Ten Ways to Make This Year Productive
Are you looking at the new year and thinking about how to be more productive, healthy, and intentional? Or perhaps you’ve made resolutions and already broken them. Not to worry—you are not alone.
The answer may lie in fewer, more manageable actions that help you achieve lasting change. Whether you implement one, two, or several of these actions when starting the new year, here are ten ways to better yourself, have more peace, and embrace your calling.
1. Set SMART Goals
Consider setting SMART goals after reflecting on the past year and identifying what worked and needs to be adjusted. SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Setting goals with specific parameters helps ensure they are attainable within a specific timeframe. This removes the guesswork, establishes a clear timeline, and allows you to track progress easily and identify any tasks or milestones that have been missed.
2. Design a Vision Board
A vision board is a creative, fun, and motivating visualization tool. It can improve your chances of success and help you have an optimistic and confident outlook on the year. There is no set way to do a vision board, and you are only limited by your creativity. Try a smaller scrapbook or journal if a board feels too much. The point is to have a visual representation of how you define success.
3. Declutter
Organizing and removing what you don’t use or need in your personal and professional spaces can help you start fresh, reduce distractions, minimize stress, improve time management, and think more clearly. The golden rule to successfully decluttering is to focus on one small area at a time, whether you start in your physical environment or digital files.
4. Establish a Morning Routine
An established and consistent morning routine is essential to a fruitful year, but the morning can be challenging. Most look for their phone or computer as soon as they wake, but that can start the day on a stressful note. As you establish your a.m. routine, look for ways to unplug from technology and find an offline activity that rejuvenates you. This could be breathing exercises, reading, journaling, walking, or any activity that rejuvenates you.
5. Prioritize Health and Wellness
Yes, I am sure you have heard this one a thousand times—we all have. But because it affects so many areas of our lives, it is worth repeating. Even if you choose only one area to focus on, every bit of effort helps. Instead of taking drastic action with a high rate of failure, try prioritizing something simple like getting 5-10 minutes of physical activity daily, striving for an earlier bedtime, and having one balanced meal. The goal is progress, not perfection.
6. Build Better Habits
According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, our lives are a sum of our habits, and what we do each day ultimately forms the people we are, the way we believe, and the personality we portray. Three key points mentioned in Atomic Habits include:
- Never underestimate the value of making small improvements daily.
- If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. It’s your system.
- You’ll start believing new things about yourself when you change your habits for good.
7. Reconnect
Reconnecting with others has many benefits, some of which can lead to a longer life, better health and well-being, reduced anxiety, and a greater sense of belonging. So, it is worth the time and effort to prioritize it. Ways to connect include reaching out to friends and family with a thoughtful message, participating in a new social activity, volunteering your time or talents, or starting a book club or dinner group. The purpose is to find a way to be in the community.
8. Get Your Finances in Order
A CreditWise survey found that 73% of Americans rank their finances as the number one stressor. Creating a financial plan will help you take control of your finances and better manage money. Whether preparing for personal goals or evaluating your organization’s budget, getting your finances in order will help you identify what you want to achieve and set a foundation.
9. Invest In Others
Investing in others means taking the time to connect more deeply. This could be done by having consistent one-on-one conversations, helping people finish and champion projects, offering mentorship, or being someone others can bounce ideas off of. Investing in others builds trust, brings out the best in people, and increases loyalty. These are all things that contribute to a productive year.
10. Learn Something New
The possibilities are endless, depending on your interests. The idea is to broaden your horizons and feed your natural curiosity. Investigating, learning about, and paying attention to something new in the world helps to become less focused on ourselves, and that’s where true change begins.
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Sources:
https://www.yourmoneyline.com/blog/financial-stress-and-mental-health-statisitcs
https://www.usbank.com/financialiq/plan-your-future/manage-wealth/setting-financial-goals-tips-to-practice-through-the-year.html
