New Year’s resolutions are common, but often people fall short of these goals because of the amount of time they give themselves to meet them. Similarly to a new year, a new month is indicative of a clean slate. You can take advantage of this clean slate by making goals at the start of each month that you wish to achieve by the end. Often, these targets are easier to attain because the amount of time you have to do so is shorter. Meeting goals can also make you feel good. For example, I feel great after seeing confetti on my canvas submission screen whenever I’ve completed an assignment. Making goals at the start of each month and meeting them by the end provides the same reward. Below are some benefits I’ve experienced from writing down my goals at the beginning of each month.
I find that I often have goals that are recurrent each month, like eating healthier, working out a few times a week, spreading my bed each morning, and reading more. The more I make and meet these goals each month, the more inclined I am to do them whether or not I’ve made a note to. In addition to being able to do fulfilling things without thinking about it, writing down goals helps me to combat procrastination.
College students have been known to procrastinate. Often, we lose track of time and wait until the last minute to do something that may be important. Goal-making can combat this because in a way, it is a plan. If you have a list of things you plan on getting done early in the month, you have given yourself a few weeks to do so. You can have mental deadlines in order to meet these goals. For example, if you give yourself 4 goals for the month, you have at least a week to complete each of them. Essentially, A month offers enough time to manage and fulfill these goals. So, even if you procrastinate, you are more likely to achieve some goals you make. If I set out a few objectives for myself to meet by the end of November, I will have a few things done that I may not have had done if I didn’t tell myself I needed to get them done.
Personally, when I finish all of my assignments, I take it as a sign to relax. During this time, I often find myself wondering what to do. Rather than using all of my relaxation time to binge watch a new Netflix show, I try to use this time to be productive and meet goals outside of my school work. Essentially, if you have a personal goal to meet, it can be done during those times when you feel like you have “nothing to do”. Using my free time to do things I’ve set out for myself each month, like reading more, has made me feel more productive.
Most importantly, you are more likely to achieve your goals when you plan ahead. The 3 benefits I’ve experienced from making goals at the start of each month are forming good habits, procrastinating less, and feeling more productive. You have nothing to lose, and it is still very early in November. Try making a short list of things you want to have accomplished by the end of this month. It will act as an incentive to complete them all!