If you’re anything like me, January brings a burst of motivational energy to accomplish goals and get a fresh start to the new year. The craziness (and messiness) of the holidays spur us into a frenzy of organizing and simplifying the clutter accumulated over the past month. Then…February hits. We get back into our normal routines, making it difficult to maintain the goals we set at the beginning of the year. Here are some easy ways to re-motivate and form long-lasting habits to accomplish your resolution of staying more organized.
Set a series of smaller goals to stay inspired
Instead of focusing on the larger objective of becoming more organized, choose one section of your home to work on at a time. For example, this month, commit to having a more organized living room by devoting ten minutes each day to tidying up that one space. Fold the blankets on the couch, put away any items that don’t belong there, and create a home for daily use items, so they are contained (a small container for remote controls, baskets to hold games/toys, etc.). Pay attention to how that space feels after devoting a bit of extra time each day, and consider what habits would be easily incorporated into your normal routine.
Reward yourself for accomplishing your goals
Think of something you look forward to in the evening when the day is winding down, perhaps a cup of tea, a glass of wine, relaxing on the couch with a show or a book, and promise that to yourself after spending ten minutes on your goal. Write a note to yourself and attach it to that reward to have a physical reminder of your intention.
Adopt a “want to” not “have to” mindset
If you feel discouraged by waning motivation, notice how you are thinking about your goal. When we feel that we haven’t been accomplishing our objective, we start using unhealthy self-talk. Notice when you think “I should” be working on staying more organized and replace that with “I want” to be more organized. Getting into the practice of replacing the “should” with the “want” will help you feel more positive about accomplishing your goal.
Don’t let the overwhelm hinder you
If you hit a lull in productivity, don’t hesitate to reach out for help! Think of a larger task that you want to accomplish and get help to get it done. Forward motion spurs motivation and inspiration.
Breaking your resolution into smaller steps will revive your motivation for the year and bring habits that will last a lifetime. Remind yourself that you are taking steps to accomplish what inspired you at the turn of the new year. And don’t hesitate to reach out if you are in need of task-accomplishing incentive!
Jolene Nannette is a specialist in home efficiency, tackling to-do lists and calming the chaos through home organization. www.homebyjolene.com