Project Girl 2 Woman

New Years Resolution 2023 – How to Stick to your Goals

Do you struggle with your new year’s resolution? Have you achieved your goals last year? Or did you give up halway through?

Sadly when a new year starts the alarm clock doesn’t suddenly turn into your best pal. Pizza doesn’t suddenly look any less yummy. And work doesn’t spontaneously turn into a piece of cake.

Thoughts will creep in. I am tired I can work on my side hustle tomorrow. A piece of chocolate would be really comforting right now… Do my goals really matter?

Now the biggest question you probably struggle with is: How do I make myself stick to my plans? Where do I get the willpower and self-discipline to not sleep in on a Saturday morning? I really don’t feel it. How can I get myself to work out.

Let’s jump right in: How to stick to your goals:

Set realistic goals and start small
No skipping, no excuses
Find partners in crime
Don’t question yourself or your goals
Enjoy what you are doing
Figure out what triggers your motivation

Set realistic goals:

Your goals need to be achievable. Its very unlikely that you will be a millionaire in a year. The same goes for when you write down too many goals at once. (Speaking from experience, I always wrote down too many new year resolutions and already I felt so burned out after a week that I gave up.) Check out The 12 Week Year Method and SMART goals to set up your goals for success and increase your productivity during the journey.

Read the complete guide of goal setting here

Start small. Imagine you play a racing game and each time you finish a small goal you’ll get a speed up. The more tiny goals you achieve, the faster you get. You’ll get momentum. With each small goal you achieve you’ll get more motivated. Keep it going do a little each day or it’ll be so much more difficult to start new without the momentum carrying you.

The trap of “I don’t feel like it” - Why skipping will make you quit

What if i feel sick? What if work is so busy I can’t find the time? What if the bus is delayed and I get home too late today?

There are a thousand excuses we give ourselves. If we start skipping one day it’s fine right? It’s just 24 hours, right? But 24 hours will turn into 2 days, into a week, and suddenly you are following your old patterns once again. Worst of all you know you are giving yourself excuses and you’ll feel guilty as hell.

Time is not found, Time is made.

30 minutes a day doesn’t seem like much. But with 30minutes a day you can create and sell your first product, you can publish a book, and you can build the essential skills to get that promotion.

Sometime you “just have to do it” like Nike would say. You’ll build your self-discipline and stop your habit of procrastination. Sticking to your plans will get easier over time.

Find partners in crime

Tasks are always more interesting when you do them in a team. Especially when the team members share the same goals and interests.

Just think about it: Your goal is to start a youtube channel in 2022 and increase the traffic of your website. Joining a discord group, or looking for YouTubers in the same category, can help you gain more knowledge from people who are ahead of you.

You can find collaborations that will push your channel forward. Or you can share problems and struggles and get feedback from people who live or lived through the exact same circumstances.

There are thousands of discord and Facebook groups online and with a bit of Googling you will also find a private WhatsApp group you fit in.

Don't question yourself and your goals

There will always be bad days, where you worked your butt off but you couldn’t get everything done. Or when you pushed through weeks and weeks but the estimated results just don’t kick in. Don’t question yourself and don’t question your goals.

Instead ask yourself: Why doesn’t it work out? Why do I not achieve my goals? Are my action steps getting me where I want to go? Did I procrastinate to much at the beginning of the week? Or did I just estimate the time wrong for this project? Why is nobody looking at my work? How can I make it more interesting for my customers? Are there certain skills I need to improve to do better?

Remember: Life is a journey.

It’s useless to beat yourself up for not “being enough”, “doing enough”, or having no or bad results. Stay confident and see it as a challenge to overcome. Grow from it. Learn from it.

Enjoy what you are doing

You need to enjoy what you are doing, otherwise, it will get hard to stick with it day by day. And believe me, 365 days can be a long time. Look at your goal and look at the path you set for yourself – are you burning to do it every day until you hit your goal? Is there a better way to achieve it?

Figure out what triggers your motivation

How can I motivate myself to achieve my goals?

Even when you love the journey, there will be days you want to hold onto your blanket and stay in bed. Or you sit in front of your notebook, but the document stays empty. You need a good motivation boost asap.

And as we all know, motivation doesn’t come on its own.Take notes on what makes our heart flutter, what makes you jump in excitement. How can you recreate that feeling?

Maybe it’s a movie character or a song, your favorite TedTalk, or an inspiring YouTuber. Or maybe it’s your favorite podcast launching every week. Of course, it can also be actions, like cleaning your house or working outside in a coffee shop. Find what works for you and use it to your advantage.

Get inspired by 22 New Beginnings Quotes for the New Year

BONUS TIP: The quick fix.

Are you just reading this post and procrastinating on something important? Not working out as you are supposed to? No motivation to work on your goal? I want you to do this:

Turn on your favourite upbeat music. Close your eyes. Breath in breath out. Start your task. Don’t give your brain enough time to think. Jump right into the task. Like jumping from the 5 meter.

Now it’s your turn to transform your goals into reality – but before you leave: What are your tips on staying committed to your New Year’s resolutions? Share them in the comments below.

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How To Set New Year’s Goals In 2023 Using Brian Moran’s 12-week Year Method

Project Girl 2 Woman

When you are tasked with writing an essay, do you usually finish it at the start or at the end of your time limit? How often have you finished a project just on time? Often, we work really hard in the beginning and at the end while slumping in the middle. The same goes for our new year’s goals.

So, this year to avoid the summer slump I decided to try the 12-week year as recommended by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington in their book “the 12 week year” for my personal goals. According to them a year consists of 12 weeks. After the 12 weeks and a one week break a new year starts. This way your projects are more condensed. You create a sense of urgency. Each day has a lot more weight. You’ll accomplish more of what matters since you have to focus on what’s really important. (Instead of doing the easy tasks) Another plus is that you can adapt your plans better to trends and what’s happening in the world.

Step 1: Set a long-term vision.

In order to choose your 12 week goals you need to know where you want to go in the long term. To know your long term goal, you need to know your values, who you are, what your beliefs are. You have to really figure out where you want to go for now. Here you can find techniques like the stick figure exercise to find out what you want in life.

Step 2: Set New Year's Goals

Living without clear goals is like driving in a thick fog. – Brian Tracy

When you set New Year’s goals, it’s important that you set the right goals. They have to:

actually, get you towards your long-term vision.
they have to be achievable within the time limit.
they have to interest you.

It won’t do you any good if you chose something that feels tedious from the start. Or you won’t be able to work hard on it for 3 months. According to a Swedish study by Oscarsson et al. (2021) it significantly increases your chance to achieve your New Year’s resolutions if you to formulate them in a positive way as approach-oriented goals instead of avoidance-oriented goals.

I will stop eating junk food -> I will start eating a handful of veggies each day.

Brian Moran also emphasized that you should only set 3-4 goals. And that it’s better to excel at a few things than to be mediocre at many things.

Step 3: Create a focused tactical plan

Next you need a weekly action plan for your set New Year’s goals , which you can break down into daily actions.

The focused strategy:

· Plan weekly and daily actions

· Create effective measurements to figure out if you are on track.

· Focus on the execution.

· Try to finish at least 80% percent of your weekly to dos.

As Brian Tracy recommended in his book 21 Steps be proactive and take responsibility to achieve your goals.

Let’s say you want to lose weight:

Strategy 1.: Cook fresh food each day.

Strategy 2.: Stop buying junk food.

Strategy 3.: Do 25 squats each day.

Combine the strategy and consistently work on it. Take daily actions.

Step 4. Review in the 13th week – When time stops

The 13^th week is your break week before the new year starts. You have the time to do a review:

· How do my actions contribute to my vision?

· Which tactics worked?

· What didn’t work?

· How can I adapt my strategy?

· Are you ahead or behind?

· What changed in the market?

· Reconnect to your vision.

You can rest and plan the next 12 weeks. For me, who always feels bad for resting, a time out sounds like a right blessing.

I’ll try this strategy for the next 3 months and keep you posted on how well it worked. What can you do now?

· 1^st set new year’s goals and strategies for your next 3-months.

· Figure out who you really are here!

· Learn about different types of goals and how to set them right here.

· Troubles with procrastination? Start here.

How To Set New Year’s Goals In 2023 Using Brian Moran’s 12-week Year Method Read More »

How to stop Procrastination – Ultimate Guide to outsmart our brains

Project Girl 2 Woman

When the kitchen sparkles the tablet battery is dead and you’ve alphabetically organized all your books and mails you know it has happened. You’ve been procrastinating.

At this point, all non-procrastinators out there will probably say: Stop whining, get it done and over with, but you don’t understand it’s really not that easy!” It’s a battle of wills. Me versus me. It’s like telling an overweight person “Just stop eating.”

Procrastination is like a deja vu gone bad.

You avoid a task. You do something else to feel better. You feel guilt for avoiding the task so you do something else again.

And you get stuck in a never-ending circle.

Until the 24-hour deadline hits you right in the face like a cold splash of water

Okay, way too dramatic.

But if you want to know how to stop procrastinating you need to know why you put off tasks. Today we’ll show you where exactly the root of your procrastination lies and which actions you can take to get back on track.

What is a Procrastinator?

There are several types of Procrastinators, or better, there are several reasons why people procrastinate. In general, a procrastinator is someone who avoids certain tasks or puts them off over and over again. This especially happens when you face a difficult or boring task and a distant deadline. If you’ve ever been in a situation where you have 24 hours to write an 8-page essay – then welcome to the club: You are a procrastinator. (Or whoever set the deadline is …)

What are procrastination triggers?

Tasks are boring
The goal is unclear
The goal is unachievable
I do not know how to actually complete the task
Plans are overwhelming
No end is in sight
I see no prompt rewards
Fear of success, embarrassment, and failure
The task makes me feel uncomfortable
It is important to me and I want to do especially well
I am excited about something else
I am lonely

What are procrastination symptoms?

Pushing tasks to other days
Doing other tasks that are easier/ faster
Making up excuses
Getting distracted by the most boring thing

Do you have procrastination symptoms? Then keep reading. Fighting procrastination can help you be more productive, less stressed, get better results and also avoid arguments when working in a team.

Watch this great TedTalk of Tim Urban talking about Procrastination:

What are 5 Types of Procrastinators

No motivation procrastination
Negative thoughts procrastination
Stress procrastination
Bad time-management procrastination
Perfectionist procrastination

1. No Motivators Procrastinators - I don’t want to …

Don’t want to do anything but stay in bed? No motivation at work? Just think about this question first: What to do when you don’t feel like going to work?

You just go, right? Because a, you would be fired and b, you know it won’t be as bad as your brain is telling you right now.

How do you get work done when you don’t feel like it? – You just jump right into it.

If you wait for motivation to come then you will wait for a long time. Motivation comes when you start working on a project – so you just need to get started.

Write an outline or concentrate on one paragraph if you need to write something. Set up a Google Meeting or write down everything that needs to be done for the project. Sometimes just starting is the best remedy against procrastination.

Now let me warn you, you might feel frustrated and angry at first. Your Relaxo brain is stubborn and it doesn’t like doing anything against its will. Push through, remember it well get easier the longer you do it.

Ways to overcome Procrastination when you lack motivation:

Just start, do one small task at a time
Start with an easy task
Don’t stop when getting irritable
Listen to calming music
Do Not watch motivational vloggers on youtube, you will get distracted
Do a 25/5 Pomodoro (tell yourself that you just need to do one thing)
Combine boring tasks with fun activities (language learning with watching movies)
Remove distractions
No, you don’t need another cup of coffee before this task is done

2. Negative Thoughts Procrastination - I will fail …

Thoughts can make or break us. This counts for every area of our life – our presence, our academic and professional achievements, our social life, just everything. If you procrastinate because you worry about failure you fail by default. By not trying. By not going to the start line. By not playing the game.

There are people who don’t believe in you. Who want you to fail. You need to stick up for yourself. You need to trust yourself. You need to believe in yourself.

Try it. Do your best. Don’t push the task away because you don’t feel ready. Challenge negative thoughts, because they will limit you. And trust me, you don’t want to be limited by what-ifs.

All I have is negative thoughts, what do I do?

Talk to someone who understands you, who doesn’t just shrug you off. Tell them that you are worried or scared of a certain task. Sometimes talking about our feelings and sharing them, makes us realize how small they actually are. Sometimes we just need a few cheering words to keep moving with a newly found strength.

How to avoid procrastination

Boost your confidence with positive affirmations
Share your worries with someone
You will not embarrass yourself by making mistakes. They are natural.
Accept failure as a chance to grow.
Don’t care about other people’s opinions
Do your best and be proud of what you accomplish
Listen to confidence-boosting music
Take deep breaths

3. Stress Procrastination - I have so much to do …

Being a stress procrastinator doesn’t necessarily mean that you are bad with time management. You put off your tasks because they make you feel overwhelmed, you don’t know where to start or how to do it. It simply stresses you out, to the degree where you do your best to avoid it. Take a step back. Breathe.

How do you get stuff done when stressed?

Write the task on top of a piece of paper
After that collect all the steps necessary to finish the task
Prioritize them and/or add responsible people or documents you need
Start with the first step before moving on to the next one.

How to stop Procrastination

Create a clean and calm work atmosphere (A fireplace youtube video always works for me!)
Break your task into tiny steps.
Start with a small and simple task first
Or: start with the most stressful task first if it works better
Adapt to your productivity cycle (work when you can focus best – are you a morning, evening, or night person? )
Do breathing exercises
Work out and burn all that excess energy
Drink tea while working
Reorganize your to-do list

4. Time-Management Procrastination - I have plenty of time I’ll do it tomorrow

Time-Management Procrastination often comes hand in hand with stress or negative thinking. But how much time do you really have left? And how long does it take to finish the task? Do you actually have good time management skills? Or do you underestimate how much time the work really takes?

It is easy to tell us: “Oh we still have 4 weeks left until this task is due” when really we need all those four weeks for the research, the interactions with others, the creation of documents or presentations. The person giving you the deadline (if not self-given) already calculated how much time it would take to finish it.

So instead of thinking about finishing just on time, think about handing it in in the fastest (but also best version!) possible. The faster you finish this one, the less work is summing up on your desk over the next few months, and the less stressed and overwhelmed you will be when the deadline comes closer.

How to avoid procrastination:

Start immediately
Hand it in when you are done, not when the deadline is
Split your tasks into weeks or days and finish a small portion every day
Set up a calendar and mark the deadline, also scratch off past days
Get all your necessary documents and people on board from the beginning
Never push a task to tomorrow “because the deadline is still weeks away”
Plan time buffers in between

5. Perfectionism Procrastination - I’ll get an A+

How to Stop procrastination when it isn’t related to stress or negative thinking or the lack of motivation? What if I started on time and I don’t think it’s overwhelming? I finished the first part but it’s just not — perfect. Something is missing.

Isn’t perfectionism self-sabotaging?

Think about it – how many projects have you never finished because they weren’t good enough? How many manuscripts, how many articles, paintings, videos, presentations, and ideas. Or which tasks did you hand in with the feeling of it not being enough? Even though you put all your efforts into this one thing – it always “could be better”.

“Perfectionism doesn’t lead to results. It leads to fear, anxiety and stress” – a lovely year

Believe me, I know what I am talking about. There are dozens of posts I started and never uploaded because they simply didn’t sound good enough for me. But fun fact – the posts I uploaded and thought they could be better were read more often than posts I actually thought would do great.

Your perfect is not the perfect for someone else.

So take the advice of Haley Wright and “don’t be too hard on yourself”.

How to Stop Procrastination

Be kind to yourself
Finish your task even if it’s not “perfect”
Positive affirmations
Ask someone else (if possible) if your work is alright
Remember “perfect” doesn’t exist
Allow yourself to start with something imperfect, something crappy, and improve it on the go

Thomas Curran explains how dangerous Perfectionism can be: Check out his TedTalk:

Summary:

32 Ways to stop procrastination:

Just start, do one small task at a time
Start with an easy task
Don’t stop when getting irritable
Listen to calming music
Do Not watch motivational vloggers on youtube, you will get distracted
Do a 25/5 Pomodoro (tell yourself that you just need to do one thing)
Combine boring tasks with fun activities (language learning with watching movies)
Remove distractions
No, you don’t need another cup of coffee before this task is done
Boost your confidence by positive affirmations
Share your worries with someone
You will not embarrass yourself by making mistakes. They are natural.
Don’t care about people’s opinions
Do your best and be proud of what you accomplish
Listen to confidence-boosting music
Take deep breaths
Create a clean and calm work atmosphere (A fireplace youtube video always works for me!)
Start with a small and simple task first
Or: start with the most stressful task first if it works better
Adapt to your productivity cycle
Start immediately
Hand it in when you are done, not when the deadline is
Split your tasks in weeks or days and finish your small portion every day
.Set up a calendar and mark the deadline, also scratch off past days
Get all your necessary documents and people on board from the beginning
Never push a task to tomorrow “because the deadline is still weeks away”
Plan time buffers in between
Be kind to yourself
Finish your task even if it’s not “perfect”
Positive affirmations
Ask someone else (if possible) if your work is alright
Remember “perfect” doesn’t exist

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