January 2023 – I am allergic to clutter – both mental and physical. A new year always feels like the right time to re-channel my inner minimalist.

This all sounds good in theory, right? But what does this really mean in practical terms?

At home it means I usually start the new calendar year by cleaning, editing my possessions, and lots of donating/tossing/recycling.

I uncovered this long-lost newspaper article during the purge …. No judgement please – it was the 80’s!!

At work, it means my office gets a mini make-over and the shredder overheats.

It also means I try to take a step back to contemplate how to do less but also do better. My goal is to find the sweet spot where doing less actually means MORE.

Today, during a webinar on global sponsorship trends for 2023, I had an aha moment on this very topic when the presenter identified sponsorship trend #9 as ‘sponsors sponsoring less but activating more’. I love this because the activation piece of the sponsorship partnership is my favourite part!

It also speaks to the ‘squeeze’ we are all still feeling almost 3 years since the start of the pandemic. Don’t get me started on grocery prices ….

The good news is that over in iSPARK land we are cooking up so many new initiatives this year! The team is HYPED and the vibe has never been this high. Keep your eyes on our social channels (Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram) to follow along and be part of the fun.

As for that Most Improved Player award, I have many things in my life right now that I can credit back to my basketball days. However, I no longer feel the need to keep that newspaper article and the accompanying trophy that I have inexplicably hung onto for close to 40 years. Letting go is refreshing because LESS is the new MORE.

Can you relate?

Krista Benoit - iSPARK Consulting