We are well into the middle of the first month of this shiny, brand-new year and like most of you, our lives have returned to their pre-holiday routine. We’re settling into a nice winter-life tempo. If you set goals for 2015 like I did, this week is a good time to re-visit those goals and make sure you are on the path to reaching them. Here are 10 easy ideas to help you stay on track and accomplish your New Year’s Goals.
1. Make planning time a priority.
It’s not enough for me to say I want to re-work my inbox to be more user-friendly and functional. I need to set aside time to formulate an action plan. By setting aside 15 minutes to look at what I’m doing now (barely keeping up), I’ll be able to plot a course of action now, in January, that will help me stay on top of the never-ending emails all year long. This is true for any goal. Making time to visualize and conceptualize your end goal, and the steps needed to get there, is time well spent.
2. Purge. Often.
This goes for all incoming items in your life: junk mail, emails from companies you might shop with in the summer, company catalogs, group invitations that don’t fit into your wheelhouse, etc. For instance, I was asked to help out with a dog event, but I don’t have a dog, so I finally allowed myself to pass on the event, knowing I’d help this group in some other way. Purging is easy once you allow yourself to make a quick, decisive decision and then stick with it, which leads me to #3.
3. Decide.
“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.” That line from Rush’s “Free Will” has always stuck with me, because to me, it shows that lots of people get bogged down with the idea of making a bad or wrong decision. Putting energy into that type of thinking won’t help us reach our New Year’s goals, so take a few minutes to think about the pros and cons of a given situation and then make a choice and go with it.
5. Write it down.
You’ve made your decision; you’ve set your goals in motion. Good and good! But did you know that the simple act of writing them down helps your brain store them in your memory, making them much easier for you to remember and stick with? Try it! Write out one goal on a piece of pretty stationery, or jot it down on a colorful post-it note (my personal favorite), and it’s almost guaranteed you’ll remember to focus on that goal.
6. Drink water.
It’s hard to get the recommended amount of water per day, but being well-hydrated has far-reaching powers. Whether your goal is to lose weight, re-gain your vitality and energy levels, or land that big promotion at work, being hydrated can and will help. If drinking water is a struggle for you, I suggest making a game of it. For every 8-ounce glass of water you drink, you get rewarded with 2 points towards a new pair of shoes! I start every morning with a quick, 12-ounce cup of water. I get out my coffee cup and fill it up with water and chug it down while I wait for my coffee to finish brewing.
7. Set small goals.
“I want to lose 10 pounds” sounds a whole lot more doablethan “I want to lose 50 pounds”, now doesn’t it? Setting small, manageable goalstells our brains, “Hey, you can do this!” If your goals are more professionalin nature, you can still use this tip. For instance, if I know I need to set up a whole new business organization system, but that is a huge undertaking, so I can start the more manageable goal of calming my inbox. (see #1)
8. Ask for help.
For the longest time, I wouldn’t allow myself the privilege of asking for help from my family. As a work-at-home-mom, I had it in my head that with better time management, I could still do it all and take on a bigger work load. This year, my goal is to let my family and co-workers know when I have a big assignment, and then be ready to delegate when people ask me how they can help me. It’s easy for us to shrug off offers of help, but we really shouldn’t. Whether we need actual help, like please unload the dishwasher, or we just need an ally to help us remember to drink more water, by asking others to help you, you are inviting them into your life on a more personal level, which ties in with my #9 tip.
9. Play. Often.
Quick, answer this question. When was the last time you played? “Play” means different things to different people. For me, play means tossing the Frisbee around the backyard with my girls. Play could also mean sitting down to a family game night. Play might mean going to a local car show with my husband and walking around for hours admiring the cars. Or, it could mean I cleared off the kitchen table and have made time to do some glass artagain. The point is everybody has to have a hobby or an outlet. Something besides work deadlines, so make it a goal to join a club, volunteer, join a gym etc. It will help you feel better, which will have far reaching positive effects.
10. Laugh.
I love a good belly laugh, don’t you? There is just something so rewarding about throwing your head back and laughing out loud. If you are feeling rundown, laughter really is the best medicine around, because it can help decrease stress, boost your immune system and help you stay energized to reach those all important goals. Besides, almost everybody I know enjoys being around happy people, and having a strong social community is one of the best ways for us to live happy, successful lives.
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I would probably get a yoga mat and some Yoga DVDs to help me accomplish my goal of slowing down and taking time out to relax.
(Rafflecopter name is Kimberly).
I would buy a few fitness videos
I will buy healthier food items and get a new pair of walking shoes and a pair of weights to help me with my goals!
I would buy jogging shoes and clothing to help me accomplish my goals, Thank you!
I will like to get a Kindle.
I will buy probiotics to make my tummy happier and cut sugar cravings!
I’d buy some bins or shelving to help with organizing the garage.
I would use it to purchase exercise clothes.
My goal is to read more this year. I’d love to buy a kindle.
Thank you!
I would buy things to help organize my house.
I would buy a new water thermos to help me drink more water. I would use the rest to buy things to put in gift baskets to take to my grandma’s nursing home. One goal is to brighten the days of others. jj250@aol.com
I would pick up designing stencils so i can paint on patterns to old furniture or fabrics
I would buy some organizing tools because my goal is to be more organized this year. 🙂
I would use this to get a new blender and a set of reusable squeeze packs for my daughter so we can make healthy smoothies and purees.
I would love to use it on vitamins and improve my vitamin D levels!
I recently got a yoga book for toddlers to have my daughter join me in my fitness routine. I would get clothes and yoga videos for us to make it more dynamic and fun!.
I need a new bathroom vanity (and Amazon carries the model that I have been jonesing for 3 years)!! It’s great to have this opportunity, thank you!
I really need to find good probiotics & vitamins to strengthen my immune system- that’s what I’d buy if I win:)
We are wanting to get healthy and fit this year, I think I would use the $100 to get some dumbbells and bands.
I would love to buy some vegetable seeds and gardening supplies! Last year we did our first mini garden and had so much fun with it. My New Years resolution is to learn to eat and cook healthier, and would be great to make a bigger garden so we can grow more of our own fruit and vegetables!
I’d buy a new pillow for more restful sleep
CINDY B on rafflecopter
I would get a fitbit!
I would get a shelf and kitchen stand to organize my home, which is my goal!
I have newborn triplets and would use it for diapers which would be a great help of course. Rene Chartier (Joan).
I want a new pair of boots
It’s never to early to combine Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, I’ll surprise my Mother with some new pillows, and a new design for her living room. 🙂
I would buy exercise equipment to get in better shape.
rounder9834 @yahoo.com