The past couple of years have been anything but easy, and many people are looking forward to 2022. But what steps can you take to make 2022 the year of your dreams? While the ongoing and ever-changing pandemic has taught us that there are no guarantees, doing these things can help boost your odds of making 2022 your year.
Set SMART Goals
Everyone makes New Year’s resolutions, and most of them fail by March. Instead of simply resolving to do things, turn your resolutions into actionable SMART goals. These are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. You’ll be better able to focus your efforts and more likely to succeed.
Stay Realistic
No matter how many goals you set, you still live in the real world. A year simply isn’t enough time to achieve all of your dreams. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dream big. Instead, go ahead and list all your biggest wishes. Then go through and prioritize them, setting SMART goals for each. You’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish in a year, and how much progress you can make toward your multi-year goals.
Prioritize Self-Care
When you’re busy and overwhelmed, taking care of yourself can easily fall by the wayside. But this will only lead to a downward spiral. You’ll start feeling worse both physically and mentally, which will make you less productive, which will make you more overwhelmed.
Instead, make self-care a priority. Carve out time for the things that restore you, from a hot bath to a video gaming session. Get plenty of sleep. Remember to eat regularly and to drink plenty of water. At least once a week, completely unplug for a few hours.
Prepare for Each Week
One of the easiest ways to have a better 2022 is to get more organized. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. Every Sunday evening, before you start your nighttime routine, take a few minutes to review your upcoming week. Then do what you can to prepare. For example, you might cook and freeze a week’s worth of dinners. Or plan childcare for the night you have a late meeting. Or figure out when you’ll take the car in for service. Knowing what to expect and having a plan can help your week run more smoothly.
Make a Financial Plan
Whether you have a complex estate or a minimum wage paycheck, now is a great time to get your finances in order. From setting a budget (50% essentials/30% wants/20% savings) to creating a strategy for paying off debt, building a financial plan for 2022 can help you go a long way toward simplifying and improving your life.
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