In the past, I used to write down my resolutions on the first day of the new year. However, by the second week of the year, I would have already fallen behind on most of them. I realized that this was because I was framing my goals as resolutions instead of habits. I had the right intentions by writing down resolutions such as, “I want to be more productive,” but this vague goal does not hold the same weight as setting intentions to actually incite a change in your lifestyle. For 2021, I decided to set some goals and can say that I am currently following through on most, if not all of them. Here are some of them and how you can modify them to suit your own goals.
- Productivity.
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It is safe to say that as college students, all of us strive to be more productive. Some goals I’ve set for the new year include writing in my planner at least once a day, checking my emails when I wake up and studying for at least two hours a day. These goals are measurable and help me to create a daily routine, which can increase productivity. I also ensure I reward myself for being productive, which includes 20 minutes of phone time after an hour-long studying session or having my favorite snack.
- Health.
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It is simple to say you want to start eating healthier. But, without goals to track your progress, it is not easy to ensure you follow through. Personally, I’ve set goals such as drinking at least 64 oz of water a day, working out for 45-60 minutes at the gym at least three times a week and only eating out once a week. I have always wanted to develop the habit of working out, but without clear goals, this habit never stuck. However, with a more definite and concrete goal, I have seen much more progress with my working out habits.
- Wellness.
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Being in college has made me realize the importance of taking care of not just my physical health, but my mental health as well. With my past experience with burnout, I knew I had to create new habits pertaining to wellness to ensure I was taking care of myself. I have started to develop a nighttime routine, which consists of sanitizing my electronic devices and putting them away, doing my skincare routine and journaling before going to bed. This has allowed me to not only create a routine, but to also explore and jot down my personal self-growth through journaling. I have also dedicated Sundays as my rest days (or at least minimal work days when I am extremely busy), so that I am able to unplug and utilize the time for a mental health day.
These are just some themes for the goals I have set for 2021. All these goals are considered SMART goals, which allows me to be able to track the progress of them and stay committed to achieving them. I definitely encourage everyone to set SMART goals instead of resolutions to create habits that will make 2021 your year to thrive.