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Martine Ellis

💭 Four Small Ideas to Start Your New Year Well

Published 5 months ago • 1 min read

Hello friend

Happy New Year! I hope you’ve been able to carve out some time to recharge over the past few weeks.

My December has been restful, and I’m excited about 2025.

I have something a little different for you today. Instead of my usual long-form article, I have four short illustrated essays to share:

A hand-drawn doodle of a “To-Don’t List” with a light grey background. The title “TO DON’T LIST” is written in bold, black uppercase letters and underlined with a pink line. Below the title are five empty checkbox squares arranged vertically on the left side. The artist’s name, “Martine Ellis,” is written in small black text at the bottom right corner. The doodle has a clean, minimalist style with subtle use of colour, conveying a sense of simplicity and focus. A colourful hand-drawn doodle of a calendar page showing January. The top section is bright pink with the word “JANUARY” written in white uppercase letters. Below, a yellow star with the number “1” is highlighted, with an arrow pointing to the words “FRESH START” written in bold black text. The calendar grid is light grey, and “Martine Ellis” is written in small black text at the bottom right corner. The doodle conveys a sense of optimism, renewal, and a fresh beginning.
A hand-drawn doodle of a search bar with the word “EXPLORE” written in bold, black uppercase letters on a light grey background. On the right side of the search bar, there’s a black circular button featuring a white magnifying glass icon. The artist’s name, “Martine Ellis,” is written in small black text below the button. The doodle represents curiosity, discovery, and a sense of intentional exploration, aligning with a focus word for the year. A hand-drawn doodle comparing a “Manager” and “Maker” schedule. On the left, under the heading “MANAGER,” the day is divided into multiple short pink blocks, representing fragmented time slots from 9:00 to 17:00. On the right, under the heading “MAKER,” the schedule shows two large yellow blocks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, indicating long, uninterrupted periods for deep work. The image illustrates the contrast between a manager’s structured, meeting-heavy schedule and a maker’s focus-driven, uninterrupted time. The website “MARTINEELLIS.COM” is written in black text at the bottom right corner.

I’m currently exploring (in keeping with my word for the year) using visuals to share wellbeing-driven productivity ideas on social media.

The challenge with social platforms is that very few people see your posts. So, I’ve decided to pick my favourite doodles each week, pair them with a short essay, and add them to my blog.

I still plan to write long-form articles, but these short illustrated essays and my occasional (and intentionally brief) voice notes and podcast episodes feel like the right fit for now.

In related news, I’ve added three of my most popular doodles to my shop. They’re available as physical postcard-sized prints and digital A4 prints you can download and print at home.

That’s all from me this week. I hope you enjoy the essays and doodles and maybe find something useful as you enter the new year.

Feel free to hit reply if anything stands out or sparks a thought—I always like hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Martine

P.S. I almost forgot: I updated my Now page to include some of my goals for 2025. If you need help setting your goals for this year, why not book a one-hour coaching session with me? It's more affordable than you might think, and we can achieve a lot in just one session. Find out more here.

Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help:

  • ​Coaching: Book a free call to learn more about one-to-one coaching.
  • ​Products: Explore my growing collection of free and paid wellbeing and productivity products.
  • ​Skill Sessions: Book a one-hour session for your team.
  • ​Speaking and Training: Let’s discuss bringing wellbeing-driven productivity to your audience.

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Ellis HQ, Vale, Guernsey GY6 8EW
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Martine Ellis

martineellis.com

Sustainable productivity starts with wellbeing. Each weekend, I share practical strategies, short essays, doodles, and recommendations to help you live and work in a way that supports your wellbeing.

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