Have you finished up those New Year’s Resolutions? If not, don’t stress! I found myself doing some last minute polishing a few days into the New Year, so we’re in this together. But, we all know how difficult it can be to keep up with our goals as the year progresses, so go ahead and at least get a few goals on paper (or saved on your phone). Just make sure that you have them listed somewhere where you’ll actually see them on a weekly or monthly basis as you’ll want to keep yourself in check. In fact, here are some tips to help keep you on track as you move forward…

1. Use SMART Goals. Making a vague list of things you’d like to accomplish can be tempting, but by using the SMART Goal strategy, you are forced to break down your resolutions into manageable daily tasks. Remember, SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Trackable.
2. Focus on the Attainable. We all know how many of our goals we give up on within the first month because we forgot about them, or suddenly they seem too hard to achieve. Rather than focusing on what you’d like to achieve in the entire year, focus in on what you’d like to achieve in one month, or even in one week. If your goal is to reach out to 1,000 new business prospects this year, break it down! That’s 84(ish) per month… or 21 per week… or more importantly 4.2 per work day. We can do 2 new outreaches in the morning and another 2-3 after lunch, right? That’s attainable!
3. Plan Your Breaks. When you’re setting your goals and thinking about all the things you can accomplish this year, it’s easy to feel like you’ll never slow down… but we all need breaks. Whether it’s blocking out your annual family vacay, or just building in some “me time” to your schedule, remember that we all need mental and physical breaks. View these breaks as a stepping stone to reaching your goals, not a roadblock holding you back.
4. Celebrate the Small Stuff. Every small win you earn is one step closer to your overall goals, so celebrate! Create a tracking system to help you visualize your progress towards your progress. Every time you look at the tracker, it’s a small celebration. Choose important milestones along the way to take yourself out to dinner, buy yourself a new gadget, or otherwise treat yo’ self for staying on the path to success.
5. Adjust as You Go. As much as we would like to, no one can predict the future. Be ready to adjust your goals as needed. Did you overshoot a little? Back up that goal to something more manageable. Did life throw you an unexpected curveball? Don’t throw away the whole plan, just make a new one. Did you reach your goals faster than you thought?! Excellent, make some new goals and get back out there!

If you’re looking for more tips on how to stay productive, manage your time, and meet your goal, check out the Manage Your Minutes category on Ten-Minute Trainer Network. And be sure to keep us posted on your progress. Just drop us a note on our Community page, here. Happy New Year!