There are just a handful of days left this year; can you believe it! As you move through the remainder of the year and begin to look ahead to the new year, this is a good time for reflection and planning. The start of a new year carries a sense of promise and fresh opportunities. Take time to evaluate your year. Do you feel you accomplished any goals you had? Are there areas of your life that you would like to see some improvement in? It can be an exciting time to reset and create goals that align with your plans. These steps will help you breeze into the new year with clarity, intention, and an organized plan.
4 Steps to an Organized New Year
Reflect On What Worked & What Didn’t
Set aside a quiet time when you can really spend time thinking about the past year. Grab a notebook and pen or a digital planner. Ask yourself what has worked well for you. What systems or habits did you implement that made your life easier? What accomplishments are you proud of? What areas in your life have you feeling stuck or overwhelmed? Identifying what is working and what isn’t will help you pinpoint the areas that need adjustments to focus on with your goal setting. This provides a solid foundation for creating intentional goals that matter to you.
SMART Goal Setting
A goal to “get organized” is great! But without a clear plan of action, you may find it difficult to reach your goal. SMART goal setting is a framework that creates specific, actionable steps. Taking the time to structure your goals will make sure they are well defined and help you stay motivated. When goal setting, it’s also important to set priorities. Choose 1-3 areas to focus on. This will help prevent overwhelm and burnout.
- Specific: Define exactly what you want to achieve
- Measurable: Set criteria to track progress
- Achievable: Ensure the goal is realistic given your current circumstances
- Relevant: Align the goal with your values and priorities
- Time-Bound: Set a deadline to keep yourself accountable
Goal Example – Organize My Closet
- Specific: I will declutter my clothes.
- Measurable: I will sort through and donate at least 2 bags of clothing.
- Achievable: I will spend one hour each weekend on this project.
- Relevant: This will create a space that is more manageable for me to keep organized.
- Time-Bound: I will finish this project by the end of the month.
Support Your Goal
Goal setting is never a one and done. Most goals require dedication and commitment to complete the steps that will eventually get you to the finish line. One of the best ways to make your goals a reality is to develop and establish systems that support your goals and align with your lifestyle. Use an app, a calendar or whatever method works best for you to set reminders. Track your progress to stay motivated. Record your milestones and challenges in a journal. You can create a vision board to visually see your goals. This will help you develop habits to keep you on track. Consider tagging in an accountability partner. Do you share similar goals with a family member or friend? Work with them to help you both stay on track and motivated. Plan weekly check-ins to review how things are going and make adjustments as needed.
Celebrate & Reassess
As you work toward your goal, celebrate all the big and small wins along the way. Once you have reached your goal, develop a plan to maintain your results. If getting your closet organized was the goal, what habits do you need to develop to prevent clutter and disorganization from returning? Most goals, once accomplished, will require some upkeep to maintain. This is also a good time to think about other areas in your home or life you would like to improve and begin working on your next goal.
Moving into a new year with a clear plan and thoughtful approach will allow you to work to create a life and space that feels lighter and more manageable. Always allow for adjustments, as there are bound to be bumps along the way. With a clear plan and the right mindset, you will be ready to tackle all of your goals!
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