While each new year brings up a new list of resolutions, many of us struggle with actually keeping them. 

The first week of the year is a breeze, but after that it can get tough to continue forming new habits and routines. For those of you who are in this predicament, below is a set of tips and tricks which we hope will help you increase your chances of achieving your 2024 goals.

1. Break Down Big Goals or Long-Term Goals into Baby Steps: It’s okay to dream big! It’s just important that when doing so, you make a plan. Try breaking down large, arduous goals into small, achievable steps. Just like starting with shorter runs when training for a marathon, you can start with smaller goals and build up. Small victories build momentum and confidence, which leads to long-term success. 

2. Be Specific: Rather than a general goal, like “save money” or “eat more healthfully,” have a specific goal in mind that you can track. “Save money” can be “put $100 in my savings account every month” or “reduce delivery orders to fewer than twice a week.”  “Eat more healthfully” can be “only eat meat twice a week” or “eat breakfast everyday.” Having clear goals helps you reach them!

2. Consider Monthly Resolutions: Rather than yearly resolutions, some people (and some goals) may work better with monthly resolutions. Having a fresh new start each month can be helpful for people for a variety of reasons; it can help people to set more achievable goals (as mentioned above), it helps practice regular tracking of goals, and allows you to make adjustments to your goals as life changes, just to name a few. Check out these Business Insider or HuffPost articles on the advantages of monthly resolutions for more info.

3. Give Buffer Time: Things are easier said than done. While a goal may have sounded achievable when it was being set, we may find that we didn’t give ourselves enough time. Plan a little extra time so that you can comfortably finish your goal even if life throws you a setback.

4. Learn from Your Past “Failures”: For those of us who know the feeling of a goal being nothing more than a sentence on paper, it may be helpful for us to turn these “failures” into lessons. Why did the goal go unachieved?: Did we give up halfway through? Did we not have proper accountability? Did life get in the way? Find out what stopped the goal from being achieved and try to make a plan to get ahead of it. For instance, if you failed to eat breakfast everyday because you were often in a rush in the mornings, try having grab-and-go items available for those busy days. 

5. Set Both a “What” and a "Why": Journal every night before bed. Read two books a month. Call my uncle once a month. Why are these important to you? Thinking about and understanding what you gain from achieving your goals will help you focus on the reason behind the goal and give additional motivation to stick to them.

6. Celebrate Successes: Along with setting baby steps as mentioned above, celebrate them! Recognize your progress and each step you have taken towards reaching your goals. While keeping your eyes on the prize and seeing where you’re going, don’t forget to look back and celebrate how far you’ve come. Taking time to celebrate your progress will help keep you moving forward towards your goals and acknowledging the work you are doing to achieve them. 

7. Plan for Setbacks (and How You Will Overcome Them): Celebrate the good days, but also, be ready for the bad ones. You may get a cold that keeps you from going to the gym, you may go to a party and fall behind on homework...and that’s okay! What is important is how we get back on track. Don’t give up even if you do have those bad days. Some people even plan a backup plan for their “cheat days”, such as planning to go to the gym an extra day after you have an off week, or making a rule to have a study-day-in after a fun-night-out. Either way, the goal is getting back on course.

8. The Goal is Progression: Focus on continuing your goals rather than hitting specific benchmarks. While setting benchmarks can be motivating and planning for setbacks is helpful, placing too much emphasis on them can lead to feelings of failure and defeat. By shifting the focus towards continuous improvement and progress, individuals can appreciate the journey and adapt their goals as needed. This approach allows for greater flexibility, resilience, and a deeper understanding of the learning process. Embracing the idea of continual goal pursuit promotes a more dynamic and resilient attitude, ultimately leading to long-term success and a sense of accomplishment.

9. Embrace the Buddy System: Talk about your resolutions with supportive friends, family members, or a therapist. They can encourage you or support you on your way to your goals. If you benefit from extra accountability, try asking them for support in tracking your progress towards your goals. For those who prefer app-based trackers, there are plenty out there to help you track your progress. This extra support may be what is needed to help you succeed!

Whatever your 2024 resolutions, we hope these tips and tricks will help you reach your goals to make it your best year yet! 

Happy New Year from Asana!