5 Key Ways Working Moms Can Set Achievable New Year’s Resolutions

Inside: If you want to stick to those New Year’s Resolutions as a working mom, use these five tips to set yourself up for success. Guest post from Cora Gold, Editor-in-Chief of Revivalist magazine.

Some people love a good New Year’s resolution and set one or several each year. Others, let’s face it – MANY others – joke that those resolutions keep piling up along with the guilt that goes with them!

So really. How DOES a working mom find time to create achievable resolutions amid a hectic life?

Start by setting yourself up for success with these four tips to set your goals for the new year.

5 Ways to Make Those New Year’s Resolutions Stick as a Working Mom

how to keep your new year's resolutions as a working mom. pink background with white notebook. Goals written in black ink with 1 through 5 lines.

1. Focus on a Few Goals

While you might have a long list of areas you’d like to improve in the new year, it’s best to focus on a few key goals. Rather than spreading yourself too thin trying to change multiple behaviors, invest your energy into accomplishing one or two resolutions.

Dr. Richard Wiseman conducted a study at Hertfordshire University and found that of the 3,000 participants who created resolutions, only 12% accomplished the goal in the new year. Wiseman determined that most participants had made too many promises and therefore failed to achieve any of them.

2. Take Time to Plan

After the busyness and stress of the holidays slow, take time to select your goal. Choose wisely and plan how you’d like to tackle making your resolution happen. Research has proven people need to create a detailed plan to achieve objectives, including:

Thorough steps to reach a goal
The motivation behind why they wish to change behavior
Strategies to remain accountable to one’s resolutions

Having a plan is crucial when you encounter difficulty working toward your goal.

Say you want to bike four days a week, and you suddenly experience an injury. What should you do instead? Start by taking a day off from biking and cross-training until your injury subsides. Writing down your plans should this scenario occur will keep you on track with your resolution.

3. Communicate Your Goals

As a working mom, you know time is precious — especially as most of it goes to caring for your kids, advancing your career, and getting tasks done around the house.

However, the resolutions you set are about your self-care and happiness. That matters! So to set yourself up for success you need to set boundaries that will allow you time to work towards your goals. And you need to communicate those boundaries.

Talk to your partner and children about why it’s important for mommy to run, write, or podcast four times a week. They can cheer for you and even hold you accountable.

4. Start With Small Steps

Another reason many people have trouble with New Year’s resolutions is because they set unachievable goals. Maybe you’d like to eat healthier in the new year, which is a great goal. However, signing up for a restrictive diet that cuts bread and sugar from your life could lead to burn out. Instead, you should start with small steps to achieve your objective.

Learn the health benefits of bread instead of cutting carbs completely, such as the fact they include fiber, folic acid and prebiotics. You can also choose whole wheat products over heavily processed grains. Replace less healthy foods with better options, and introduce more fruits and vegetables into your diet to create balance rather than restrictions.

When you make smaller changes, one at a time, you’re more likely to see success.

5. Revitalize Your Motivation

If you notice you start to lose focus on your goals in early March, you’re not alone. Many people see their motivation fade during this time. Thankfully there are ways to recapture that initial spark.

If you feel like your goal is simply too much to accomplish, consider revising it to something more realistic. There’s no shame in doing so. As a busy mom, you have a lot on your plate — it’s far better for you to accomplish a revised resolution than no goal at all.

Maybe you need encouragement to wake at 6 a.m. for a morning jog, or to send out emails to build your network. Consider starting a resolution journal where you can detail your highs and lows and remind yourself why you’re working toward your goal. You can also find a virtual community of support online. Whether it’s on Facebook, Instagram, or a text chain with friends, having the motivation to hold you accountable could be the additional support you need.

Achieve Your Goals in the New Year

When you prioritize your resolutions, plan your goals, communicate with your loved ones, start with small steps, and work to revitalize your motivation, you can absolutely achieve your dreams in the new year.

It’s time to get started on the path to success.

Cora Gold is the Editor-in-Chief of Revivalist magazine and a passionate writer. She loves exploring life, family and inspiration through writing and collaborating with others who share her interests. Follow Cora on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.