When it comes to planning for the new year, I’ve sort of broken up with “new year resolutions”. Instead, I like to take a bit of time to plan out year-round goals that I can put into action on a regular basis. Sitting down to plan those desired goals is actually quite satisfying! Anyone with me? But when it comes to execution, not so much. That’s exactly why having tools to stay on track are super important.

A couple of years ago, I purchased my first Refresh Weekly Planner from Workspacery. It was the first planner that I ever completely filled up, January–December. The difference? It places importance on mapping out a strategic plan for your goals and provides tips on how to STICK to them. Today, we’ve invited Jenna Murillo, Owner & Designer of Workspacery to the blog to let us in on some of those tips, and we’re giving away a 2019 Workspacery Planner to one lucky winner! Head to our Instagram post today with the image below for details on how to enter.

From Jenna Murillo of Workspacery… Goals are more than just a New Year wish list—they’re intentional, actionable components for achieving a lifestyle you desire. They help you connect the dots from where you are now to where you’d love to be. The goal planning exercises in the Workspacery Planner are designed to help you create goals that align with your ideal lifestyle, track your progress through ongoing strategies and ultimately fulfill your goals over the course of the year.

Once you develop impactful, meaningful goals and create a detailed month-by-month action plan, it’s time to start taking ACTION. Execution is the hardest part of seeing goals through; doing the work is so much easier to talk about and plan for than to actually DO. To get you started and keep you motivated all year long, here are some of our favorite tips for seeing your goals through to fulfillment.

1. Create Goal-Oriented Daily Habits and Routines

Our minds are wired to favor routines over novelty. Evaluate your current habits and routines, and realign some of what you’re doing on the daily to better coordinate with your goals.

2. Do Something Every Day To Move Toward Your Goal

Speaking of routines: find ways to do something every single day that is pushing you even a half step closer to your goal. It can be the smallest move—an email, an errand, making a list—it doesn’t matter. The idea is to keep moving forward. Help make this possible by building “goal time” into your day through context or time clues that remind you to make it happen.

3. Change Your Environment to Support Your Goal

No, this doesn’t mean you have to relocate to a beach or buy a new car (although those might BE personal goals of yours this year). In this instance, do what you can to alter your environment—your office, home, etc.—by adding or eliminating certain components that either support or take away from your end goal.

4. Create a Not-To-Do List

When you’re stuck on how to move forward, take a step back and create a list of things that DO NOT support your goal—things you should avoid like the plague; a “not-to-do” list. This will help you see the easy areas to avoid and may point you in the right direction for what you SHOULD do next.

5. Support Yourself Throughout the Process

Focusing endlessly on your end goal is one form of motivation, but in the beginning stages, you may find it more helpful to focus on what you’re going to do today, right now REALLY well. give yourself a little positive self pep talk in the morning by saying out loud how well you’ll do that day, and show gratitude in the evenings for everything that went well and supported your gaol that day. Simple acts of self-love and gratitude go a long way when it comes to moving forward on your goals.