As we waved goodbye to 2023, many of us had already set goals to achieve and dreams to live for in 2024. Making new year resolutions are easy. Here are some tips to help you keep them.
Set realistic goals
One of the most common pitfalls in making a new year’s resolution is setting unrealistic goals. An easy way to ensure you achieve your goals this year is breaking down bigger aspirations into smaller goals – it will prove more rewarding and help keep you on track to ‘reel in the bigger fish’.
Create a plan
Achieving your goals requires planning. Consider the steps needed to achieve your goal and set out a roadmap that includes a timeline. For example, if a goal is to secure more house and pet sits this year, break this down into smaller goals such as updating your online profile, securing a home owner testimonial after each position, reach out to one previous home owner to build trust and new opportunities. If your goal is to save $5,000 in one year, break this down further to plan how this can be achieved. For instance, choosing a house and pet sitter’s lifestyle rather than renting could be one way to build up savings.
Set reminders
If reminders help you stay on top of things, set up calendar reminders on your phone, computer, in a printed calendar or notebook. Reminders will help keep you on track and accountable.
Track your progress
Based on your timeline to achieve smaller goals, regularly review and reevaluate your goals to track your progress. You may be well ahead of your initial timeline, and at times, you might need to readjust the timeframe or goal.
Be kind to yourself
There are times when we may not achieve all that we had hoped in the timeframe we had allocated – and that’s ok. Stay true to your initial goal and rework, readjust, reevaluate and reframe your aspirations to remain positive rather than being hard on yourself. There are different ways to approach different challenges, and you are the best person to identify the best path to finish your journey.
Whatever your goals and whatever your journey, setting goals are the first step towards achieving the things in life that make you happy. Setting clear and realistic goals, planning and cutting yourself a break now and then will set you on the right path for this year and into the future.