5 Tips for Setting New Year’s Resolutions You’ll Actually Keep

We’ve all been there. Christmas is over, and it’s off to the long haul of winter snow, slush, and darkness before Spring Break. Everyone seems so motivated to set those New Year’s Resolutions. All the local gyms are providing amazing deals, hoping you’ll sign up and then give up in a few weeks.

But not this year!

This year you’re going to stick with your goals by using these 5 tips to stay in the game!

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1.    Set short-term goals.

Yes, the whole idea of New Year’s Resolutions is that you set goals for the year, but I find that I am much more likely to keep my goals if they are a bit more short-term, particularly if I’m thinking of major lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. Perhaps you want to drink more water in January, cut back on sweets in February, etc. Set a plan that is long-term but breaks it down into shorter-term goals.

I’ve taken to using this 6-month goal setting book from Amazon just for this purpose! It has 142 pages that are broken down weekly and monthly.

OR…check out my New Year’s Resolutions FREEBIE! Three multi-use pages of planning fun, just for visiting this page! Check it out here!

It includes an awesome weekly page that includes your overall monthly goal and helps you break that down into the steps for the week. Then, it simply lists your daily tasks, which I use for my “big three” for the day. If I have a larger to-do list, I just add a sticky note to the page. There are also weekly and monthly review pages, which are PERFECT for  re-evaluating those goals (see numbers 4 and 5 on my list!)

2.    Set realistic goals

If you’re going to set long-term goals for the year, be sure they are realistic. You can’t all of a sudden start reading more, losing a bunch of weight, and making endless lifestyle changes all in one year. Set New Year’s Resolutions that are easily attainable within the year and think small!

3.    Set family goals

Set goals with your family, so that you can hold each other accountable. This could go in several ways. You could set financial goals, such as saving for something the whole family can enjoy, like a boat or a vacation. Or, you could set lifestyle changes for your family, like designating one night a week as family night and sticking to it. You could even set New Year’s Resolutions like spending a certain number of hours reading, or even make it competitive and provide prizes at the end of the year.

4.    Designate check-ins

Many people have given up on their New Year’s Resolutions by the end of January, or maybe by spring, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Write those goals down and designate check-ins with yourself to see how you are doing. If you don’t follow up with yourself, you will forget and go back to your old habits. Personally, I have a book I’ve been writing down my resolutions in since I was 16. Every January I look at it and check off which goals I met, and which I didn’t. It is fascinating to not only see how my goals have progressed as I’ve aged, but also which goals I’ve consistently not met. (looking at you, weight loss!)

Again, see this awesome goal-setting planner for this! I like the 6-month layout because it forces me to check in after 6 months! Planner not in the budget? A notebook will do just fine. I like to use my notebook to keep track of what my New Year’s Resolutions were, and this to actually take action. You could also set reminders in your phone to check in with your monthly or weekly goals, too!

You can also set check-ins with my downloadable freebie, too! There’s a monthly and weekly planner page just for this!

5.    Remember goals are not set in stone

Many people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions soon after the year begins because they fall off the wagon and don’t get back on. You cannot predict what will happen in a year, so be kind to yourself with your goals. Goals can be changed and adjusted, so don’t beat yourself up if you don’t meet your smaller goals or if you get off track. Be realistic, adjust, and move forward!

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Speaking of New Year’s Resolutions…January is the sad time that all our holiday decorations come down. If one of your resolutions is to get organized, try looking at these 3 holiday storage items that are must haves to keep your treasures safe!