In a few hours, we will be waving 2021 goodbye as we usher ourselves and loved ones into the new year. 

However, before that transition happens, it is not uncommon to find yourself thinking deeply about the outgoing year between the end of the year and the beginning of the next year.

…We would often think about the choices we made in the previous year and what effects they had on us. We would also think about the goals we had hoped to achieve at the beginning of the year-sort of like a balance sheet, but this time, your goals are what’s been analyzed. And then, while we are reevaluating our lives, we find ourselves making resolutions for the new year.

Everyone would agree that new year resolutions are the perfect opportunity for a fresh start, outline your goals for the coming year, and make changes that would push your life in the right direction. Sadly, many people are always in a rush to list their resolutions but when faced with the realities of following through with it, let’s just say they are never as hasty. This is because we often make unrealistic resolutions, and when goals are unrealistic, you find that there are no cut-out pathways to achieving them.

In this article, I will be outlining the most common new year resolutions and effective ways to help you achieve them.

• Lose weight; The statement “lose weight” is ambiguous. Firstly, what do you mean by “lose weight”? Instead of writing lose weight on your list, state clearly how much weight you want to lose and how you’d be going about it. This way, you have a clearly defined goal, and a means to achieve it. Say something like, “I weigh 100kg, and I want to lose 30kg of that weight this year. I hope to lose at least 3kg every month for the next 12 months. I’d do this by working out three times a week and eating healthy.”
  
  
• Become debt-free; One way to become debt-free is to live below or within your means. First of all, to become debt-free, you need to have a source of income. So if you don’t have a job already, you might want to start with that. Next, based on your earning power, you need to have a comprehensive budget for the month or year. Prioritize important things like the budget on housing, feeding, clothing, medical expenses, phone bills, and other necessities. You’d allocate a fraction of your total earnings after paying tax to pay off debts in that budget. You know exactly what’s using up the most money and make adjustments if need be.
  
  
• Spend less time on social media; Social media has become a serious addiction among many demographics. If you have recognized that you may be having the same problem, then it is time to make a change. To spend less time on social media, you need to decide how much social media is too much. For someone who earns money via social media content or influencing, 3-4hrs a day on a social platform is not too much. But if you use it for just entertainment, then 2hrs should be enough. Spending less time on social media than you’d normally do means that you’d have some extra hours in the day when you’d be doing nothing. To avoid the temptation of staying on your phone during that period, take on new hobbies that would benefit you.
  
  
• Eat clean; When you are used to eating anything and everything, it might be tricky to transition into clean eating. Notice that I said “very tricky,” not “impossible.” Firstly let me say that eating healthy isn’t cheap. It is not as cheap as eating junk food. To eat healthier, you need to know what you eat and how you eat it (quality and quantity). You also need to know your eating habits too. Are you an emotional eater? Let’s face facts; it is irrational to believe that you can eat clean while being a loyal customer to every new restaurant that opens up in your city. Like I said before, eating clean requires that you are aware of what you are eating—both ingredient-wise and method of preparation. In my opinion, the best way to eat clean is by cooking your meals yourself or paying a professional to do it for you.
  
  
• Stop procrastinating; Procrastination is the number one killer of dreams. Procrastination negatively impacts your work, relationship with people, and creativity. To stop yourself from procrastinating, have a to-do list. Each day, outline all you need to do. Prioritize the more important things over the less important ones. Always finish a task before jumping to the next. Also, create time to rest. On very busy days, take a 30-80minutes break before continuing all you need to do. You are ticking things off your list while maintaining the energy required to complete the remaining task. 

Having new year resolutions is great, but the important thing is seeing them through. The trick to achieving your new year resolves to ensure they are realistic. Once your goals for the new year are realistic, you can outline a pathway that you would be following to ensure you see long-term changes in your life.

There’s no limit to how many positive changes you can make in life. Start somewhere and finish strong!