At the turn of the year, and in the months leading up to it, reflection often brings a raft of resolutions. It’s the perfect time for fresh starts and sowing the seeds of different habits and positive changes. 

No matter how much planning you do, however, daily tasks can take priority ahead of seemingly inessential goals. Instead, these get sidelined and become lost in a sea of noise, routine, and activity. Even with the best will in the world, it can be tricky to carve out time with the myriad jobs and people vying for your attention. 

Then as the weeks go by, the initial motivation, drive, and excitement fades and the slow progress can feel like failure. Result? Goals abandoned. 

But there are things you can do to help you stay on track. Some may resonate, others not, so find out what works for you to get to where you want to be; there’s no harm in giving it a go. 

And remember, it’s important to enjoy the journey. Otherwise, you might as well be wishing your life away. You don’t need to prove yourself, just know goals are signposts to guide you to your dreams and aspirations. 

1. How to stay focused
To prevent your goal from being buried under a mountain of daily commitments, try to set aside time to think about it and why you hope to reach it. For example, each morning re-look at your goal and/or create a vision board (including, images or inspiring quotes or mantras). You can take a picture and pin it to your wall or set it as your screensaver. 

2. Simplify commitments and set boundaries
Can anything be tweaked, combined, or removed? If there are tasks no longer serving you, consider letting them go. Block out time on your calendar for you goals. This way you can give it dedicated space and reflect on your progress, making any necessary tweaks. 

3. Be mindful of distractions
Consider people, tasks, or habits that might temp you away from the goal at hand. Maybe you’ve reached a challenging point or lost motivation and drive. Try to establish the cause and address it because it will help you to avoid future hiccups. 

4. Take time to acknowledge achievements
As you work toward your goals it’s great to celebrate the small wins. Pausing to enjoy how far you’ve come will give you the motivation to continue. This acknowledging makes for a healthy cycle, helping to recharge and get going again. 

5. Learn to look after yourself
Love and self-care can work wonders and motivating yourself with kindness rather than criticism will change your experience. Learn from your mistakes and make changes to move forward. Setbacks are a part of the process and can enable you to come back stronger and wiser. It’s also important to take regular breaks and rest. Factoring in time to relax and recharge will make the experience more enjoyable and you may find you get more done. A rested body and mind will help you when approaching the next step.


 Join the conversation on our Facebook page!