Each and every week the Square Holes team are deep in the bowels of a number of projects, working to mine all of the insights that we can to help grow businesses and support thriving cities.

These insights are used by businesses and organisations to innovate their offerings, move into new markets, track their impact and hone their products and output. Each week we will be sharing a broad insight that we have learnt for you to use in your own work.

Let us know what you find valuable!

Dylan: Fresh starts as kindle 

Fresh starts work because they let you psychologically retire your ‘old self’ and step into a more capable one. At the beginning of a new year for example, motivation spikes and self-belief rises – ‘this time is different’. This surge is powerful, but it’s also often temporary. The real advantage of the fresh start effect isn’t that it guarantees success, its that it lowers the barrier to starting at all. As January comes to a close, the festivities have ended and a sense of normalcy takes shape (work and life), the smart move is to treat the new year and fresh start as a matchstick. Use this brief burst of motivation to lock in structures that you can carry forward when motivation fades – pre-commitments, someone to hold you accountable and incentives. It’s important to create the habits now that keeps you showing up on ordinary days, even when the fresh start effect has worn off. In short, don’t wait for motivation to last, borrow it from a fresh start and convert into habits and commitments that will.

Mahalia: Wellness wariness

Our theme this week has always been a loaded one for me. In my younger years I fell victim to fad schemes and diets that cost ridiculous amounts of money and promised you the world. But all it really delivers is a lean bank account and a renewed hatred of your body. As I’ve aged (and hopefully gotten wiser) wellness has more to do with learning to listen to my body, and balance both indulgence and nourishment. That comes from the radical acceptance of my body as it is today, and to any iterations that follow. When your focus is strength, movement and joy over punishment and restraint – any body you exist in is a healthy, happy one.

Ewa: The power of authenticity

I’m not a fan of medical dramas, and I actively avoid anything gory. But after a wave of strong reviews, I started watching The Pitt – and couldn’t stop.

What makes it so compelling, I think, is its authenticity. There’s no soundtrack telling us how to feel. The story unfolds slowly, almost minute by minute, like a documentary. We see people at their most vulnerable, without polish or dramatics.

That feels especially resonant right now. In a culture obsessed with wellness, optimisation and control – over our bodies, our health, our lives – The Pitt is a reminder of how fragile it all is, and how often chance plays a decisive role.

It’s a fresh break from the world full of performance and perfection.

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