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and procrastination, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to change your decades-long habits and become a neat freak all at once. Instead, focus on one area of your life you want to organize, like keeping your desk mess-free, or resolve to change your mindset by adding meditation to your daily routine. According to psychology professor Susan K. Whitbourne, mental and physical clutter are psychologically linked. If you can get your mind organized with a few minutes of peaceful meditation each day, it will be easier to manage the rest of your life.
tomake that happen. Instead, try resolving to go to bed just 15 minutes earlier. Such a small change to your routine should be easier to stick to, and once you have a streak going, you can move your goal back another 15 minutes until you reach the ideal amount of rest! DON’T RESOLVE TO BE MORE ORGANIZED. DO RESOLVE TO MEDITATE EVERY DAY. Resolving to get organized without a road map to get there is setting yourself up for failure. If you’ve always been prone to clutter
DON’T RESOLVE TO LOSE WEIGHT. DO RESOLVE TO REACH A HEALTHY BODY FAT PERCENTAGE. As the body-positivity movement is constantly reminding us, there is no one-size-fits-all number on the scale that we should strive for. Depending on factors like age, gender, and height, one person’s healthy, ideal weight can be another person’s underweight or overweight. Instead of resolving to lose a set number of pounds this year, aim to bring your body fat percentage into the “fitness” range for your gender and age group. Websites like BMI-Calories.com can help you calculate your current body fat and give you a reasonable goal to shoot for. DON’T RESOLVE TO GET 8 HOURS OF SLEEP. DO RESOLVE TO GO TO BED 15 MINUTES EARLIER. It’s hard to change a habit, which is why most people who set ambitious sleep goals are doomed to fail. If you normally go to bed at midnight but need to hit the sack at 10 p.m. in order to get your full eight hours, it will be extremely difficult to shift your routine overnight
HELP YOUR KIDS ACHIEVE MORE THIS YEAR With Simple and Actionable Goals
assign as much importance to New Year’s resolutions as you do, so by sticking to your own commitments, you can help them stay on track too.
With every new year comes an opportunity to reinvent ourselves or start down a new path toward self-improvement. Making resolutions is a big part of many families’ New Year’s traditions, and parents often have a desire for their kids to take part in that tradition when they’re old enough. Following through on resolutions is tough, especially for young children, but with your help, they can achieve their goals. You are your children’s role model for almost everything, including following through on New Year’s resolutions. So, ask yourself if you follow through on your own resolutions. When you proclaim that you will read more books or finally get a gym membership, do you actually try to do it? Your kids will PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH.
DON’T DO ALL THE WORK FOR THEM.
While it’s important for you to help your kids formulate their goals, be sure that you aren’t taking over. If they’re ultimately responsible for their resolutions, they’ll feel more compelled to keep them. Instead, suggest different goal areas they could improve, such as home, school, or sports, and let them elaborate. When it comes to creating habits, nobody is perfect, so even if your kids falter on their goals in the middle of February, don’t worry. The important thing is that you continue to encourage them every step of the way.
KEEP THINGS SIMPLE AND ACHIEVABLE.
When your kids are forming their resolutions, their first attempts will probably be very broad. Statements like “I want to be more kind” or “I will try to help more around the house” incorporate good values but don’t include any actionable steps. Help your kids think of tangible ways to act on those goals. For example, if they want to be tidier, a good resolution might be for them to clean their room once a week or take responsibility for one household chore every day.
2 • Self-StorageInsider.com
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