I’ve just come home from church were Barry Banks spoke a little on new years as a time to take assess what you accomplished in the previous year, what you would like to change in this year. He also talked about fruits of the spirit and how we should continue to grow spiritually through our lives even when our bodies may be deteriorating. Hope I listened well, Barry, and that this was the gist of it.
This made me think of all the new year’s resolutions I have made in the past... and broken. How do people really follow the resolutions they make? This led me to the Internet where I began reading. It seems that there are many like me with many resolutions broken, but perhaps making better resolutions and having a method of following through could be useful.
Popular Resolutions
According to US government site, the current Popular New Year's Resolutions are
• Lose Weight
• Manage Debt (others say get out of debt)
• Save Money
• Get a Better Job
• Get Fit
Other resolutions include: Eat Right, Get a Better Education, Drink Less Alcohol, Quit Smoking Now, Reduce Stress Overall, Reduce Stress at Work, Take a Trip, and Volunteer to Help Others. Other sites suggest the following: spend more time with family and friends; enjoy life more, learn something new (I hope I continue to do this), get organised (yes, I could certainly return to the de-cluttering at home!), and do something for the environment.
I guess I’ve had most of those resolutions over my life time. The good thing about the US government website is that each resolution is linked to a site to help you accomplish your goals. Ok, so that should help a little.
Help creating resolutions
So why can’t I keep my resolutions? The mydr website suggests that to make goals more attainable, we should make our goals SMART. S is for specific (walk 3 times per week and swim once a week). M is for measurable (not lose weight, but lose 5kilos). A is for Achievable (can I get up early enough to walk before work or get home in time to walk in the evening?). R is for relevant (how does this fit with my long term goals?), and T is for Timely (set a deadline for reaching your target or even set a time line with steps along the way).
The mygoals website suggests the following will help:
• Create a Plan
• Create Your Plan IMMEDIATELY
• Write Down Your Resolution and Plan
• Think "Year Round," Not Just New Year's
• Remain Flexible
Recording progress
Another big help is recording your progress. Yes, I do like to see written records. I think this would help me. I could use a spreadsheet sheet or just write a table on paper and tick off what I do every week. However I found a website that just might be more fun. You might want to see Joe’s Goals an online tool for tracking your progress. It also means your resolutions are more public so you might stick to them more easily.
My resolutions
Ok, here goes... my goals for the next three months will be to:
• Get fitter. Let’s say I’ll be able to walk up three flights of stairs at uni without puffing. I’ll begin this week by walking two days a week for about ½ an hour each day, and will walk the stairs whenever possible at work.
• Start work on a family tree which will go on the web. By the end of 3 months, I’ll have all mom’s work on the family tree completed digitally and connected to all the relevant photos I already have. I’ll begin this week by finding software, organising pictures, and consider putting it on the web for input by others.
I’ll record my progress weekly on the computer, but I may put it on Joe’s Goals as well. Check back with me the second week in April and see if I make it this time...
http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New_Years_Resolutions.shtml
http://www.mydr.com.au/nutrition-weight/new-year-s-resolutions-making-them-work
http://mygoals.com/about/NewYearsTips.html
http://www.joesgoals.com/
