Posts Tagged goals

7 Habits to Break in the New Year

“New year, new me!”, goes the saying. That is a daunting task indeed. Besides, I like me, and I don’t necessarily want to change me to a new one! However, I do know that I’ve got some habits—as we all do—that hinder me from being my best self. Habits that may interfere with my sleep and my productivity; that may contribute to a cluttered home; and that keep me from being as active as I’d like. Even habits that don’t bode well for my financial well-being or my physical and mental health. So let’s change that saying to, “New year, better me!” Let’s start with these 7 habits to break in the new year.

1. Tossing mail on kitchen counter

You get home, get the mail, and put it on the kitchen counter. Sometimes it may take days to get to it, and now you’ve got a pile taking up counter space. Break this habit by setting up a system to handle mail. Whether it’s a mail organizer or a few file folders, set up a situation so you can come in, quickly go through the mail in hand, and place items in their proper categories such as “To Pay,” “To File,” and “To Recycle/Shred”.

2. Constantly checking your phone

How many times a day do you think you look at your phone? You may think, “Oh, maybe about 15,” but the reality is probably at least 10 times that. Check your iPhone or Android data to find out. Then go through your phone and change settings so that only the very important apps will send you notifications or alerts. These steps from CNBC can help you with even more detail on how to lower your phone pick-ups. This will be better for your productivity, your social life, and your sense of self!

3. Sitting all day

So many of us are now working from home, which means a lot of hours spent videoconferencing with coworkers and clients. No bueno! Hours of sitting can seriously take a toll on your health, both physical and mental. Get up every 45-60 minutes, even if it’s just to get the mail (natch, don’t toss it on the counter) or use the restroom. If you’ve got a longer break, walk around the block. If you find it tough to take these breaks you might consider a standing desk.

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Why Resolutions Fail…And How to Succeed Instead

January has flown by, and like 80% of those who made New Year’s Resolutions, you may be staring disappointment head-on by the time you get to mid-February. Why are resolutions so hard to keep for the majority of people? Some have even gone the opposite direction and just plain refuse to make resolutions at all, for fear of failing. It’s a new year, though, and it seems such a wasted opportunity not to use this time of year as an opening towards better things—a fresh start with a clean slate. Here are seven reasons why your resolutions may fail, and how to succeed instead.

1. Your resolution is too vague.

Being healthier is consistently the most popular New Year’s resolution, whether it means more exercise, a better diet, or weight loss. It’s an excellent one, but if your resolution is to generally “lose weight” or “exercise more” and you’ve got no specific goals, you’re setting yourself up for failure. There’s just too much grey area. Giving yourself specific targets makes your resolution more achievable. “Lose 15 pounds by Memorial Day,” “Walk 2 miles on the trail every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,” or “Drink no more than 2 cans of soda per week”—these examples are more concrete, clear resolutions to reach for.

2. You’ve created unrealistic goals.

Making a resolution that is too lofty or unrealistic also sets you up to fail. For instance, if you don’t like your job, don’t make a broad goal such as getting promoted or finding a new job in three months. Rather, try creating a list of To-do’s that would help move you towards your goal: 1) Update your resumé and LinkedIn profile; 2) Attend a networking event at least twice a month; 3) Meet with a recruiter by next week. You can check items off your list as you go, knowing that these tasks are helping you work towards your resolution.

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How to Bring Your Goals Closer With a Vision Board

What is a Vision Board and how can it help you reach a goal?

A vision board is simply a visual expression of a goal or outcome you wish to reach. Many interior designers use vision boards to give concrete layout and color scheme ideas to clients who want to transform a space. In the context we are using vision boards, we are giving form to a state of mind or goal. It can also bring understanding to shifts in our lives where we perceive that something is off but are not quite sure

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Are You Monitoring your Long Term Goals?

long term goals

We all have our own individual goals and dreams. They have evolved over our lifetimes as our lives have changed. Long term goals are things that are very important to us. Some goals are really just dreams because we haven’t taken them seriously enough to take any action toward achieving them. What dreams and goals do you have? Can you take some action on them this summer? Talk through your goals with your spouse or partner and take steps toward achieving the life you want.

Some examples:

Long Term Financial and Legal Goals:

  1. Check in with financial advisor to confirm investments are on track for retirement goals.
  2. Revisit any college funds and make sure they are on track.
  3. Create or update your will and last testament.
  4. Create or update living will or medical health care directive.
  5. Revisit your insurance policies including life, umbrella and personal articles policies.
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