Don't Wait Until New Year's: 5 Reasons to Start Your Resolutions Now
The New Year is only a couple days away.
Why not hit the ground running and tackle a new years resolution BUT 5 days in ADVANCE!
How’s that for productivity. You’re getting ahead of the game by not waiting 5 days.
One of the most common resolutions people make each year is to be more productive, to do the things they’ve put off, to get back on the habits they know are good for them.
But why wait until the new year to start working on this goal?
There's no reason to put off making positive changes in your life, and starting now can actually help you get ahead.
1. 5 Extra Days
You’ll get 5 days of habit formation and then you’ll get a New Year day boost cause everyone else is starting too.
First of all, starting now allows you to take advantage of the momentum you already have.
If you're feeling motivated and focused right now, why not use that energy to make progress on your goals?
Additionally, starting now allows you to deal with any challenges, setbacks, or false starts that may come up along the way.
If you fumble, backpedal, or encounter problems right now? No sweat. People haven’t even started yet. Plus, you can pretend you just started too on New Years so you hit the ground running and can keep the facade that it ‘first try’ if it matters to you.
2. Visualize Your Progress
Starting now allows you to see the results of your efforts sooner. Seeing progress and success can be a great motivator and help you stay on track. By starting now, you'll be able to see the fruits of your labor a little more quickly. But a little more quickly can be that edge you need to stay the course, stay consistent, and actually create life-changing habits.
You’re doing it for yourself but sometimes it’s nice to get external validation sooner. Whether that’s starting to go the gym for the first time. An extra 5 days for a complete noob might get you more comfortable in the space, less anxious about going first thing in the New Year when it’s even more busy, and maybe get you comfortable with a basic routine.
And even that comfort can be enough of a visual of your progress. You may not become the hulking image of a Greek god in 5 days but 5 days of knowing where different equipment is, getting off the couch and lacing up your shoes is a good enough win for you to make the habit stick.
3. Your Fresh Start’s Fresh Start
You know how Thursday is Friday’s Friday? Well right now is New Year’s Christmas. You are this close to the New Year.
The new year represents a fresh start. For many people, the new year feels like a clean slate, a time to leave the past behind and focus on the future. This feeling of a new beginning can be a great motivator to start working on new goals.
But imagine if you got the jump on your future by having your clean slate now before slates need to be cleaned?
Ever thought of that?
There’s nothing wrong with starting sooner if you have that desire. Yes, New Years can be a social catalyst. The new year is often a time when people come together and celebrate, which can create a sense of community and support. This can be a great time to start working on goals, as you may have others who are also motivated and looking to make positive changes. But, if you have that desire, you can go into those celebratory times already knowing you’re well on your way!
4. Avoid the ‘New Year, New Me’ Mentality
Some people may fall into the trap of thinking that they need a specific date or time to make positive changes in their lives. This mindset limits you and restricts your thinking in that you need an external event to occur for you to take control of your life. It can lead to unrealistic expectations, especially if you have setbacks, and a lack of follow-through, because if you didn’t act, you can’t simply start but need to wait for the next external event to spur your motivation.
Decide now for yourself. Do you have the power to internally start the clock and take control of the situation for yourself and your dreams.
If so, why would you have to wait for the New Year to begin? It’s not a new you. It’s a growing, developing, learning you who has honed your skills and implemented the habits to keep yourself accountable.
5. Momentum Builds
Momentum is important in productivity because it helps to keep you moving forward and making progress. When you have momentum, it can be easier to stay focused and motivated, and to overcome challenges and setbacks that may come up along the way. It can be easier to build on your successes and keep making progress if you do them daily.
On the other hand, a lack of momentum can make it more difficult to get started and stay focused on your goals. It can be easy to get stuck in a rut and lose motivation, which can make it harder to make progress.
Starting now can let you have those small, achievable goals, and easy wins early. You can get the foundations right so that you can track your progress, get your space and head cleared, and hit the ground running.
So don't wait until the new year to start working on your productivity goals. Take advantage of the moment you're in right now and start making progress. You'll be glad you did!