“A new year means a new me!” – A billion people worldwide proclaimed their New Year’s resolutions with pride, only to forsake them the next day.
But not you. Neither today nor tomorrow, you will keep your New Year’s resolutions this year. You will be accountable to yourself. You will accept all accountability for your actions. You’ll be pleased with yourself.
That’s fantastic! After reading the first few paragraphs of this essay, we may begin now that you’ve taken the irrevocable decision to reach your objectives. Following are six ideas for keeping your New Year’s resolutions (more irreversible secret deals).
1. Be A Better Manager of Yourself.
How often have you made excuses for lacking time or forgotten a new routine? How often have you attributed your negative behavior to the influence of others? Invariably, the focus is on someone or something.
Stop blaming. Self-control is the one attribute you must exercise like a muscle to succeed in any endeavor. Harder to say than to do? Are you correct? Or perhaps you’re mistaken? Or you’re not doing it correctly.
A recent study studied the practical use of self-control. The researchers hypothesize that self-control has features comparable to a battery or snowball effect; one suggests that self-control can be depleted like a battery, while the other indicates that it can develop and become more potent when used like a snowball.
According to the study’s findings, self-control combines these two qualities. This suggests that it becomes simpler to maintain self-control throughout practice. However, if we overextend ourselves initially, we are more likely to give up.
Therefore, be a better boss to yourself; do not control your activities, but focus on your objective and strive toward it. Ultimately, you are the one who wants to read more books in the coming year, not Netflix.
2. Divide Objectives into More Minor Activities
Constantly focusing on the outcome will prevent you from keeping your New Year’s resolutions. Instead, concentrate on breaking your giant objective into more minor, manageable chores.
Create SMART goals by stating your objectives as follows:
- Precise – what are your exact objectives?
- Measurable – how will you determine when the objective has been attained?
- Attainable – Is your objective achievable?
- Relevant – How will this short-term objective assist you in reaching your long-term goal?
- Time-sensitive – how long will it take to attain the objective?
Say your resolution for this year is to be more physically active. In SMART terms, this statement would read like follows:
- I will walk a minimum of 10,000 steps at least five days per week.
- Measurable – I will track my daily steps with my smartwatch.
- Attainable – I average 8,000 steps daily, so the additional 2,000 steps are undoubtedly attainable.
- I will reach my objective of becoming more physically active by walking more.
- I will walk at least 10,000 steps five days a week by the end of 2023.
This method of goal setting gives your New Year’s resolution shape and direction. When you review your short-term goals, you will experience a sense of accomplishment and notice that you are coming closer to your long-term objective.
3. Follow Your Progress
There are often two types of individuals who profit the most from time management: busy bees and silent stars.
Bees are perpetually active but frequently need more ability to focus. These individuals use time management to accomplish their goals.
In contrast, quiet stars enjoy a great deal of leisure time. They tend to plan many things in principle rather than actuality and delay. Utilize time management applications to plan your day and find time for activities if you consider yourself a “quiet star.”
Plan your day to attain your objectives. Utilize a calendar or planner to schedule your upcoming weeks’ activities. Software for time management, such as EMS, can help you track productivity.
EMS will reveal if you are wasting time on unneeded things to make way for your most important goals. It may motivate you to trade 15 minutes of amusing chat video for 15 minutes of reading. Or vice versa if your goal is to watch more cat videos in New York. Don’t judge.
4. Be Accountable
It is much easier to achieve a goal when you have a partner. And it is more successful since your accountability partner is less likely to fail you.
The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) did a study on accountability and discovered: – You are 65% more likely to reach your goal if you engage with someone; – but you are 95% more likely to succeed if you have a meaningful dialogue with the person you are engaging with.
Find a partner that will advocate for you, then pursue your objective! Your partner can be anyone, including your child, spouse, coworker, or support group.
Schedule a weekly or monthly meeting with your partner or group. Discuss completed short-term objectives and suggest new goals to pursue.
5. Fake It till You Make It
Beginning something new rarely seems natural. You are leaving your comfort zone and may even feel compelled to take action.
Refrain from feeling like a fish out of water at your next party if you’ve been a couch potato for years while resolving to be more social this year. It will be long before you feel at ease at social gatherings. Ultimately, you’ve developed a new habit.
Researchers at University College London performed a 12-week survey of 96 individuals to investigate establishing habits. According to the study, a new pattern takes an average of 66 days to form. In addition, the minimum duration for habit formation was 18 days, and the maximum was 254 days.
Therefore, fully becoming “one” with your New Year’s commitment requires time and perseverance.
Read: A Comprehensive Approach to Increasing Your Productivity with Time Blocking
6. Never Surrender, No Matter What
It is time, to be honest with yourself and acknowledge that a collapse is almost certain to occur at some point. You know it, we know it, and so does everyone else. BUT: You must pledge not to use this as an excuse to give up.
Albert Einstein once compared life to riding a bicycle: You must continuously move to maintain balance.
When the moment for the crash arrives, you should bolster your self-esteem and go on. Remember your former accomplishments, refrain from self-criticism, and be proud of what you did before your setback; then, go on!
In conclusion, congratulations on your New Year’s resolution! It takes tremendous guts to make such a far-reaching proclamation and work all year to fulfill it. We hope this New Year’s resolutions guide will assist you in being a better, happier, and more contented individual.
