I’m with you on the energy and fired up about the possibilities a new year promises.

If you’re not in the “fired up, let’s do this!” camp, I see you. If you, like me those first few days, are just settling back into your routine and trying (or struggling) to regain your motivation, below are four tips I found helpful:

P.S. If you’re new here, I’m Amy, a corporate speaker, marketing consultant, journalist and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Setback Cycle. (Want to work with me? Shoot me a note here.)

1. Try Something New.

Shake up your routine by introducing one small new daily activity. Even the tiniest of changes can disrupt monotony and bring fresh energy into your day.

This year, I’m trying to do “morning pages” where every day after I drop off my daughter at school, I free write three full pages even if it’s absolute garbage stream of consciousness. I force myself to do this before answering emails or doing any work. It takes five minutes or less. So far, I’ve found that claiming those five minutes for myself offers a nice boost of motivation before I transition into client work and tackle the tasks of the day.

2. Ditch Resolutions In Favor Of Small, Achievable Goals.

Vision boards, big lofty goals and resolutions are cool but what’s even better is creating a list of small, realistic daily or weekly goals to accomplish. That feeling of achievement over even the small wins is proven to build confidence, reduce fear and offer clarity.

​MIT professor Daniel Mochon found that, “regular minor boosts from ordinary activities can have a cumulative and lasting effect.” That means it also helps us tackle the bigger, loftier projects or goals that are often the most difficult to start.

I steal Amanda Goetz’s “two-do” list and even on the days when I have more than two things to accomplish (almost always), I find that just writing out the two most important things I must do grounds me, helps me prioritize and offers me the sense that I’ve managed to gain some level of control over the day’s outcomes.

3. Move Your Seat.

It’s true that a physical change of scenery can shift your mindset. Rearrange your workspace, go to a new coffee shop, or spend time outdoors to spark creativity. Even going to a different part of your home or office helps.

On the days I work from home, I start by sitting at a corner of my dining room right by the window as I do my morning pages, review my schedule and respond to emails. When I feel ready, I move over to my home office to take meetings and dive into client work.

I keep meaning to do the “take a walk around the block” thing when I feel the afternoon slump but I almost always get too bogged down to do that. So there’s my small, achievable goal for 2025. That, and to drink more water.

4. Reconnect with Your ‘Why’ By Plotting Your Perfect Day.

You know this one but it’s worth repeating - what is your why? If you actually reflect on the bigger picture—why you started a project, job, or routine in the first place, it can reignite your passion and fuel your motivation.

Even if your answer is just wanting to be able to pay your mortgage and buy groceries, that is a very strong way to ground yourself in a sense of purpose.

Right now, my why is simply maintenance. I want to maintain my consulting career because I love it so much, for so many reasons. I want to continue partnering with my current clients because I adore them and I am so proud of the work we do together. I’m excited about the new clients I’m taking meetings with this week. And of course I love the flexibility consulting offers. But in order to maintain, I need to continue to do high quality work that keeps current clients happy and keeps them referring me to others (word of mouth referrals is how I have been connected to 100% of my clients so far.)

If you’re still struggling with your why, try the viral “perfect day” ChatGPT prompt where you type, “Tell me a story of the day in my life based on this description.” Describe your perfect weekday and start to build routines that get you from here to there.

My description?

“I am an active mom who hosts friends for workouts every week in her garage gym, is running a lucrative marketing consulting business and is hired once a month by organizations to host workshops about how employees and teams can work through The Setback Cycle. I get to log off at 4pm almost every day and spend lots of time with my husband, daughter, extended family and friends. I am house hunting for a family beach or a lake house that is big enough to host family and friends for weekends away.”

I like this activity because it forces you to visualize a regular day in the near future, not a glamorous vacation day in an exotic location or some far off retirement dream day. I also like that it encourages you to think about how you will be spending your time instead of a fixed thing like a bank account balance, salary or job title.

Have you done the perfect day prompt? How are you finding motivation as you settle into new routines this year?

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In the meantime, here’s what I’m:

A great replacement for resolutions: celebrate the good habits you already have! Thanks to Lori Leibovitch at the New York Times for this great reframe on the pressure we put on ourselves every January.

Perhaps my favorite trend of 2024, the year female desire went mainstream.

In related news, “middle age is sexy now.”

Those of you who have kicked off 2025 by looking for your next role. There are a few great job openings on my radar right now: Inkwell is recruiting for a head of search, Parachute is recruiting for a VP of people and the Specialty Food Association is looking for an SVP of Membership. Let me know if you apply to any of these and I’ll give my contacts at those organizations a heads up to look out for your application.

Julie Webb, who is part of this very community, came out with a new newsletter, chock full of leadership advice and thoughtful recommendations. Subscribe if you haven’t already!

My friend and writing coach, Ruthie Ackerman, is offering a special discount code (SPARKSTUDIO20) for 20% off the first month for Amy’s Antidote readers who want to join Spark Studio. Spark Studio welcomes writers at every level, from those looking to flex their creative muscles to anyone who craves community and commitment both on and off the page.Each month, you will receive invites for weekly hour-long sessions on Zoom, where she’ll share prompts/exercises, dedicated writing time, and more. Plus, you’ll have access to monthly events with publishing industry experts, from writers to editors to agents.Feel free to email Ruthie directly at ruackerman@gmail.com if you’d like to learn more.

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Cheers to all the new possibilities this year,

Amy

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