As a part of my New Year’s resolution, I made a list of goals I wanted to complete by the end of the semester. Having said that, the past couple of weeks have been difficult. I’ve had to come up with ways to keep track of my goals, and to make sure I was on my way to accomplishing them. Below are some tips that have helped me keep up with my New Year goals!
1. Set your goals.
This is both an obvious and crucial first step. If you don’t have any idea of what you want to accomplish, take a minute and think. Is there a specific internship that you want to land, a place you’ve always wanted to travel to, or a skill that you want to improve? Think of anything you desperately wanted to do last year, but never had the opportunity to.
Once you’ve come up with a goal (or goals), write them down in your favorite notebook, on a pretty piece of stationary or even on your phone. Write your goals down in a place that you see often so that you never forget about them!
2. Have a game plan.
If you don’t put any effort or change into your routine, you won’t see any results. And it’s especially hard to get to an end result without having a plan. You wouldn’t go on a road trip without mapping out how you’re going to get to your final destination, right?
Make a game plan! It doesn’t have to be long, but make sure you at least have one. Have a specific starting point, a deadline and an end goal. When you have those three things, I can promise you that you’ll achieve your first goal (trust me, it’s already worked for me).
3. Make sure you have coffee.
It’s no secret that it’s hard to smile before that first cup of coffee. So why deprive yourself of some serious fuel to help you get through your goals? Grab a cup of coffee (hot or iced, totally up to you), and get started! Take the steps you need to, in order to knock each goal off of your list. Whether it be making an appointment with your advisor, opening up a boring textbook or buying a calendar to stay more organized, do it! If you’re not into coffee, just substitute some nice caffeinated drink instead.
4. Be productive!
Although you may disagree, people tend to be the most productive earlier in the day. Both your mind and body are well rested from the night before. Always plan on accomplishing your toughest tasks in the morning, so you’ll feel a whole lot better for the rest of the day. An added plus? Drink your coffee in the morning, and watch your list get shorter and shorter as the day goes on.
5. Don’t forget to take time for yourself.
In a world where everyone is constantly connected, its easy to get caught up. It’s always important to take some time for yourself. It doesn’t have to be long, and it doesn’t have to always be time spent doing something productive. Believe it or not, taking some time out for yourself is being productive. Give yourself (and your mind) some time to breathe, stop and regroup. Get some time to re-evaluate what you’re doing, and you will probably be more productive in the long run. So don’t forget to take a little break once in a while! Even Queen Bey needs a break sometimes.