Easy and Effective New Year’s Resolutions Ideas!

Snap! And just like that, 2020 is almost over.

Now is not the time to be complacent, though. An uncertainty-filled year may be over, but 2021 is still a year to be reckoned with. (Covid19 new strain enters the group chat.)

Let’s cast that aside and conjure every fiber of hope we still have. After all, the new year is all about a FRESH start. Another lease to step in closer to our aspirations in life.

Approach your New Year’s Resolution in a SMART way!

But first, let’s be rational and be SMART! Treat your new year resolution as a business plan. Look out for the loopholes in your plan and troubleshoot right away. Okay, that is quite a daunting task!

Let’s break it down. SMART is an objective setting technique that fast tracks your progress in achieving your goals. It is an acronym for SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, RELEVANT, and TIME-BOUND.

So, here’s how to get you started on your new year’s list.

UPSKILL

Online learning is not impossible. Although, I have seen firsthand the shortcomings of it coming from a teacher’s perspective. I mean, come on, how are you to learn complex math problems. That’s just tacit knowledge that needs constant practice and supervision.

Nowadays, information is at your fingertips, and knowledge is just a click away. Maybe you are holding off on your hobbies as money is tight this year or enrolling in a class is not feasible. Fret not; even TESDA offers practical skills. If you want to brush up on your computer knowledge, then DOST Caraga-Coursera is right for you.

The good thing about this modular class is that it is TIME-BOUND and MEASURABLE. It has an allotted week to finish a topic, and assessments are administered. Beware of being greedy, though. The courses are overwhelming immense, and you might enroll in most of them. This is not advisable as your focus will be divided, and some topics require time to be absorbed.

BETTER…

The headings should be “character development”, but aesthetic-wise I had gone with the former as it has parallel one-word construction. This may seem vague at first, but it actually traverses SMART goals: SPECIFIC AND ACHIEVABLE.

Life is a journey. It gives us opportunities to grow and challenge us to know our limits. Constant change is imminent, and that includes our character. Self-care is the number on this list. I will not elaborate on this as this is all over the news nowadays. Specifically, eating nutritious foods and enough sleep. Throw in some exercise in your routine as remote work does not also mean a sedentary lifestyle all the way.

For ACHIEVABLE’s sake, foray with the nasty character of yours that has been magnified by this pandemic. Mine is patience and tolerance. Patience to my job’s new normal set up and tolerance to the situation at hand. Self-awareness is my form of evaluation. A short meditation at the end day will reveal if I have hit my goals.

STREAMLINE

Marie Kondo is the bomb this year! Admittedly, this section is the antithesis of the first two. While the other revolves around having more and getting better, this is about having less and downgrading.

Learn to let go of things. There’s a reason why babies are taught the “close-open” game. This pandemic made us realize that we can live simply and survive. We learned that we could forgo eating at our favorite fast-food chains and rare gatherings are to be treasured.

Nevertheless, we still cling to unnecessary things like material things. Purge! If you haven’t worn it for half a year, chances are low that you’ll be reaching for it. How about trinkets that are starting to pile up on your desks?

Timing is everything. We are just passersby in this world. As much as we want to have such a grandiose impact, we’re just a speck of dust within the galaxy (cue: Adam Levine). What we have is the PRESENT that is RELEVANT to us and others. Let’s make the most of it, and do not invest in stress and worries.

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This year is tough! And just because your struggle pales in comparison to others, it should still be validated. We all have our stories to tell and lives to live. Here’s to another year, another you!