As I've been commuting back and forth over the first few working days of 2016 I've been reminded of the fact that even though we sit at the top of the food chain we're still very much part of the animal kingdom. Like the ever eager Labrador that will tirelessly charge off like a dog possessed each and every time you pretend to throw that phantom stick. We are the same.
We are still prone to repeating the same behaviours time and time again even though we're well aware of the likely consequences. We will still consume our own body weight in chocolate, pigs in blankets and booze over the Christmas break. We will still dust off our gym bags and trudge out into the New Year gloom with a renewed vigour to get in shape and shift the Christmas gift that keeps on giving (inches). This week I saw a man (who'd clearly enjoyed his Christmas) getting onto an early morning tube, he was dressed in a pair of (too short) sports shorts, a running vest, a suit blazer and the coup de gras, a pair of well polished brogues with no socks. Add to that he was doubled over carrying what must have been 50% of his work wardrobe on hangers - it made for quite a bizarre and humorous sight. Clearly he's going to attempt to make the pre and/or post work, work out, work. Fair play to him, I wish him the best of luck and hope the logistical headache and faff proves worth it. He will undoubtedly be one of probably millions of us (me included) going to similar lengths to break behavioural patterns and make a personal change for the better this year.
How many of us in the marketing world will be adopting a similar frame of mind and approach to work in 2016? Determined to do things differently and not fall foul or come unstuck at the hands of the same old barriers or issues? I'd like to think there will be a fair amount of us. The next question (nearly always) is how realistic and sustainable is this appetite to improve and change things up? Some things you simply can't change right? But there will be things you can. Focus and plan around these. They will be the emotional and professional 'kickers' that once achieved will keep you and your team buoyed as 2016 unfolds. And it promises to be another transformational year in marketing with the pace of change looking to continue at a fairly hefty rate. So, with this in mind it's likely we will have little choice but to drive through positive change or potentially open ourselves up to the consequences.
So it's time to strap on the corporate equivalent of the Fitbit and start counting our steps towards a year of positive change and letting old habits die easy.
Good luck :)
