I was clicking through a bunch of semiannual sales when it dawned on me, when was the last time I checked my New Year’s resolutions? Roughly they were there about February then it all disappeared. School, work, life, were like jugging balls and resolutions had dropped out of the race. Albeit they are all excuses really.
A flash back journal revealed the following resolutions:
1) Live everyday like it’s your last
2) Eat healthier-not diet
3) Connect with your friends
Argh. These aren't the most inspiring goals and they do sound trite, and so broad. Like what does live everyday like it's your last really mean? So not the most creative, most measurable goals but it was a good starting point to revamp them.
Unfortunately, by mid June, only 8% of the US keep their New Years Resolutions. Self-care blog is determined to get you and I back on track. After all, you have a busy life to lead and there’s no time to do these.
But, Elementary Dear Watson! I have some easy ways to schedule them back into your life.
Review those New Year's Goals
Here are 3 Simple Steps to reboot your New Years Resolutions into 6 Month Easy Goals
1) Take your original goal and calendar it with an alarm. The power of the alarm has helped me to achieve my sleep back, and keep me on track instead of lazily binge watching Bob’s Burgers. The alarm says start going to bed by 10PM.
For my original goal, the overused YOLO “Live everyday like it’s your last.” I’ve incorporated it into anything as small as going out of my norm. This means, instead of keeping to myself at the elevator, or waiting for my food to be microwaved at lunch since I tend to be antisocial, I chat it up with a coworker. So even if it’s just the thought and action of reaching out to someone, this challenges me. '
Change up your routine. So instead of “live everyday like its your last” turn it to “Schedule one day out of the week and do something out of the ordinary such as ….”
List as many choices and then put them into your calendar.
The eating healthy goal is like THE classic, cliché goal for everyone. Instead of doing any crazy, drastic activity which tends to make the goal burnout faster, try making it NOT SMART but 50-50 Rule. 2) What's the 50-50 rule? Make it 50% successful and 50%attainable. New goal now becomes I will walk 6,000-8,000 steps a day or I will eat out only 1 day out of the week. Forbes' Mark Murphy says " setting a goal with a fifty-fifty chance of success is difficult and audacious enough to give you a huge sense of accomplishment when you succeed."
3. Turn it into a habit. Research has shown according to sciencedaily.com that " About 40 percent of people's daily activities are performed each day in almost the same situations, studies show. Habits emerge through associative learning. 'We find patterns of behavior that allow us to reach goals. We repeat what works, and when actions are repeated in a stable context, we form associations between cues and response,' a researcher explains."
The best way to change a habit is it to add it to another habit. First, change the goal into something measurable and achievable. I will call my friend or hangout with a friend at least 1x per month. Second, make the habit the most convenient habit ever. If you find that after dinner, you walk your dog, call your friend then, stack your normal routine with the new habit you want to include.
Walk Dog, Call a Friend (3 in one: friend connection, exercise connection, dog happy).
Habits can be difficult to change, or add but are so rewarding when you can make them easy to do. Every Sunday, I will grab all my fitness gear, cleaned, ready to go for the week in the back seat of my car. There’s no excuses. I will place my socks right on top of my shoes to change into after work.
In short, three easy steps to redfine your new years resolution: 1)calendar it in your schedule, 2) make them 50% hard but 50% attainable, 3)convert it into a habit.
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