“It’s already mid-January, and I struggle to keep up with my New Year’s resolution. Am I the only one?” Don’t worry, you’re not alone. This is a common experience for most people every year. While it’s tempting to set resolutions – even schools encourage teens to set them – it’s important to consider how realistic they are. Can you achieve them?
It is crucial to choose resolutions that can be easily integrated into your daily routine to avoid frustration. You don’t necessarily have to alter the resolution itself, but you can redefine it to make it easier and more realistic according to your schedule. Here are some practical strategies that can help you transform your New Year’s resolutions into effortless daily habits, which, in turn, can have a positive impact on your career.
1) Set Your North Star
It is important to set clear goals for the year and write down why achieving these goals matters to you. Who do you envision yourself to be after achieving them? Can you connect all your goals to your purpose, like a North Star that will guide you through the year?
2) Start Small and Gradual
Start with small and achievable steps instead of making significant changes all at once. For instance, if your aim is to enhance productivity, you can start by setting aside 15 minutes every morning to concentrate on your top-priority tasks. Likewise, if you want to begin exercising, instead of pushing yourself to do an hour-long workout twice a week, you can start with only 15 minutes of any kind of movement every day.
3) Anchor Habits to Existing Routines
To develop new habits, it can be helpful to use your existing routine as a starting point. Try connecting the new behavior you want to adopt with a current habit to make the transition smoother. For example, if you want to read more, consider doing it after dinner as part of your family time. Alternatively, you can listen to audiobooks during your commute. You can also ask your friends or family to help you out by either doing it with you or becoming your accountability partners.
4) Make It Easy
Build it into your day by creating a routine that is easy to follow. Here are some things to consider:
Start-up Time: Choose a form of exercise that you can easily do at home or requires little preparation or start-up time. If some preparation is necessary, standardize your preparation process to make it faster.
Frequency: The more frequently you exercise, the better, as it helps to build the habit faster. If necessary, make it smaller chunks, but exercise frequently.
Circadian Rhythm: Identify the best time of the day to incorporate the activity you want to do. Some people prefer exercising before breakfast, while others prefer doing it before lunch or after dinner. Try different times and see what feels better for you. If you can’t wake up earlier in the morning, try doing it before lunch. My favorite time for exercise is around 11 am, and I enjoy reading in the evening.
Variety: Personally, I prefer to have different exercise options like playing tennis, swimming, skating or biking. For times when I can’t do those, I have a home workout routine that focuses on abs exercises. Variety prevents you from being bored over time or finding excuses to quit.
Size: If you want to cut back on something, such as screen time or food consumption, you don’t necessarily have to eliminate it completely. Instead, pay attention to the amount. For example, try reducing your portion sizes or substituting some of the ingredients.
Lead Time: Consider the total lead time before adding a habit to your routine. The lead time is the amount of time that passes from the start of a process until its conclusion. For instance, to start running, you need not only the 30 minutes of running time but also the time to get dressed, get water, and shower when you get back. Count everything into a timebox to make your planning more realistic.
5) Be Consistent
Consistency is key to forming habits. Use timeboxing to schedule activities on your calendar and make them part of your day to do. Most importantly, don’t get discouraged if you miss a day due to an urgent matter. Use affirmations, reminders or a coach as accountability partner. Try again tomorrow or make it easier.
Turning New Year’s resolutions into daily habits is a journey that requires commitment, patience, and intentionality. Start with your goals in mind, and transform your resolutions into lifelong habits, propelling your career to new heights in the year ahead.
