How was the first half of your year?

It’s the 30th of June, end of the sixth month of the year. Half the year gone, 9 days past the Summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, days gradually getting shorter, getting longer by the same few minutes South of the equator.

Time for a quick recap of what we have accomplished. Are we half way to achieving the goals we set at the beginning of the year?

Are we satisfied with what we have done?

Or are we frustrated because we have been busier than ever but not made the progress we should have?

For me the answer is between the two, good progress in some areas, less so in others.

My experience is shared by many people I talk to. How about you?

Why should we feel that we have not done as well as we planned by the half way mark?

Many reasons, some we can control:

• Overly ambitious targets
• Distractions
• Ineffective use of time
• Lack of prioritising

Some beyond our control:

• Unplanned but urgent things that must be done
• Family Emergencies

Each of us will have more to add to the list.

There’s no point worrying about why we are not where we planned. No point thinking about the things we could not control, the weather, family emergencies. It’s more important to look ahead and not let the things we can control derail us in the next six months.

It’s only worth looking back at distractions, time use, prioritising, if we can learn from them and improve on our performance in the second half of the year.

I have concentrated on reducing the time I spend on social media and TV. It has helped me finish writing my book, get more speaking opportunities, give more time to organisations I am involved with and explore several new opportunities.

Reflecting on the first six months has definitely provided clarity and focus for the rest of the year. It has been a short but valuable exercise.

What about your first six months? Leave a comment.