A Kinder, Simpler Planning Process for the New Year
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Is anyone else feeling post-holiday fatigue? I know I am. By this time, I’m usually focused on setting goals for the New Year. I have my planner, and clear descriptions of goals in different areas of my life – including writing, of course!
This year, not so much. This year, instead of planning a million things, I’m going to simplify. And also not take January 1 as THE date to have everything planned out and ready to go. I usually love to take advantage of the New Year energy, but I had a major move this fall, followed by all the holiday stuff, and I really want to just settle in and read a book on the couch for like, a month.
Which is not gonna happen, but that’s okay. I’m doing a kinder, simpler planning process for the New Year.
If you, too, are looking to simplify your New Year’s Goals, read on for some ideas.
Start by thinking about what you really want your life to look like next year. Don’t jump into “goals” per se; what do you want to be doing on a daily basis? What is truly important to you, vs. what you think should be important?
This can be tricky to figure out. Take some time in your journal. Set a timer, and put “I Want...” at the top of the page. Then just write, for 5 or 10 minutes, listing as many things as you can. Don’t stop, and don’t censor. Sometimes the seed of what you really want is in the thing that seems silly or impossible at first.
Then, take a look at your list. Circle or star the ones that really leap out at you. Write a little more about them, focusing on your WHY. Why do you want it? Is it a strong want, or an “I’d like to...” or “it would be nice if...”? Your deep wants will keep you motivated when you start to feel doubt or fatigue creeping in.
I’ve written before about the 4 Burner Method for goal setting, and it’s a good one to keep in mind. You only have so much time and energy in a day. You might want to do everything, but you can’t do it all at once. What are your priorities for this year? The 4 Burner system gives you four main things to deal with at any one time, in addition to all the daily life tasks we need to accomplish. If you have a job, a significant other, and kids, that might be three burners right there. In that case, you have one burner left for writing – or something else that might take precedence.
If you think about it, it really makes sense. I know – I rail against this reality myself. “But I want to do it all!” But if I try to do it all, I quickly get overwhelmed, and cranky, and start to not want to do anything. Or I do it half-assed, and bemoan my lack of progress.
So be realistic – what can you really prioritize at this time in your life?
When you have a list of your strongest Wants, for each one, think about:
Is it a long-term, medium-term, or short-term goal? I.e., will it take a year (or more)? 6 months? 2 months? This is where you can work on some goals that can take up a burner but are not long-term, multi-step goals.
What are the steps you need to take to fulfill that goal? Work backwards. Again, be realistic. If your goal is to write a novel, think about how much time you have each day – or week – to devote to it.
Think in terms of the good old SMART goal formula: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-Bound. Michael Hyatt, in Your Best Year Ever, changes the formula a little bit: SMARTER – Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Risky, Time-Keyed, Exciting, and Relevant. There is a fair amount of research that says setting goals that are too easy is actually de-motivating. It’s the risk that forces us to move past the fear and inertia to accomplish the goal. It doesn’t need to be life-or-death risk. It could mean going public with your goal, or setting up a motivator like the Stikk app, which forces you to pay money to a cause you hate if you don’t reach your goal.
Be sure to write your goal(s) down! Writing them down helps you clarify them, makes them more “real,” and helps motivate you to achieve them.
Think in terms of what you can accomplish in the coming month. Then the coming week. Write that down as well. Write the reward you will give yourself if you succeed. These don’t have to be huge rewards! But we often forget to reward ourselves for keeping our commitments to ourselves. (Hand raised here). We just keep grinding, and we forget to celebrate our victories, large and small.
Engage a support system. Do you have an accountability buddy you can check in with? A writing group? A coach, or mentor? In the U.S., we tend to be individualistic, thinking that if we don’t accomplish it on our own, it doesn’t count. But time and time again, research has shown that those who have a support system are more likely to reach their goals.
Think about what might sidetrack you and prevent you from keeping your commitments and reaching your goal. Think about what you will do when that happens. Try not to make it a punishment, but be mindful that even with the best of intentions, things don’t always go to plan. How will you get back on track when you need to?
I bought a simplified planner this year. No more trying to juggle all the balls in the air all the time. I’m keeping it simple, identifying my priorities, and also trying to keep it in one place instead of my usual scattering of notebooks and online sites.
It’s a work in progress, and I don’t know if I’ll have it all ironed out by Jan. 1. But that’s okay. The mere act of thinking about it and having to make decisions will be motivating.
If you’d like help planning out your writing goals for 2024, I’d love to help! I’m offering a One Hour New Year’s Plan: We hone in on your writing goals – short and long term – and make a plan to meet them. This can mean anything: essays/articles, short stories, a novel... or even just how to create a viable plan to write more regularly. This can also be an “AMA” to pick my brain about a particular aspect of writing or publishing, doing an MFA program, etc. Only $29! Interested? Let me know via the Contact Page
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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