by Sam at Management 3.0
It’s that time of year again where many of us decide that this year we’re going to lose five pounds, eat healthier, work out and read more and basically do everything we ‘should be doing’, but don’t do. We’ll make a list and feel motivated and energized about it and perhaps even get off to a great start, but then, as with so many years things fall by the wayside. So what can we do to ensure this doesn’t happen?
We’ll be discussing motivation and keeping momentum going in upcoming post (stay tuned), but for now, as we head into 2021, we wanted to help you make the best resolutions possible. Ones that you can actually stick to.
Here are a few tips for how to choose achievable new year’s resolutions:
#1: Tip for making achievable new year’s resolutions– There are no ‘shoulds’: This is the first and biggest issue when establishing resolutions. We think there are things we ‘should’ be doing, so we put those on a list. When in reality, we don’t really care about doing those things. There are no ‘shoulds’ for resolutions. There are ‘wants’ and ‘beliefs’. Only write down things you genuinely care about and want to be doing. You have no one to prove anything to but yourself.
#2: Tip for making achievable new year’s resolutions –Don’t repeat a resolution that already failed: This doesn’t mean you can’t try to achieve something again if it doesn’t work out the first time. We’re all about perseverance here at Management 3.0. That said, if something didn’t work once or twice, then before deciding to recommit to it, ask yourself what went wrong and either adjust the goal or the way you’re going about achieving that goal.
#3: Tip for making achievable new year’s resolutions – Be intentional about the process: This connects with the above point. It’s important before writing something down and committing it to ‘the list’, that you’ve thought through the process. Things don’t just happen, so having answers to questions such as:
- What needs to happen so this goal is realistic?
- Who do I need to help me with this?
- Are the systems in place to allow me to do this or do I need to adjust other areas of my life to make this happen?
#4: Tip for making achievable new year’s resolutions — Understand the ‘why’ behind your choice: When we know what our motivations are, why we’re driven to do something, it helps us actually achieve it. Knowing the ‘why’ gives meaning and purpose to what we do and it helps connect us to the larger reason for doing something, which helps keep us stay on target.
#5: Tip for making achievable new year’s resolutions – Change one behaviour at a time: Changing behaviour is hard, so if you try to change a lot of things at once, it’ll add an extra layer of challenge to the process. Start with one hard behaviour change, like quitting smoking, or eating less bread, or whatever it is you want to achieve, and then once that is underway you can implement a new one.
What are your new year’s resolutions this year? How do you choose what they’ll be and how successful are you at keeping them? Share your thoughts in the comments below or contact us!
