How To Think Of A New Year’s Resolution

With the new year approaching, now is the perfect time to have a think about making your new year’s resolution.

New year’s resolutions are a chance to make the next year as productive as possible, helping you to become the you that you want to be.

You should treat your new year’s resolutions as goals, and put in the work to keep up with your resolutions.

But how exactly can you think of a new year’s resolution? Keep reading to find out!

Make Your New Year’s Resolution SMART

If you’ve ever set goals before, then you may be familiar with SMART goals. Well, you should treat your new year’s resolution as a goal that you can work towards for the whole year.

SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound. If you want to choose a new year’s resolution that you’re more likely to stick to, then you should follow the SMART framework.

First of all, your resolution should be specific. Vague resolutions are hard to reach, and don’t provide much structure for you to follow.

For example, if your new year’s resolution is to get a new job, then be more specific about the job role, the company, the salary, or the area in which you want a new job. Knowing exactly what you want is sure to make it easier to stick to your new year’s resolution.

Your goals should also be measurable – you should be able to measure your resolution somehow. Sticking to the example of wanting a new job, you could include your desired salary.

When setting a new year’s resolution, ensure that you’ll be able to achieve it. Although dreaming big can be motivating, it’s encouraged to set goals and resolutions that are achievable as it can be disheartening if you fail to keep up with it.

For example, if you’re currently a customer service assistant, it’s unlikely that you’ll become CEO of the company in one year. Be realistic with your resolutions and choose ones that you believe you could actually achieve with hard work and dedication.

Try to think of a new year’s resolution that’s relevant and appropriate. Choosing a resolution for the wrong reasons probably won’t last long, so take some time to consider what’s important to you.

Resolutions often have a deadline. Deadlines are important with goals and resolutions as they give you something to work towards, and when you have a deadline it’s clear when you’ve achieved the resolution.

You can always adjust the deadline during the process, but it’s beneficial to set some form of deadline to keep you on track. Many people set resolutions for the whole year, whereas others may set the deadline at halfway through the year.

Choose a Resolution That You Can Be Excited About

If you’re passionate and excited about the resolution, then chances are, you’ll stick to it and remain invested in achieving it.

Having something exciting to work towards (especially during January and February which can be miserable) can keep you motivated and productive throughout the year.

Learning a new language can be exciting on its own, but to make it even more exciting, why not learn a new language and go on holiday to a country that speaks that language.

For example, if your resolution is to learn French, then why not go on a trip to France? Having something to look forward to is sure to keep you positive and motivated.

Conduct Some Research

Blindly setting resolutions will get you nowhere – it’s always beneficial to conduct some research before working towards any goal or resolution.

Conducting research can help you develop an action plan and set your expectations for deadlines, and ultimately help you decide whether the goal is for you or not.

For example, if your resolution is to lose 3 stone by July, then it’s important to research weight loss methods and choose a plan that’s for you. Failing to do this will most likely result in you losing track and giving up.

Once you have a general idea of your resolution, do some research on Google or read through some books on the topic – this should give you an insight as to how long it will take to achieve the resolution and how difficult the journey will be.

Consider Your Passions

Choosing a new year’s resolution that you’re passionate about is sure to increase your chances of success.

Take some time to consider your hobbies, interests, or passions – things that you enjoy. For example, if you enjoy running, then why not set a resolution to complete a charity marathon?

Have a think about what drives you – what makes you excited inside? Try making a list or a mindmap of these things and consider how you can implement these into a new year’s resolution.

If you enjoy being creative but you’ve never expanded beyond doodles, then why not take up painting and attend classes? Or if you think you’ve got a good voice, why not take singing classes and ultimately try to join a band?

Your new year’s resolution doesn’t have to be material or spectacular – it can be something as simple as ‘make the time to be creative’.

Identify What’s Bringing You Down

If you notice anything hindering you – whether it be personally or professionally, consider what can be done to overcome this.

Identifying your weaknesses is the key to success – knowing what you can improve on gives you a chance to improve and become the best version of yourself.

Take some time to assess what is bringing you down, something that is hindering your professional or personal life, or skills that you could develop.

Your new year’s resolution could be to work on something that is bringing you down. For example, if you’re watching too much TV, then your new year’s resolution could be to limit your TV time to just 5 hours a week – this will give you a chance to focus your efforts on more productive tasks.