New Year, new me, right?

2022 is here, and everyone is talking about their resolutions. According to Forbes.com, only 8% of people achieve their New Year’s goals. Why do so many people fall short? Well, a resolution without a plan is just a dream. While I encourage you to be a dreamer, dreams and ideas are nothing unless your ambitions map to your actions.

You should always strive to be your best and achieve great things. If that’s a new car, weight loss, a promotion or a raise you’re after, you need a plan to achieve that goal. You can start by writing out a simple, one paragraph resolution. Include 5 to 6 bullet points with actions you need to take to get to your destination. Your gameplan should also be practical and achievable within a reasonable timeframe. If you’ve set the bar high, add a couple of months to your timeline to relieve any unneeded stress. Don’t forget to incentivize yourself for your small victories along the way and for crossing the finish line. When you’re all done, print out two copies. Put one in your office and another in your car or bathroom at home. This way you’ll be reminded multiple times a day. If you need additional reinforcement, add bi-weekly task reminders to your digital calendar to ensure that you’re doing the little things along the way. Now make a commitment to the resolution and believe in yourself.

Don’t let time be the excuse for not achieving your resolution. Most of us lead busy lives which cause us to operate on limited bandwidth. If it’s time you need more of, consider making changes to your daily work routine and habits. You can free up an extra 15-30 minutes a day by doing some of these simple things.

Don’t let cell phone notifications distract you. Turn your phone on airplane mode when you need to get things done.

Don’t pick the low hanging fruit. Don’t start the day by checking your email. Instead, tackle the two most important tasks and save the low hanging fruit for the end of the day.

Stop playing email ping pong. Ask your client what their preferred means of communication is. If you need a response from someone, just call them, emailing back and forth could delay the process.

Take care of your personal business over the lunch hour or clock out 30 minutes early on Friday to pick up the dry cleaning. Trying to schedule doctor appointments during the middle of a project is a distraction. You can do these things on your way to or from work.

Piling instead of filing. Putting things away will keep you organized and prevent lost time looking for things you didn’t put back.

Stop complaining and gossiping because nobody wants to hear it. It’s a waste of time, and it’s not going to help you achieve your goals.

You could save 30 minutes a day or more by not eating out. Bringing a healthy lunch will provide the nutrition you need to stay focused and get things done. 

It’s never too late to start something, and it doesn’t have to be January to make a resolution. Don’t wait around, start today. A year from now you might be wishing you had started today. 

Dream big, believe in yourself and make 2022 the year of you. 

Happy New Year friends.