How to Reset Your Life for a Fresh Start

With a new year around the corner, many people are thinking about how to reset their lives for a fresh start. Or maybe you’re reading this mid-year after experiencing a major life change—maybe you’ve just emerged from the newborn stage with your baby, or left a job to become a stay-at-home parent, only to find the adjustment harder than expected. Whatever the reason, a life reset might be just what you need to get back on track and create a life you love.

What is a Life Reset?

Think of a life reset like remodeling your home. Sometimes you need to strip everything down to the studs, removing what doesn’t serve you and keeping the elements that work. This “renovation” approach helps you see which habits and routines support your goals and which ones hold you back.

As a former process engineer, I specialized in streamlining and improving operations for efficiency. Part of my work involved using a Japanese concept called kaizen, which means “change for the better.” Another principle we used was called muda, which refers to different types of waste that can slow things down and make tasks more difficult than they need to be. In life, we also encounter “wastes” that can prevent us from living as efficiently or happily as we’d like.

Here’s a breakdown of the 8 Wastes (summed up in the acronym TIMWOODS), which can help you identify what’s taking up valuable time and energy in your daily life:

By understanding where these wastes appear in your life, you can start to eliminate or reduce them, making more space for the things that bring you joy and fulfillment.

How to Reset Your Life

1. Assess the Current State

To reset your life, the first step is to evaluate how you spend your time each day. For one or two days, write down everything you do—no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it may feel. Scrolling through social media before getting up? Write it down. Spent time searching for misplaced keys? Add it to the list. This exercise might feel tedious, but it’s a temporary effort that gives you a clear picture of your habits.

Here’s an example table to illustrate how a typical day might look:

Once you’ve recorded a few days, go back and review each entry, looking for “wastes” that could be streamlined or eliminated. This is where you can start identifying areas that may be taking up more time or energy than necessary, such as excessive phone time, redundant chores, or searching for misplaced items. This list will serve as a foundation for the changes you’ll make.

2. Envision the Future State

Next, envision your ideal day. What would you keep, what would you eliminate, and what new routines would you add? Write down how you’d like your day to go, removing unnecessary tasks and adding in new, fulfilling habits. Think of this as the blueprint for the life you’re working toward. To help make this vision feel tangible, consider creating a vision board—a visual representation of your goals. For guidance, read this post on creating a vision board.

3. Find the Root Cause

To make meaningful improvements, it’s essential to identify the root causes of recurring issues. For instance, if you’re feeling tired each morning, don’t just assume it’s because of one specific reason. Take some time to dig a little deeper and think about the problem from various angles. It may be helpful to talk to your spouse or a friend for a different perspective, or you can try one of these tools to help you think through the problem.

5 Why’s

The 5 Why technique is as simple as it sounds. You state your problem and then ask “why” five times, or however many times is necessary, until you cannot productively go any further. Each answer brings you closer to understanding what’s really causing your problem, so you can address it effectively. Asking “why” repeatedly helps you drill down to the root of the problem. This way, you’re addressing the real issue instead of merely treating the symptoms, which can lead to better solutions.

Here’s an example:

Problem: I wake up exhausted and drained every day.

1. Why am I waking up exhausted and drained every day?
   • Because I didn’t get enough restful sleep last night.
2. Why didn’t I get enough restful sleep?
   • Because I stayed up late catching up on household chores and scrolling on my phone.
3. Why did I stay up late doing chores and scrolling on my phone?
   • Because it’s the only time I feel I have to myself to get things done or relax without interruptions.
4. Why do I feel like late at night is the only time I have for myself?
   • Because my day is packed with taking care of my toddler, handling household tasks, and running errands without a dedicated break.
5. Why don’t I have a break during the day for myself?
   • Because I haven’t scheduled any time for self-care, breaks, or quiet moments while my child naps or plays independently.

Root Cause: I haven’t built breaks or self-care time into my day, which leads to staying up late for personal time, ultimately disrupting my sleep.

Solution Idea: Schedule one or two dedicated breaks during the day, especially while the toddler naps, and set a consistent bedtime to improve rest quality. Using a timer or a “self-care checklist” could be a helpful reminder to prioritize this.

Cause and Effect Diagram

Another useful tool for this process is a cause-and-effect diagram, also known as a fishbone diagram, which allows you to map out causes visually, making it easier to spot patterns. A fishbone diagram helps you identify all possible reasons behind a problem by visually organizing them. Start with the main issue (like “always running late”) at the “head” of the fish, then draw lines to different categories (like “Time Management” or “Kids’ Needs”) to explore what might be causing it. This helps reveal root causes, making it easier to find effective solutions.

Here is an example:

You may not need to find a solution to every cause, but there will likely be some low-hanging fruit that stands out.

4. Solution Storming

Once you know what’s working and what isn’t, it’s time to brainstorm solutions that will bring your vision to life. Start by considering ways to streamline everyday tasks or eliminate recurring frustrations. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Meal Planning: Take the guesswork out of daily dinners by planning meals ahead of time. This cuts down on food waste and reduces stress during the “what’s for dinner?” moment.
• Morning Routine: Try waking up 30 minutes earlier for a calmer, more focused start to your day.
• Declutter: Simplify your environment by getting rid of clothes that don’t fit or items that no longer serve you. A capsule wardrobe, for instance, allows you to easily mix and match pieces, so you spend less time deciding what to wear.

For more ideas and resources, check out these posts:

• Streamline Your Morning Routine
• Create a Realistic Stay-at-Home Mom Routine
• Simple Meal Planning for Busy Moms
• 10 Simple Strategies to Make Time for Yourself as a Mom

Write down your chosen solutions, and keep them somewhere accessible as a reminder of your goals and action steps.

5. Track Your Progress

Tracking your progress is essential for staying motivated and keeping yourself accountable. This could be as simple as marking off completed tasks on a checklist or using a habit-tracking app like the ones in this post. Visual trackers—such as a debt payoff chart or a water intake tracker—can make the process fun and keep you engaged. Find a tracking method that excites you and fits your lifestyle, so you can look forward to monitoring your progress.

6. Celebrate Success

Don’t forget to celebrate your wins along the way! Set up small milestones, like completing a week of consistent meal planning or keeping up with your morning routine for a month. Recognizing your achievements is essential for staying motivated and helps reinforce the positive changes you’re making. You’re setting a powerful example for your family and showing them the value of self-improvement and resilience.

Summary

Resetting your life doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By assessing your current routines, envisioning your ideal day, and addressing root causes of obstacles, you can create a life that aligns with your values and goals. Download my Time Management Toolkit here for additional resources to help you build your dream life.

When you subscribe to the Taking Time newsletter, you’ll get exclusive content on what I’m currently taking time for, along with a free weekly meal plan, productivity tips, self-care advice, and more. Follow along on Pinterest and share this post with friends who might benefit from a life reset! Let me know in the comments: What changes are you planning to make in your life? I can’t wait to hear from you!

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