Charles Drayson

January is an excellent time to get things done, especially if urgent tasks mean you never get enough clear time to work on your ‘someday / maybe’ list. The end of the calendar year coincides with the end of the business year for many organisations. Christmas holidays end and people go back to work in a period of relative calm in anticipation of the year ahead.

Trying new things

Another great feature of January: it’s a quiet time for you, but it’s also a quiet time for many of your colleagues. January is the ideal opportunity to run a small experiment or pilot project to try something new. The opportunity cost of a short January distraction is at its lowest, and you can harness the instinct to do something different in the coming year. If a January pilot project is successful, you could scale it in time for Spring.

If I can tempt you to do something different this January, there are one or two quick steps you might need to take in the next few weeks so you will be ready.

Think about signing up for a free trial to begin in January. Maybe get a couple of colleagues on board now – your subconscious minds can start processing ideas between now and January. If December looks like a crazy period, perhaps it’s an ideal time to observe the shortcomings in the current working patterns. Could you set aside a week in January where you avoid routine meetings or appointments that could wait, except for collaborating on your pilot project.

If you want to complete a pilot project in January, you will need to limit your focus to one deliverable, maybe two. Pick one thing that would prove the concept or sink it. The objective is to do just enough to give you the confidence to go ahead with some form of production rollout. The first production rollout doesn’t have to be big.

If you need help, ask.  In January, vendor consultants tend to have more capacity if you get stuck. New year resolutions are easier if you team up with others. Moreover, you don’t have to give up alcohol or count calories to get an exciting new venture underway.

Trying new things

If you want to complete a pilot project in January, you will need to limit your focus to one deliverable, maybe two. Pick one thing that would prove the concept or sink it. The objective is to do just enough to give you the confidence to go ahead with some form of production rollout. The first production rollout doesn’t have to be big.

New year resolutions are easier if you team up with others. Moreover, you don’t have to give up alcohol or count calories to get an exciting new venture underway.

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