It’s been a brutal winter in a lot of places. Productivity gets tough when the weather conditions do, but there’s a lot you can do to prepare for a productive and abundant spring in the months to come.
A lot of people have naturally moved into hibernation mode in January and February. If that’s you: you’re still driving around all day and getting things done at work. But you might also be staying home as much as possible. Lounging on the couch. Slowing down and staying warm.
For many of us, it’s been too cold to go out if you don’t have to. If you work with clients, many of them have probably been hibernating too. For families with school-age kids, winter breaks will also wreak havoc on the schedule. Your control over time management might not be… ideal, lately.
This might not be your most productive time of year, and that’s okay. Deep down we all know that winter is supposed to be a season when things go fallow and people retreat indoors. These long, cold, dark days might not be conducive for you doing your best work or moving forward with your most important goals.
Spring will come eventually. The longer, warmer days and the sight of new plants coming up will pull everyone out of hibernation. Things will get just as wildly busy as they always seem to after winter.
When spring comes, will you be ready to thrive and move things forward?
Even this year, when so many places have been unusually cold, there is life under the soil that’s going to come back when the time is right.
Plants can survive the harshest conditions when they have strong roots. Your roots are all the things that keep you nourished, strong, and resilient. That includes the people in your support system. Your intelligence, your work ethic, your skills. For some people, faith. Those roots help you survive, grow, and rebound from tough conditions. If you’re feeling less productive and less energetic than you’d like during winter, you know from experience that you can count on your strong roots to pull you up in spring.
To continue the spring metaphor… it’s also the time when you get to plant seeds and try to get new things to grow and flourish. You can put energy into new projects, or generate even more of the things that you already love about your business and your life.
You don’t have to wait for the weather to change – plant the seeds for a productive and abundant spring starting right now.
What could that look like for you?
- Taking care of your physical self. Hydrating and eating well, prioritizing sleep, stretching and doing other things that help you feel and BE strong, etc. Move into spring with energy and stamina.
- Creating a strategic calendar for the weeks and months ahead. Imagine you’re planting an actual garden. You’d strategize about things like, when is the weather ready for me to plant these seeds? When do I need to amp up my watering schedule to care for new plants? When can I pull back on watering? As you look at your calendar for the spring months, think about when those busier and less busy periods are going to happen and how to set yourself up to handle them.
- Connecting with people and resources that can help you move your business forward. Get coffees scheduled with people in your network who could give you useful feedback or advice. Notice any of your technical skills or areas of your business that have felt shaky and look for trainings and resources that could help you shore those up.
- Making sure your time management systems are in place. Get clear on how you’re going to track your time, and how you’re going to prioritize your time when things get busy. It’s a key part of keeping overwhelm and procrastination from derailing you. You’re going to need systems in place that work for your brain, and that help you maximize your time and earnings.
3 Simple, Productive Things to Accomplish Before Winter Ends
- Tackle some smaller projects you won’t want to do, or won’t have time for, when the weather warms up. Reorganizing closets, cleaning out your inbox, and other tedious indoor tasks might not be a top priority in a busy spring and summer. Deal with them now; it’ll feel good to get some things checked off your to-do list that will make life a little easier going forward.
- Check everything off on your winter bucket list. In other words, notice if there’s anything you enjoy doing in winter that you haven’t done yet. Get to it now!
- Take some dedicated time for big-picture planning. Check in with yourself about your plans and goals for 2026 and beyond. Let yourself imagine what could be possible for your business and your personal life. Have fun thinking big!
Need More Support With Time Management and Productivity?
You deserve to move forward into spring with clear priorities and a sense of control over your own time. If you could use help achieving peaceful productivity, reach out to me anytime.
Attorneys, I’m co-leading a masterclass just for you! Join me and Laura Licursi, founder of Elite Virtual Assistants, for The Modern Productivity Toolkit: Habits, Systems & Automation for Today’s Attorney. In this practical, strategy-focused webinar, you’ll learn habits and systems to work with purpose, stay present with clients, and achieve your most important goals. Join us on February 24th at noon ET for this no-cost masterclass – click here to save your seat.
Be well,
Sarah
- Planting the Seeds for an Abundant (and Productive) Spring - February 18, 2026
- Preparing Your 2026 Toolkit For A Productive and Peaceful Year - January 15, 2026
- Connecting Joy and Productivity in the New Year - December 13, 2025
