New Year Resolutions: How to Make Them Stick!
Every year, millions of people over the world make promises to exercise more, to get organised, to learn new skills and live their life to the fullest. However much we desire these changes, not everyone keeps these promises. For most of us, commitment wanes and come December, the cycle starts over again.
Collabio team is here to explain how to make New Year resolutions work! Want to make all those wishes real? Read these tips:
1. Only list resolutions which have real value. Commit to making a meaningful change. If it is a real need for you, motivation is easier to hold on to. Don’t resolve to do something just to fill the list with something.
Collabio Spaces know the value of leaving the comfort zone but only with careful thought! Don’t do so because everyone does, or because it is January 1st! Find reasons for your resolution, whenever that might be and make a balanced decision!
Less is more! A list of 10/20/30 resolutions is a heavy load and will be too hard to carry throughout the year. If you start out small, but sense conviction in your ambitions, then why not? You can always add something later in the year.
2. Turn your resolutions into goals. Well, you might think that they ARE goals already, but… approach it with a SMART perspective.
Goals should be:
- Specific. Zoom in on the detail and be precise. Switch ‘I want to read more’ into ‘I want to read one new book in a month’.
- Measurable. You might wonder how to measure resolutions like ‘I want to be more positive to this world’. Everything is simple! Track how often you express positive and negative emotions. Record these daily and look back to see patterns and progress later.
- Achievable. You may have great and inspiring resolutions, so if you can’t achieve the goal at once, divide it into several smaller steps. For example, switch “save $6K per year” to “save $500 per month”.
- Relevant. Does the resolution really fit your lifestyle and personality? If not, think about whether you need it on the list.
- Time-bound. Set realistic deadlines for your resolutions. Focus on small wins. Remember some goals will need more than a year won’t be enough.
3. Keep the list somewhere in sight. The Collabio app is perfect for this! :) Whether you prefer handwritten notes or digital ones, we’ve got it covered. Both options work well when it comes to remembering your plans.
It is always a good idea to keep your goals nearby just to remind yourself about what you promised yourself on New Year’s Eve.
4. Plan how you’ll achieve those goals. As with every purpose, you need to realise how you’ll get there, and which resources you’ll need. Planning structures the thoughts and visualises the route.
What’s more, you can forecast the difficulties you might face and prepare for any unexpected problems.
5. Track progress and learn from your mistakes. This brings us back to measuring your progress — checking in to ensure your make good on your New Year resolutions. Look to see what’s going well and what is going wrong. Step in to fix it and get back on track towards your goal.
Any tracking system can work — spreadsheets, series of photos on your phone, notes in saved messages, etc.
6. Renew motivation and reward yourself for success. If you have set an ambitious goal, allow time for the results. As time goes, motivation decreases…you need to refresh every so often! Make a small gift for yourself after completing small steps of your plan. Treat it like a game — and let yourself enjoy the wins. Take the glory and indulge yourself with a pleasant gift.
AND! Don’t forget to rest between your sprints– sometimes, relaxing and doing nothing reinvigorates your focus and sets you up for the next success.
7. Reach for support. Working in a team is always beneficial — if you need help from friends or family, just ask them! Even a little advice can put everything in its place. Remember that you are not alone, and there will always be people ready to support and help.
As you can see, wishes can come true if:
- It’s the change you’re willing to do.
- They are clear.
- You have a plan for how to reach these goals!
Use all the tips we shared above and own the year ahead!
