How to Make Effective Resolutions

The key to any Happiness Project is to identify concrete, actionable steps you can take toward your aims to become happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative.

Your aims can be small (put your keys away in the same place) or big (repair your family relationships). It’s up to you.

Remember, resolutions work better when they’re concrete, not abstract. It’s harder to keep a resolution to “Be a more loving parent” than to “Get up fifteen minutes early so I’m dressed before the kids wake up.” So identify specific actions that will support your aims.

Also, keep your resolutions manageable, with actions that you can repeat consistently, starting now. What can you do that doesn’t require a lot of time, money, or energy? You’ll be surprised at how much progress you can make with even the smallest steps if you take them consistently every day.

Resolutions should also be measurable. How will you know if you’ve accomplished your resolution? How will you keep yourself accountable? If you can’t answer “yes” or “no” to whether you accomplished your resolution that day, make it more specific.

Here are some tools to help you get started:

Once you’ve made your resolutions, find the right tools and strategies that will help you stick to them.

How to Make Effective Resolutions