This year, I am not focusing on resolutions. Usually, when I make resolutions, I don’t put in nearly as much work as I need to make the changes. Some work may be put in for a few weeks, but eventually, the “New Year New Me” energy burns out, leaving me the same as before due to burnout, disinterest, or just a general lack of motivation. As a gym goer, the gym is busiest in January, and by the time February rolls around, the number of people typically at the gym has divided in two. Once March arrives, only the regulars and a couple of the “New Year New Me” survivors are left in the mix.Â
Instead of focusing on resolutions, I’m going to be focusing on goals. I am going to be as specific as possible and find places in my routine where I can easily slide these goals into place. Being more action-oriented and specific will help keep these goals consistent in my routine. Here are a few goal suggestions to get you started, if you’re interested! Some of these are the ones I am implementing for this year.
Waking up at 6:30 every morning
This is a goal I am implementing this year. Instead of just saying “I am going to start waking up earlier,” I am going to implement a specific time and stay consistent with it. To ensure that I get enough sleep, I am going to give myself a mandatory bedtime window of 10:30-11:30. That means no matter what homework I have left, I am going to bed and returning to it in the morning. Keeping consistent with the times you go to bed and wake up is important because it helps regulate the body’s sleep and wake cycles.Â
Exercising 4 days a week at minimum
Instead of saying “I am going to start working out more,” I am planning out a routine in my calendar for a few days a week. Starting with a smaller number makes the goal less daunting, and once I get the smaller number of days consistent for several months, I am going to move my goal up to more days. I started with a goal of three days a week last year at minimum, and since I have been good at staying consistent with three days a week, I am moving up to four days a week! Being specific and using my calendar to plan helps me stay accountable and motivated. If you would like to work out more, you can go any number of days you want a week, but I suggest starting with a lower number if you’re starting from scratch to ensure you don’t burn yourself out and move up from there!
Buying only healthy food at the store
We’ve all been guilty of eating too much sugar at some point. I have a bit (I’m lying, I have too much) of a sweet tooth, so limiting sugar intake is difficult for me sometimes, especially when it’s nearing that time of month. I found in the past that instead of just saying “I am going to eat less sugar” more generally, I decided that when I go to the grocery store, I am only buying healthy food. No processed or sugary foods are allowed. I found that buying only healthy food stopped me from eating as much sugar because I didn’t have direct access to it at all hours of the day. I’d have to stand up, get dressed, put on my shoes, leave my apartment, and search for a sweet treat, which is too difficult to do when I am comfortable and cozy in my apartment. I’ll allow myself sugar when my roommate bakes or if I’m out eating with friends, but in general, since my apartment will have no sugar for me to eat, I will eat less sugar no matter what if I don’t buy it.
Maintaining a screentime of 2 hours or less
I am a pretty competitive person, even when I am competing against myself. I added the screen time widget to my home screen so that I can see how much time I’ve spent on my phone every time I exit an app. Believe it or not, keeping the widget on my home screen has helped me keep tabs on how much time I’ve spent on my phone, which is too much. To keep my screen time down and prioritize staying present this year, I am going to give myself a mandatory two hours of screen time or less rule. You can even set a time limit on your phone, so you can’t ignore when you have been on your phone for too long. Giving myself a limit enables me to feel guilty every time my screen time dips above two hours, which motivates me to stay off my phone. It also helps me realize that once I hit one hour, I need to slow down and use my phone less throughout the day.
More ideas:
These ideas are either ones I have already implemented or ones I plan on implementing at some point this year once I have time!
- Sleeping at least eight hours a night
- Giving yourself at least thirty minutes of wind-down time a night (which means no homework!)
- Reading a chapter of a book a day
- Completing a Duolingo (or any other learning platform) lesson a day
- Making time blocks in a calendar to put a stop to procrastination
- Going on a solo date a week to give yourself “me” time and build independence and confidence
- Drinking at least 1L of water a day
- Meditating for five to ten minutes (or more, if you’re good at staying consistent!) a dayÂ
- Journaling for five minutes a day
The best way to formulate goals is to be as specific and action-oriented as possible. The specifics of each idea are not set in stone – they are just meant to get you thinking about how you can implement these ideas in your life and make them habits. I hope these ideas helped inspire you to make some changes this year. Good luck!