People love to plan their year ahead starting January 1st. As a rule, our plans for the year remain unfulfilled, because the best-case scenario is sticking to our plan for several weeks. One of our key problems is putting too much pressure on ourselves. We focus more on what needs to be done instead of thinking about how to do it.
Here are our eight tips that will help you plan your year ahead.
1. Make a Commitment
Most people ignore this step, that is why they don’t achieve at least small goals. It’s all just a matter of thoughts: “I should stop smoking,” “I should finally learn a foreign language.” This “should” word completely relieves you of any responsibility. In the end, if a year passes and you don’t achieve anything, you fool yourself into thinking and pretending that you did not promise yourself anything.
Here are some tips on how to make a real commitment. First of all, decide what you want and do everything possible to positively reinforce your decision. Secondly, tell your family or friends about your ideas. Some psychologists say that it is crucial to wisely choose people you tell about it. They need to be those who will support you and stimulate you to become a better person. And remember that there’s no excuse for not trying to achieve your goal little by little every day.
2. Be Realistic
The key to achieving your goal is long-term motivation. If you place a large burden on yourself, you may fail straight away, and it will demotivate you. Of course, you’re not obliged to set ambitious goals, but you need to make small improvements that will gradually lead to what you want. Sometimes you might even need to roll back or rethink your strategy.
3. Write Everything Down
It is the most straightforward and effective technique you can find and use. Therefore, always write down your intentions and what you want to achieve. You can start a diary where you will reflect on your goals. At the same time, you can use sticky notes to remind you of your aims and desired result by putting small reminders on your desktop, refrigerator, or the wall.
4. Make a Plan
Many people fail in the planning stage because it requires careful analysis and creative and logical thinking. Deciding what you want is one thing, but understanding how to exactly achieve it is quite another. Identify all the goals and then write down the steps that will help you achieve them. Make a detailed plan as well as a shorter version of it, and then rethink both of them from time to time.
5.Be Flexible
Everything always goes the wrong way. The world is changing, and so do people, so tomorrow, you may need to adjust your plans. This is what flexibility is – you have a plan, but the situation changes, and you need to adapt yourself to the new reality rather than live in an illusion. When making plans, keep in mind, and consider challenges that may arise. Make sure you have plan B or even plan C if necessary.
6.Use Reminder Systems
Leave yourself any physical reminders wherever possible. Make a plan for tomorrow every night and then rely on your annual plan. Use reminder apps that suit you better, reflect on your goals, and don’t forget to engage other people in the dialogue.
7.Track Your Progress
Until you realize that you are moving in the right direction and making progress, motivation is out of the question. You must be aware of reaching the next stage and celebrate even small successes. Keep a diary or a journal to capture these moments.
8. Reward Yourself
Even though the rewards are not the only way to motivate yourself, you still need to pamper yourself every now and then. You need to reboot yourself and get external bonuses. After all, this way you can enjoy life in times of hard work.
We wish you good luck and a good year full of achievements!
