Funny. I associate the holidays with vacation. With taking a time out. Pausing to catch my breath. And while I am now old enough to have spent more years out of school than in school, I’m sure that association comes from the academic calendar of my youth.

But I’m no longer a student. I am self-employed. And when one is self-employed, December turns out to be a month for queuing things up for the new year.

Never mind the holiday activities one might want to layer on top of all that preparation.

oof

I’m not alone. I’ve been hearing rumblings from friends and colleagues that they are also experiencing their busiest month of the year. And, no, they are not in retail.

This disconnect – the expectation of quiet vs. the reality of being very busy – can give a person quite the case of whiplash. Combined with all the simultaneous looking back and looking forward of the season, one can end up feeling rather disoriented. Am I coming or going? Slowing down or ramping up?

it’s arbitrary

The longer I am in business, the better I am getting at long-range planning. Maybe that’s just the natural result of all my early experimentation. I now have a much better idea of what works and what doesn’t.

And one thing I’m learning doesn’t work so well is conforming to the standard annual calendar.

Aha! I’ve been thinking. So this is why companies determine their own fiscal years…

The year – my year – doesn’t have to begin in January any more than my week begin on Monday. It’s probably a lot more like that academic calendar I’m so fond of in which the year begins in September.

And you can bet your sweet patootie, I’m going to plan it that way in 2010.

we have permission

I’m a big fan of living and working according to the seasons. Today is Solstice – a turning point worthy of being marked and honored. Something new is coming about, but is it best acknowledged with all this furious preparation?

Because, seriously, this does not feel like a celebration of the return of the light to me. This is more like burning the candle at both ends. At a time of year when my body and mind are asking for quiet meditation and hibernation, I’m demanding more from them than ever. Which means work that deserves my best effort is not getting it.

That is messed up.

So I am giving myself permission – and offering you permission, too – to begin our years whenever it suits our activities and preferences best.

to stand still

I can’t un-begin what I’ve started for this new year – the one that begins in January. There are final touches to be completed that it would be silly to leave undone at this point. And, in all honesty, it’s work I am very excited to be bringing to you. But, in celebration of Solstice, I am going to take a moment to simply stand still along with the sun. To pause. To acknowledge the dark. And make some room in all this busy-ness for more light.

I invite you to join me. Because I’m guessing you could use a little breather about now, too.

• • • • •

When would you like to begin your year? Ditching the norms and finding your own daily, weekly, monthly and annual rhythms are among the many things we explore in The True Discipline of Time Management. Next session begins January 18.

Related posts:

1. Lessons Learned #14 – Go Ahead & Begin
2. You do know where to begin.