New Year, New Work You: A New Take on New Year’s Resolutions

I don’t know about you, but, in only the first three days of 2018, I’ve already read too many articles about new year’s resolutions – which ones to form, how to form them, and how to keep them. I absorbed a lot of useful advice, but I’m tired of reading. So here’s my main takeaway from all of the articles in a nutshell.

Stop being lazy and stop procrastinating.

Yes, I know it’s hard and yes, I know it’s easier said than done. But this is the year you turn off Netflix and get to work instead. This is the year you whip your remote working, coworking-self into shape and start getting some real work done.

Why?

Because this is the year you’re going to think about the big picture.

There’s a reason anyone toils through the work grind every day for years, but it’s easy to forget that reason. So every work day morning this year (don’t forget to give yourself a break on days off), remind yourself of your reason for working. Write it on a piece of paper and stick it on the fridge, tape it to your laptop, nail it to the mirror, or in any spot where you can see it every day.

What’s the reason for working? Well, it’s your reason, not mine. So zoom out and ask yourself these questions.

What do you want to accomplish in your life?

I know it’s a big question, but it’s the most important one so it should be confronted, the sooner the better. When you’re old and looking back on your life, what will you want to see? What will make you happy, through out your life and at the end of your days?

What do you need to do to get to there?

What are the milestones you’ll need to cross through out your life to get to your end goal? When will you need to cross them and how long will it take?

What are you doing to accomplish that goal this year?

What are the milestones or milestone you can work on this year and how?

What are you doing to accomplish that goal today?

Focus, each day, on work aimed directly at accomplishing the bigger life goals, by breaking it down into smaller steps.

Write Questions and answers 1-3 on the piece of paper, but write down the 4th only as a question, to be answered anew every day, giving you fresh motivation through a reminder of your reason to work and live.

Lower the pressure you might be feeling right now by reminding yourself that your life and goals can always. This doesn’t have to be the only thing you work for in your long life. But if it’s something you want now, then it’s worth spending some time on, at least in the near future.