Effective at Starting Fresh

New year, new you. There is actually a psychological phenomenon called the "Fresh Start Effect" that makes us more productive at the beginning of a new time milestone, with increased motivation and renewed energy. This concept implies that the start of a new week, month, year, or even a personal milestone (e.g. I started this newsletter on my birthday), can trigger a psychological reset, encouraging people to adopt healthier habits and set new objectives.

When a simple date change is not enough. Let's face it; we sometimes take several weeks to even write down the date correctly at the beginning of a new year. So, is it realistic to believe that we are now a refreshed version of ourselves compared to what we were last week? Most examples of the "Fresh Start Effect" focus on time milestones; however, research shows that one of the best times to acquire new habits is when moving to a new house. The act of moving serves as a catalyst for positive change, prompting people to reassess and restructure their routines. Given that it is rare to move so often, there is another thing that people usually do to feel this sense of having a fresh start: cleaning up.

Does it "spark joy"? When I started working in retail, I was surprised to find out that, alongside the well-known categories with sales peaks in January (Fitness Gear, Winter equipment), Americans also see the start of the new year as a time to buy Garage Storage (see Google Trend). This makes sense. Cleaning up serves as a catalyst for the "Fresh Start Effect," signaling our brains to take a break from past habits and promoting a clean slate mentally. Organizing and de-cluttering personal spaces have multiple benefits, mainly: enhancing focus, reducing stress, and even increasing creativity. A study by Princeton University showed that visual clutter competes for our attention, leading to decreased performance and increased stress. The American Psychological Association highlights how a clean desk creates a more calming and conducive work environment.

Three things you can do to feel like today is a fresh start:

1. Clean your closet. Set aside all the clothes that you haven't worn in a few months. If you don't want to give them away just yet, then remove them from your sight and give them away in three months if you didn’t end up using them. Schedule to do this twice a year.

2. Clean up your desk. Process all loose papers and notes into a list of things to do, and digitize everything you can (you can even take pictures). Throw away everything, and if you fear that a piece of paper may be important, then store it in a box but far from your sight to avoid it competing for your attention. Schedule this during your Weekly Review.

3. Create a #Closing Shift nightly routine. This is a TikTok trend that Americans who work in the food and retail industries started implementing at their homes, and it makes total sense to feel like every morning is a fresh start.

Clean up, everybody clean up,

Jorge Luis Pando

"Tidying is the art of confronting yourself" - Marie Kondo