In the UK and Europe, the Spring season is starting to show itself in the blooming of the trees and flowering bulbs and the longer days as we clamber out of the sleep of winter.

The tradition of ‘Spring Cleaning’ has long be held as a staple for preparing ourselves for our re-awakening after the long winter months and I can’t help but draw on the comparisons with what is happening now as we prepare ourselves for our re-awakening from this latest phase of the pandemic.

There is a sense of optimism with the coming of Spring and with hope of a recovery from this global crisis I want to share some tips for spring cleaning your life as we begin to open up the world again.

1. Start with ‘Why’ – Refresh your purpose, re-connect with why you do what you do. Everything else hangs off this and it’s such a valuable activity to undertake. If you’re not sure how to go about getting clear on your purpose, there are so many books, videos and podcasts out there to inspire you and you can also hire yourself a coach to guide you through this one to one if that makes more sense to you.
2. Review your relationships. We often invest large amounts of time and energy on relationships which don’t give us anything back. Ask yourself if you have any of those in your life and whether you might be better off spending that time and energy on the relationships that do enrich you. People who make you feel good about yourself, who believe in you and challenge you to reach your potential are the ones you should keep around, mood hoovers are definitely SO last season!
3. Clean up your finances. Are you spending money on things that don’t return value? Look at your ‘stuff’ what brings you real joy and what is just clutter and dust collecting? Do you prefer experiences, or things? Stamps in your passport or drawers full of possessions? There is no right or wrong here, each to their own – just make sure you are choosing based on what makes you happy and not on what others are doing and remember that the future is uncertain and having a buffer is always a good idea.
4. Audit your suppliers. Think about the businesses you buy from, for your tech, your connectivity, your insurances financial advice, banking etc. Are they the best on the market for your needs? Are they priced appropriately, and do they deliver value? What about the products you are using, does that brand really give you the best result? Could shopping around make a difference to your bank balance? It’s amazing how much we lose through small drips financially because we stick with legacy suppliers for convenience, and this is a great time to tighten those washers!
5. Refresh your focus and priorities. Think about where you need to be spending your time and energy. Are you focused on the things that matter? Are you investing time in yourself and the people you want to spend time with? When did you last invest in your own development personally or professionally? Perhaps there’s a course you have always wanted to take, or a book you’ve been meaning to read, set aside some time every single day just for you.
6. Get rid of physical clutter. Start getting rid of the things that just collect dust. Spring clean all your spaces, get into those cupboards and drawers and under the bed. See what treasures you might uncover and consider how you might re-use or re-cycle them as a way to save money and to inspire innovation! This can be applied to the boat, your cabin, your home and/or office. It’s cathartic!
7. Is it time for a wardrobe make-over? Are you representing yourself and personal brand as aligned with your purpose and your values? Do you claim to be an environmentalist whilst draping yourself in unethically sourced clobber? Do you want to be seen as grown up and professional, but wear faded old t-shirts with comedic slogans? Maybe it’s time for an over-haul.
8. Reflect on this past year. What have you learnt? Now decide what you are going to STOP doing because you have discovered it does not serve you, what are you going to CONTINUE doing because it’s working really well? What are you going to START doing in order to make this next year the best so far?
9. Wellbeing, mental and physical. The biggest lesson of all. What can you do to ensure that you, and the people you live and work with are taking care of yourself and each other? We have demonstrated enormous resilience throughout these troubled times and many of us have discovered strengths we didn’t know we had. Let’s keep that up.
10. Discover your talents – How can you engage in activities which encourage self-awareness, stretch you to think beyond what you think you are capable of and nudge you out of your comfort zone? This is how we discover our undiscovered strengths and hidden talents, who knows what you’re capable of until you try!

These are just a few things that you can start to work on right now as a way of throwing open the windows of your life and welcoming in the fresh air of a new season.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Sara Ballinger

Managing Partner

Crew-Glue