Every year millions of people begin the year with determination and the will to do better but a few millions are able to actually achieve what they set out to do. Don’t be a victim of another fiasco to-do list but focus on what you can ACTUALLY do in the new year.
You may want to write book, network with more people, socialize, cycle often, run every week to stay healthy, read at least one book every month, cook for your family or sleep at least six to seven hours a night each day. Whatever you want to achieve, do more than just a list of things to do.
Accomplishing your to-do list requires some level of activity. You have the same 24 hours in a day that most successful people have, make calculated, specific choices today that will allow you to make the most of every day of the year, and still feel happy and relaxed.
— Pick your priorities for the year
What is the most important resolution on your list. Focus on spending time on your most important items on your list. What is the one thing you really want to do this year. It has to be a make or break item.
Focus on getting that done, commit your most time to actually doing it. Break it down into smaller tasks that can be achieved every week. With most endeavors, you either go deep and get it done or don’t even start at all.
–Maintain a schedule!
Instead of writing lots of goals to achieve, focus on the process that actually gets you closer to your goals. When you focus on the real process or the tasks that need to be done and put timelines to them, you are more likely to get things done by the date you intend to get them done.
Example if you intend to start a professional blog, write out tasks that need to be done to create the blog, ie. register a domain, buy a hosting package, install a suitable content management system (WordPress/Joomla/Drupal), start writing, stick to writing a schedule etc.
Put timelines to the each task and give yourself a deadline to get those tasks done. Focus on getting those done on time. Once you are able to achieve that, you will be motivated enough to plan ahead or focus on something else that needs to be done in the year. Don’t just write out vague resolutions with no deadlines.
–Find a suitable to-do App to help you stay on schedule
There are now hundreds of personal productivity apps out there designed to help you remember all the tasks you want to-do and make sure you get them done.
Make a choice about the activities you want to improve in your life this year and use apps like Any.Do, Remember the milk, Clear, Evernote, Cal, Sunrise, Google Keep, Wunderlist etc to get focused on what needs to be done today or this week.
–Knowing what to do is not an issue, COMMIT to it!
It is always easier written than done. Everybody can complete a list of things to do in no time, but finding time to actually do what you have to do it always the problem. To overcome that, be prepared to do ALL the work it takes to keep your resolutions.
You will be in better shape with lots of confidence about your capabilities if you know you actually gets things done when you say you will get them done. For every resolution in your list, make a list of tasks that go with it and specify the month you want to get it done.
If it’s something you want to start immediately like exercising regularly, make that first commitment and reward yourself when you actually start. Find a partner if you intend to stick to it for a long time. You are more likely to commit to something than needs to be done weekly if you have someone checking on you and helping you achieve it.
–Keep your goals insanely simple.
You cannot go mountain climbing if you cannot even walk a few miles in your neighborhood. Think about it, you won’t be able to achieve a resolution like that. Stick to goals you can actually achieve.
Most resolutions are just unrealistic considering your present situation. Stick to what you will be able to do and get those done.You may not be able to write a bestselling novel or loose hundreds of pounds in body weight in a few months, don’t set yourself up for failure with unrealistic goals.
–Lighten Up
There is no need to beat yourself up if you can’t do all the things you want because you are handling other stuff that needs attention. It happens. Your world won’t come to an end in most cases just because you couldn’t accomplish your new year resolutions. Celebrate progress and keep refining toward a happy productive existence every year.
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