How to make your New Year's Resolutions stick in 2020
It’s the 1st January 2020, you’ve just woken up after a night of partying and celebrating the new year and reality has come crashing in. There’s a whole new year (oh no!), a whole new decade ahead of you and you’re being caught up in the barrage of New Year’s Resolutions. Simon from the office has already had his first Vegan breakfast and you already saw Lilly from next door on her early morning run. What are you going to do??
Thankfully your head is clear due to your B On 1 Patch you wore last night, and you found this blog, a guide on not only making good New Year’s resolutions but also making sure they stick!
THINK CRAZY
First think crazy, think big, think anything and just write it down on some paper. What do you really want to do over the next year? Want to run a marathon? Write it down. Want to cut down your environmental footprint? Write it down. Want to have a better work life balance? Write it down.
The important step here is getting your ideas out of your head and onto the paper. They can be broad and vague, but the key thing is that they are your ideas, by decluttering your mind you may stumble across something you are really keen on.
PRIORITISE AND BREAK IT DOWN
Having got these big ideas, it’s important to take a step back before focusing on some specific goals. The first thing to do is to prioritise everything that you have written down. Rank every item on your list in two ways, first by how much you want to do that goal and secondly by how realistic you think each goal is. Having found a selection with a good balance between the two the next stage is to break these ideas down.
The best way of doing this is by thinking SMART.
THINK SMART
Many of you will have heard of SMART goal setting but it’s one of the most undervalued practices when setting goals.
S – Specific
Clearly define what the goal is and make it personal to you! Many people have general goals to get fitter or get more out of your work, but clearly that’s not specific to your own situation. Take time on this!
M – Measurable
Quantify your goal and track your progress! Recognising achievement as you progress is a huge motivator, giving clear evidence as to your success! Alternatively, it may provide information you may not have noticed about where you could improve further.
A – Achievable
Make your goals within your grasp. If you plan to run a marathon then give yourself a time which you feel will stretch you but is not impossible!
R – Realistic
“I want to get three promotions at work within two months.” It’s a nice thought but isn’t necessarily a realistic target. Keep yourself grounded and the success will follow!
T – Time
Keep yourself to deadlines. We all hate them, but they are an effective way of getting things done. To use the marathon example, maybe sign up for a marathon in the summer, it gives you a clear deadline and a clear achievement when it’s done!
MAKE IT ENJOYABLE
New Year’s Resolutions are often these bold statements of intent that may not be true to what’s possible but also not true to who you are as a person. Remind yourself of why you’ve set these aims and try to make everything fun.
GIVE YOURSELF SOME TIME OFF, IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD!
At the end of the day, your life should not be controlled by these goals, don’t let them consume you. Always find time to meet with friends, a couple of pints down the pub aren’t going to knock you back, especially if you wear your B On 1 patch. These goals are important but not as important as your mental and physical health!
