Many people start the New Year off with resolutions for improving their health, wellness, and careers. However, by the end of January over 50% of people have abandoned those resolutions. By December, less than 10% of us will have stuck to those resolutions. If you’ve set resolutions this year and you want to keep them on track, try these strategies for success.
Start Small
Loftiness is one of the biggest reasons resolutions fail. It’s difficult to completely overhaul a behavior or develop a new habit. Break your resolution into smaller goals that can be reached in 30 days, and then break them down even further into weekly goals. Achieving weekly goals will keep you focused and give you a sense of accomplishment that will spur motivation and momentum.
Take Action Every Day
As the old saying goes, you eat an elephant one bite at a time. Small actions taken every day will get you to your ultimate goal. Once you’ve set weekly goals, break them down once again into daily actions. Schedule time each day to do those actions. When you prioritize goals and take smalls steps every day, you move closer towards your resolution.
Write Everything Down
Writing things down helps to build accountability, and it allows you to flip back and see just how far you’ve come. Make sure your resolution, 30-day goals, weekly goals and daily actions are in writing. Log the activities you do every day, and make note of what’s working for you and what isn’t.
Get an Accountability Partner
Being accountable to yourself is good, but it’s also an easy way to let a resolution fall by the wayside. But if you partner with a friend or relative, you now have someone else to answer to. Accountability partnerships also breed a bit of healthy competition, which can be an excellent motivator.
Connect The Resolution to An Existing Habit
The easiest way to change a behavior or habit is to tie to an existing habit. Say you want to take vitamins every day. Leave the bottle out on the counter or next to your coffee pot, rather than tucking it away in a cabinet so you will see it each morning.
Don’t Give Up
If you had a goal to make it to the gym four days per week, and you end up skipping a day, don’t throw the entire resolution out the window. Simply make the extra effort to get back on track the next day and keep moving forward.
Goals are important for success both personally and professionally. For more tips on achieving your goals this year, work with the experts at Medical Professionals.
Leave a Reply