It’s January, again. Christmas is now a distant memory, New Year celebrations are soon coming to an end and all that is left is dark, cold nights. But it’s not all bad, January can be a new chapter and a fresh start for many. It can be the chance to set New Year Resolutions to make happier and healthier life choices or to do something you’ve always wanted to do. However, if you are struggling to stay motivated through January, then these are the tips for you.

Break the tasks down

If it’s New Years Resolutions or general goals and tasks, thinking of the big picture can quickly become overwhelming. So, breaking them down into smaller short-term goals can reduce the stress, and help keep you motivated to finish the larger long-term goals. It can also offer little victories along the way to help boost your motivation. You can also reflect on your past short-term successes and motivate yourself closer to the end goal. Setting a clear structure and creating a plan for the short-term goals can help you stay on task and get over the initial apprehension.

Keep a journal

A journal is the perfect place to write your ambitions, goals and New Year Resolutions. You can monitor your progress to help you feel motivated to continue and focus on the next milestone. Writing down your feelings can also help relieve stress, as it can feel like you are venting onto the paper. It can assist you track any patterns, such as losing motivation or pushing through to success. These can be tracked through reflecting back on your journal or creating a mood tracker.

Involve a friend

Friends are great motivators, as they believe in us and encourage us to become better people. Finding a friend with a similar goal could help you motivate each other, when one of you is struggling the other is there to re-motivate you. Also, they will be there for you if you need to vent and may even feel some of the same emotions as you. You can also create a friendly competition to see who can achieve the smaller short-term goals first.

Make tasks enjoyable

Making tasks more enjoyable makes the apprehension of doing them slightly better. There are multiple ways of making dull tasks seem more interesting. For instance, if you get bored of the same repetitive workout you do at the gym, trying something different like boxing or Zumba may make working out enjoyable again. You could also try racing against the clock to make your dull tasks seem more fun by adding a level of competitiveness.