Keep Going

The year is half over; how are those New Year’s resolutions progressing? Have you made big strides, or have you begun losing momentum? It’s important to keep checking in with yourself about your goals and reminding yourself of your ‘why’ to keep yourself motivated. Improving your habits, productivity, and focus are key elements in achieving success.

It’s best to start small and focus on one habit at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Set realistic goals, figure out what is most important to you and work on that first. Be consistent; take it slowly and build on every successful change you make. If you decide to change everything all at once, you will most likely fail, because you will have scattered your attention over all the areas you are working on, and you will bring on more stress and anxiety as you try to do it all.

“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.”

Robert Collier

Accountability can also help you maintain momentum. Share your goals with a friend or join a support group. Talking with others who share similar goals and helping one another to stay on course, or adjust as needed, can make an enormous difference.

It is also good to reward yourself for sticking to your new habit. When you make a positive change, reinforce it by celebrating. This doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, but you must acknowledge how far you’ve come and how you are progressing and most importantly, allow yourself to be happy NOW as you’re going along. Don’t put off your happiness until later!

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”

Stephen Covey

Eliminate distractions and create a focused work environment. It’s so easy to let yourself get interrupted or knocked off track by things that aren’t important in the grand scheme of things. Checking your phone every 5 minutes or getting caught up in the latest trending ‘story’ does nothing to help you reach your goal. Your time is precious, and you should treat it accordingly. It may help to set a timer, put your devices on ‘do not disturb’ and set some boundaries – don’t let others steal your time with things that aren’t important or that aren’t in alignment with your goal.

To help enhance your focus, try meditation and deep breathing. I don’t mean sitting for an hour trying to clear your mind of all thoughts. I mean focusing your thoughts onto what it is you want to achieve, see it as completed, and bask in how good that feels. Spend 2 minutes on that, then get started and make it happen.

“The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.”

Earl Nightingale

It also helps to keep your workspace clean and tidy; this not only reduces physical clutter, but it also reduces mental clutter. It might seem weird, but it really does matter how you arrange the things around you. 

By incorporating these strategies into your daily routine, you will soon have even more reasons to celebrate. Every small step you take towards building better habits, increasing productivity, and enhancing focus brings you closer to your goals. Stay motivated, stay focused, and keep pushing forward. Remember, progress takes time, so be patient with yourself as you work towards your goals. You’ve got this!

“The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

#KeepGoing