Conquering Your New Year’s Resolutions: A Calendar-Powered Guide

How will you be spending New Year’s Eve?

For some, it’s a night of glittering parties and overindulging. Others prefer to have a quiet night at home. There’s a good chance you make vague promises to yourself each year, no matter how you spend your night. After all, about 38.5% of US adults resolve to make New Year’s resolutions each year.

Whether it’s exercising more often, eating less, learning a new language, or writing that book, ambition and aspiration are all on the list. Then comes February, and the resolutions are often forgotten, like deflated party balloons. In fact, only 9% of Americans who make resolutions actually stick to them. Also, according to research, 23% of people give up their resolutions within the first week, and 43% by the end of January.

But this year — how about we break the cycle? How? Using a simple yet powerful tool — we all possess our Calendar.

Chart Your Course – Tap into The Power of Specificity

Getting the most out of the calendar starts with ditching vague pronouncements. It has been proven that setting specific and challenging goals leads to higher performance 90% of the time when people follow these two principles. After all, a specific, challenging goal will motivate you to achieve it more effectively.

Rather than saying, “Get healthy,” define what that means to you. Is it a daily walk? What about weekly yoga sessions? Would you like to cook more meals at home? Always remember: Specificity is key.

Next, break down your concrete goals into bite-size, actionable chunks.

Let’s say you want to run a 5K. During the week, scheduled training runs gradually, increasing in distance and intensity. Are you interested in learning French? Every day, schedule practice sessions that focus on vocabulary and grammar.

Remember, Rome was not built in a day, and your dreams won’t come true overnight. Nevertheless, you will be amazed at how quickly you will progress with consistency and achievable steps.

The Art of Successful Scheduling

Let your calendar be your canvas, waiting to be decorated with your resolutions. Each goal should be given its own dedicated time slot, with the same respect you would with an important meeting.

You might consider scheduling gym sessions, language practice, or writing sprints as non-negotiable appointments. As a result, you not only dedicate space for your goals but also send a powerful message to your subconscious about your commitment.

Embrace the Power of Recurring Events

In most calendars, recurring events are one of the most powerful features. Use this to your advantage. The following ideas may be helpful:

• Do you want to make reading a daily habit? Every morning or evening, set aside 15 minutes for reading.
• Are you dreaming of becoming a piano virtuoso? Make sure to block out recurring practice sessions every week.

When recurring events become a part of your routine, your willpower is no longer required, allowing you to progress effortlessly. Plus, it ensures you won’t schedule anything else during this time.

Visualize Your Victories

There is more to calendars than just scheduling. It is also possible to use them as motivational tools. Specifically, you can use them to celebrate your achievements and track your progress.

If you’ve completed a workout, mark it off with a flourish. Or show pride by coloring in mastered language lessons. As your calendar fills with accomplishments, you will be motivated to keep going.

You can also try Jerry Seinfeld’s productivity strategy, called “Don’t Break the Chain” or “The Seinfeld Method.” Back in the day, in his apartment, he had a calendar with a year’s worth of dates on the wall. When he wrote a joke, he used a red marker to mark a red X next to each date.

“After a few days, you’ll have a chain. Just keep at it, and the chain will grow longer every day,” he explained. “You’ll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is not to break the chain.”

Tame the Temptation Monster

Most of us have been here at some point. It starts out great; you’re sticking to your resolutions like a champ, and then BAM! The ugly head of temptation rears its ugly head again. These temptations threaten to derail your progress: that extra slice of cake, that Netflix binge, that siren song of the snooze button.

The good news is that you can overcome these obstacles with your Calendar’s help.

• Schedule your safeguards. Prepare ahead of time for pitfalls and plan your escape route proactively. Are you stressed out? Taking a stroll in nature is a good idea. Do you have a sweet tooth? Make sure you block out time for meal preparation. If you proactively schedule these “anti-temptation” buffers into your calendar, you will be less likely to give in to impulsive behavior.
• Harness the power of deadlines. The right amount of pressure can sometimes be beneficial. Your calendar is a great tool for setting deadlines for smaller milestones within your resolutions. When you…