Why Regular Resets Matter
And Why They’re Never a Waste of Time
Have you ever looked up and wondered where the time has gone? One minute it’s the start of the year, the next it’s speeding towards summer, and before you know it, another year has passed. Life has a habit of carrying us along with it and unless we make a conscious effort to pause, reflect and reset, we can find ourselves drifting in a direction we never really intended to go.
If I’m honest, I was scheduling some content for my Facebook Group earlier and was getting into posts for April. This turned my stomach a little. We’re not there yet. We still have some time in February, but I recognise this feeling - the year just seems to speed up from here on in.
It was because of this feeling, that I’ve started to plan my year quarterly with mini check-ins and resets every 3months. It helps to lessen the ‘panic’ that can set in from feeling we’re not making the progress we wanted.
That’s the beauty of a reset - it doesn’t have to be a one off.
When we hear the word ‘reset,’ we often associate it with big moments. Perhaps it’s a New Year’s resolution, a career change, or a significant birthday coming up. The truth is though, resets don’t have to be huge, dramatic one-off events. In fact, small, regular resets are just as important, if not more so, because they help us course-correct before we veer too far off track.
Why resets are essential
Taking time to reset isn’t about dwelling on what’s not working, it’s about ensuring we’re still on a path that feels right for us. Here’s why they matter:
Clarity: Life moves fast and it’s easy to lose sight of what we truly want. Checking in with ourselves helps us stay with our values and goals.
Wellbeing: Regular reflection allows us to assess how we’re feeling, both mentally and physically. Are we overwhelmed? Drained? Neglecting what we need? A reset gives us space to acknowledge and address these things.
Decision-making: When we don’t pause to reflect, we can find ourselves deep into commitments, habits, or routines that no longer serve us. Regular resets help us adjust before we’ve invested too much time in the wrong direction.
Progress: Without stopping to evaluate, it’s easy to feel like we’re stuck or simply going through the motions. Resets give us the opportunity to recognise how far we’ve come and what needs to change to keep moving forward.
I promise it’s not wasted time
Some people resist the idea of a reset because they feel like they "should" be doing something more productive. A reset feels like we’re downing tools which we can’t afford to do when we’ve got so much to do.
The thing is, time to reset isn’t a delay, or even a rest. it’s an investment. Think of it like maintaining a car: if you never stop to check the engine, replace the oil, or change the tyres, you’ll eventually break down. Or think about it as setting off on a trip to London to Glasgow and arriving in Portsmouth instead. If you’d stopped at the services to check where you were going you would have saved yourself a lot of time and petrol.
How to reset without overhauling everything
A reset doesn’t have to mean uprooting your entire life. Here are some simple ways to incorporate regular resets into your routine:
Weekly check-ins: Set aside 10 minutes at the end of the week to ask yourself: How am I feeling? What went well? What needs adjusting?
Journaling: Writing things down can bring clarity and help you spot patterns you might otherwise miss.
Mindful moments: Even a short walk, a deep breath, or a quiet coffee break can help you step out of autopilot and reflect.
Quarterly goal reviews: Instead of waiting for the next New Year, review your progress every few months. Are your goals still relevant? Do you need to pivot?
Asking key questions: Am I enjoying this? Does this still feel right for me? What small change would make a big difference right now?
So if you’ve been feeling like life is passing by in a blur, consider this your reminder to take a step back. A reset doesn’t have to be drastic; it just needs to be intentional. Give yourself permission to pause, reflect, and make adjustments where needed—because your time and energy are too valuable to spend heading in the wrong direction.
Image, author’s own.
When was the last time you gave yourself a proper reset? Maybe today is the perfect time to start.
If you’re ready to pause and reset but aren’t sure where to start, why not join us for The Reset You Week? It’s a free, flexible way to check in with yourself and make sure you’re heading in the right direction. We’d love to have you with us!
