The relaxing month of January is over. I hope you’re still feeling motivated and excited for what lies ahead. Did you make resolutions at the start of the year? Gym memberships, weight loss programs, tertiary course enrolments and new job applications all skyrocket in January, but now the month is over and how are we going? What happens when our good intentions run out of steam? How do you keep going when it gets harder?
Many people have broken their New Year’s promises to themselves by the time February ticks over, which can be a frustrating and disappointing way to begin the year. The popular resolutions of quitting smoking and losing weight can become derailed at the first sign of an increased workload or stress that wasn’t present during the holiday season – the time these promises were made.
Visualise your ideal path for 2012.
If you’re going to add an activity (ie. going to further your education) you need to remove one. If you are going to exercise, or study, or learn a new skill it will take up some of your precious time, so instead of just cramming in endless amounts of responsibilities, targets and goals, be sure to make or create some time to achieve them. Think beyond that relaxed holiday feeling to the times when your workload is higher and your free time is scarcer.
Sure, you can fit in a morning run every day now, but when you’re back working 60 hours a week and barely sleeping how will you shift your expectations? Set achievable goals, and regularly assess whether or not they’re appropriate. New Year’s resolutions often refer to life changing habits – but it may be better to just focus on a solid start these next few days, to build momentum and feel great by the end of February.
If it’s a bad habit you’re trying to break then you need to get an understanding of why you’re doing it. Smoking is a habit surrounded by the need for ritual, relaxation and thinking time. It provides a lot of comfort for the smoker, a little emotional crutch to lean on. If you’re going to remove this then strategies are needed for when you go to look for that emotional crutch. The same for other habits – understand what it is that you get out of them, then find a substitute.
One of the main reasons for these break downs in motivated activities is that they have to fit in with the various teams we are all a part of. Most SmartCompany readers are part of a team, but they may also be leading a team of workers. In terms of work/life balance we’re all part of families that we have to work with to get the best out of ourselves. Your responsibilities in the workplace need to be balanced with those outside it. It’s perhaps the biggest challenge facing professionals today as men and women move forward with careers and ambition. Work closely with the people that rely on you – discuss ways that they can help you achieve your new goals, but also discuss ways that you can help them. If you have had a false start already this is a way to get back on the horse and work out a way to lay the foundations for a more successful approach.
Starting the year with all guns blazing can really undermine your ability to succeed in your goals. Think of it as a marathon rather than a sprint, and with new habits treat February as a warm up if January was a false start. Habits, both good and bad, take a long time to build. It’s not as easy as flicking a switch because the New Year has ticked over. If a habit has been built up over years it’s difficult to believe it could be changed instantly. Stepping out of the comfort zone in small increments is a much more effective way of creating change.
Most people start the year with a positive mindset. It is the best habit you can adopt, but it can be tested, particularly if you’ve broken a New Year resolution. It’s easy to fall into negative thought patterns such as “I’ll never be good enough…” or “I keep letting myself down, maybe this is just who I am?”
Everybody stumbles at different points – the difference between those who succeed and those who ultimately fail is that some people accept the drawbacks as part of the journey.
So if you’ve fallen off a wagon go back to that New Year list and start again, or make a list now and make February a powerful and rewarding month. Simple as that! Give it a go with the message “I’m going to give this my best shot”.
Eve Ash, co-author of Rewrite Your Life! and Rewrite Your Relationships! has been producing a wide range of videos and DVDs for creating a positive mindset, like Switch On Everyone, and has recently produced comedy videos like Developing Successful Mindsets and Staying Motivated at Work.
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