Well , its that time of the year when we all plan to make our resolutions for the new year. We make grand plans. We also start off in first few months of the new year, but ocassionaly give it up mid way or sooner rather than later. Why do we not live upto our resolutions ? This blog discusses some of the pitfalls and how to overcome them. This is not in any way exhaustive , and surely there will be lots of other ways.
Keep it Simple :
So , how do we make resolutions that we can stick with for the entire year ? Keeping it simple and small helps. Small changes if done regularly gives long lasting results. A simple task is attractive to the mind rather than a complicated one. As a student , in our exams , didnt we answer the easier questions first ? Simple acts , when done , immediately boost our confidence level and make way for bigger ones to be done.
Keep it actionable:
The plan should be action-oriented and not a wish list. For example , a statement like "I will loose 5 kgs of weight in next year" seems like a wish. Replace that by steps which you will do to achieve that goal. These steps should be actionable and broken down so as to be easily adaptable in our daily life .How do we go about loosing that 5 kgs is "action oriented" and more effective.
Another example is the goal that "Next year , I will do service to help the needy". Nothing wrong in that resolution. But its very broad and we need to break that up into achievable tasks. An example for breaking this into actionable steps "In the next year , I will spend 1 day every month in service through < replace with the cause you support > ". Now , what happens when you read this statement ? You will know exactly what to do and once you do it one month , its easy to repeat that throughout the year.
Make it easy to track:
Its true that you cannot control what you cannot measure. If something needs to be achieved, you should know how to meaure and track your progress towards it. A grand plan easily falls apart just because you have not thought how to measure your progress in that plan. Make your resolution measurable and track it. Nowadays , smart phones are available with many applications which can be used. For example , an application called "Noom" for Android phones helps to define your health/excercise goals and track progress daily. You can also set reminders and track history. I am not advertising any application. Am just giving examples of how to track your goal. It can also a be simple dairy routine which has worked so well for many.
Integrate into your daily schedule:
Any new activity needs more time from you. Getting that time out of the current responsibilites might seem difficult at first. But it is not so if you can integrate that into your daily plan. For example, few years back,I realized that I didnt get enough time to read daily. So , I started travelling to my office via bus which frees me 1 hour each morning from driving the car. This one hour I spend in reading or listening to audio books. Also, it reduces the strenous drive in the traffic and i arrive at my office in a much pleasant mood. The sacrifice for this is that I have to be ready atleast 30 minutes earlier than the usual time , but I feel that it is okay and now has become a habit. The evening ride back home is spent in listening to some music or just relaxing.
Get your family / friends involved :
Once you decide on your resolution , speak to your near and dear ones and tell them about your plans. By communicating the same , you are further motivated to achieve them. After all , you do not want to fail in their opinion, right ? It will also help you to reserve the time you need on a regular basis to achieve your goal. Some goals can also be a mutual one with your spouse or chidren involved.
Just Get Started :
Your resolution statement should be one that kicks you to get it started. And get started in reality. A good start is half the battle won. Many of us fail to get started and keep on procrastinating. I was always putting off learning to play guitar until one day i realsised that "Its now or never". The funny thing is that once you get started, you wonder what prevented you from doing it much earlier. Get started with whatever small step you can take towards your goal. As you go , you can refine and build up.
Dont blame yourself :
Dont get into blaming yourself (or others) if you fail initially. Some days , you may not be able to practice what you have planned. So what ? Get started again. If you are able to do that on regular basis , you are doing just fine. As long as you can continue again , small lapses should not matter. Have the long term perspective and remember that short term actions should lead you there.
Some sample Resolutions:
With that , here are ten sample resolution statements which might help. Feel free to pick , add or edit to customise to your needs.
1) I will set aside 30 minutes of quality time daily with my after I return from work.
2) I will walk ( or jog , exercise , yoga ,etc ) for 30 minutes daily.
3) Every weekend , I will devote atleast half day to pursue my hobbies, passion ( apart from work )
4) I will review my investment portfolio every 3 months.5) I will plan to take out time one week in 4 months to vacation/travel/holiday.
6) I will undertake my skill building training program 2 times next year.
7) I will sleep at 10PM daily and wake up at 6AM .( Replace with your timings )
8) I will learn how to < replace with a new thing which interests you> by enrolling to the weekly class ( or maybe self learning , etc )
9) I will pay my credit card bills ( replace with whatever bills are due ) within the due date and thereby avoid penalty fees.
10) I will help my spouse in his/her goals by < replace with what specifc actions you can do to help, maybe mutually agreed upon>
Wish you all the success in making and keeping your resolutions in the coming year !!
