This Monday feels like the first real Monday in 2017. Yesterday was not a major holiday, nor was the weekend filled with global celebrations. Yesterday was just another Sunday and today is just another Monday. There will be 50 more of them this year.
For many of you, this week will be the first proper week you live in the new year. Some are just returning to school and/or work, while others who have already returned to everyday life can expect a steady uptick in business as everyone else gets back into the swing of things.
As your schedule fills you are going to be tempted to continue living life the same way you have for as long as you can remember, but just doing the same thing over and over is never going to get you any closer to achieving your goals.
All paths to success begin with a single decision: Today will be different.
Today is the day you break from your old routine and begin working toward new, healthier and more productive daily habits that will help you reach the goals you’ve set for yourself.
Start simple. If you make just one change today that you can repeat tomorrow and every day thereafter then you have already taken a major step toward achieving your goals. A few examples:
- Go to bed at a better time
- Eat a healthy meal
- Spend thirty minutes working on that project you keep telling yourself will soon be finished
- Disconnect from screens and technology
- Start something new
- Read
- Exercise
If you come up with something more suited to your individual goals, go for it. Just be careful to not overwhelm yourself. You cannot change your behavior all at once.
Once you can commit to doing just one thing differently on a regular basis you can set towards changing more aspects of your life. If you go too fast and demand too much from yourself there is a chance you will lose interest in trying to change altogether. Stay focused and take your time.
Never underestimate how easy it is to settle back into old habits.
James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the Film Editor for Substream Magazine, host of the Inside Music Podcast, and a 10-year music writing veteran. If you enjoy this article and want more stuff like it – or if you hated it so much you have to say something – follow James on Twitter.
