How to Achieve Your New Year's Resolutions

Now that it is the start of a new year, many of us have goals that we have set that we want to achieve. Whether your goal is to go to the gym more, to eat healthier, to get better grades, to find a new job, etc. You won’t be able to achieve your goal unless you stop procrastinating, and start being more productive throughout the day.

Procrastination is something that a lot of people struggle with, including me, which is why last year, I did some research, tested out different techniques, and have made this list of things I found to be effective in increasing productivity.

Now, without further a due, let’s get started!

1. Make a Physical List

The first thing I do to ensure I have a productive day is to make a physical list of everything I need to get done that day. I find that writing everything down helps keep me organized and reduces the risk of me forgetting something important I may have to do.

2. Divide and Conquer

The next thing I do is break down those big tasks into smaller pieces. Sometimes having a big task to do can be intimidating, and because you know it’s going to be a lot of work, you keep putting it off until later. By breaking a large task down into smaller achievable duties, you are more likely to get started right away, and it takes off some of that pressure. Then, before you know it, you have completed the original task that seemed so hard at the beginning. Here’s an example, let’s say you want to clean your room, but it’s super messy, and you know it will take a long time. Divide your room into sections, make a list of each section, and cross off each one as you go. So, instead of writing down “clean my room”, you can write “put my dirty clothes in the laundry hamper”, “make up my bed”, “clean off my dresser”, and so on. Each time you accomplish one of these small tasks, you feel good, and it makes you more willing to start the next one. This technique works well for me, and I get great results when using it.

3. Plan Out Your Day

The third thing I do to stop myself from procrastinating is to take that list I made earlier and create a full schedule for the day. In this schedule, I give myself a specific time to start and end each task. This allows me to see how much time I will be spending on each task, and it makes me more likely to get everything done because I have no time to slack off. I try to use my schedule as a guideline for my day and follow it as much as possible. However, if I feel I need a break a bit earlier, I give myself one. If I need more time on a specific task, I will take that extra time. It’s all about balance and being able to allow yourself more time when you need it, but not going too extreme, where you end up extending your break too far and not getting anything done.

4. Turn Off Your Phone

The next thing I like to do before I start a task is to put my phone on silent or on do not disturb. My phone can be very distracting, and every time I get a notification, I want to check it right away. By putting my phone on silent or turning it off, it frees me from any distractions my phone may cause.

5. Take Breaks

The last tip I have for increasing productivity is to take breaks. There is no point in forcing yourself to work if you know that you’re not giving it your best. So, between each task, or whenever you get tired, it is important to take a quick break and allow yourself to have that moment of rest which, will put you in a good place so that you’re ready to start the next task and give it your all.

These are the things I do to stop procrastinating and to increase my productivity. I hope you give them a try and that they work for you as well!