As the school year comes to a close and summer breaks into full swing, there’s a crucial subject to address: what happened to all those aspirations you had at the start of the year? Statistics reveal that nearly half of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned within the first month, so it’s likely those ambitions have slipped your mind.
This doesn’t imply that your objectives were insignificant. A YouGov survey indicated that in 2018, the most common resolutions included eating healthier, exercising more, and saving additional money. Although we’ve reached the halfway mark of the year, ample time remains to achieve those targets. Instead of putting them aside until the next New Year, let’s utilize the summer months to close out 2018 on a high note. (See also: 10 Financial Resolutions You Can Achieve Before New Year’s)
However, merely repeating prior actions and hoping for results may not yield success. To genuinely achieve your goals over the next three months, it’s time to shift your strategy.
Divide your objectives into achievable steps
A significant reason we lose our focus is that our ambitions can be overly ambitious and poorly defined. If a goal lacks specific metrics, it can be difficult to identify progress. When immediate results are absent, it might diminish our enthusiasm. Instead of fixating on the broad aims of losing weight or reducing debt, concentrate on smaller, interim objectives.
For example, aim to exercise three times this week or add two more glasses of water to your daily intake. By having specific and measurable goals, you’re able to achieve a sense of success in a shorter time frame. As these smaller targets are met, it’s likely that you will maintain these positive behaviors long-term.
If confronting overwhelming debt, begin by monitoring your expenses to understand where your money flows, and establish a written budget for each pay period. (See also: 5 Steps to Successful Budgeting)
These manageable tasks can be easily repeated, but remember to avoid rushing ahead. Build positive momentum during the summer months, allowing this newfound dedication to evolve into lasting habits well before the holiday season arrives. (See also: 25 Bite-Sized Money Resolutions to Make This Your Best Year Yet)
Seek accountability partners
Utilize positive peer pressure as a powerful tool to stay committed. This could entail finding a workout buddy, someone to hold you accountable with your smoking habit, or forming a financial club that meets regularly to discuss monetary aspirations and strategies. Human beings are not meant to navigate life’s challenges in isolation. Thus, enlisting a partner in your journey toward achieving your goals can make a significant impact.
Sharing your vulnerabilities can feel intimidating. It’s not easy to let others in on the fact that we don’t have everything figured out. The reassuring truth is that your loved ones likely recognize your imperfections already; we all have them. By supporting each other, friends and family members can also find encouragement to revive their own New Year resolutions. (See also: This Trick Could Help You Finally Pay Off Your Debt)
Start your day by making your bed
Make your bed every morning.
This simple practice is credited by former Navy SEAL and four-star admiral William H. McRaven for his success. In an interview with USA Today, he remarked, “There’s a power behind making your bed every morning. Master the small tasks; completing them properly can lead to success in many other areas.”
His book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life … And Maybe the World, explores how accomplishing a small task like making your bed first thing can influence your entire day positively. When you start your day with a sense of achievement, that feeling of momentum can empower you to take on more demanding tasks with enthusiasm.
Try this for the next three months: begin your day by making your bed and observe how it contributes to your progress on those resolutions by Labor Day.
