Whether 2023 was easy on you or not, you’re likely ready to set your New Year’s resolutions, hoping it will make the next year better. After all, new beginnings are a chance to correct past mistakes and work on your goals.
But this process might feel like a déjà vu if you didn’t realize your objectives last year. Don’t let that bring you down because you’re turning a blank page and putting fresh energy into it.
You have 365 opportunities ahead of you to introduce healthy routines, eliminate bad habits, and start anew. Take them all and start by writing your New Year’s resolutions.
Even though your commitment will ultimately decide how many of your goals come true, the following tips can help you make ones that stick.
Understand Why You’re Making Resolutions
Most people see a New Year as a new beginning, encouraging them to set multiple, often ambitious, resolutions. Even though that energy is elevating, it’s easy to take on more than is objectively achievable.
That’s why you should begin by understanding why you want to achieve a specific objective, how it would positively impact your life, and how realistic it is. Do you want to ditch a harmful habit, such as smoking or eating snacks right before sleeping? Or do you aim to find a new job or finish a project you’ve been putting on the backburner for far too long?
Whatever it is, ensure you know what benefits you’ll enjoy by ticking off that resolution from your list and how that will make you feel.
Also, prioritize approach-oriented objectives (e.g., going to sleep before midnight) instead of avoidance-centric (e.g., ignoring the messages from your ex), as you’re more likely to accomplish the former.
Focus on Specific New Year’s Resolutions
It may be tempting to choose a broad goal such as losing weight (millions of people do it every single year), but unless it includes concrete steps and a timeline, go for something more concrete. Prioritize feasible and measurable objectives you can commit to daily or weekly.
For example, you might decide to finish the first 50 pages of your novel, focusing on writing 500 words per day. The goal should be achievable instead of admirable because working on it should be inspiring, not terrifying.
Setting a concrete New Year’s resolution allows you to create a specific plan and identify how long it will take you to accomplish it.
Start Small
Are you already considering multiple goals and eager to start working on them? Although commendable, you should increase your odds by focusing on one resolution.
Choosing one will also ensure you don’t aim your energy in multiple directions, causing you to bite off more than you can chew. You have enough time to set new objectives afterward, but start January with a single, small goal.
If you still gravitate toward a bigger one, break it into multiple doable chunks. But never overwhelm yourself with too many projects because that can be challenging, considering that altering your behavior and adopting healthier patterns takes time, effort, and enthusiasm.
Create a Well-Rounded Plan
Objectives without a detailed plan are abstract intentions risking remaining in the realm of wishes. When you don’t have a clear path, including when and how to start, you might delay working on your resolutions, falling into a procrastination trap.
Instead, identify the most significant behavioral change this goal requires and the road toward accomplishing it. The following are the essential questions to consider when writing your New Year’s resolutions plan:
- What is your first step?
- How long will it take?
- What actions should you take, and how often?
- What obstacles can you encounter, and how will you address them?
- What will you do if, for any reason, you can’t work towards your goal the way you imagined?
- How will you track your performance and know when you reached the final step?
Remember, your plan should never include overly ambitious steps in a short time. That can drain your energy, diminishing the drive you had at the beginning of the year.
Refrain from Your Past Mistakes
Have you made the same resolution for the past few years but never accomplished it? If that’s the case, you might want to choose another to avoid repeating past failures.
However, if you still want to achieve that goal, assess your previous strategies and results to understand what went wrong. Consider what steps were effective and what stopped you from completing your resolutions.
You might want to adjust your objective based on those insights or take a different approach to make it more doable.
Continuously Nurture Your Energy and Motivation
The energy is at its highest at the beginning of the year, as it’s too early to experience challenges or discomfort you might associate with your goal. But your motivation will inevitably drop after some time, requiring consistent nourishment. Remind yourself why you’re doing it and introduce small rewards whenever you complete a significant step. That will inspire you when you encounter obstacles and keep you going regardless of external influences.
