Moving Beyond New Year's Resolutions

When you hear the word "New Year's Resolution" do you feel like Calvin (the little boy) in this picture?

If I am honest with myself, I often hold this sort of an attitude towards resolutions, especially if they require me to change.  Given that we are nearly a month into the New Year, I thought it was timely to take stock of personal changes that we may have aspired to in the heady hours of New Year ’s Eve.

Personally I am skeptical of ad hoc resolutions that aren’t rooted in a long term plan. In fact, rather than talking about New Year’s resolutions I think we should focus on our on-going personal goals and the simple technology of wisely using our calendars.

Recently I have discovered the value in what I call “mono-tasking”. My thinking was encouraged by this New York Times article on "mindfulness" that debunks the myth of effective multi-tasking. In fact, it highlighted several studies that show how multi-tasking actually decreases productivity. The biggest idea I took away was the need to focus on the task before you and be present with the person you are with - either virtually over the phone or in person.

Practically I strive to use the following practices to develop my mono-tasking abilities:

1) Have annual goals and keep them updated:

I look at my personal goals around New Year’s by reviewing key priorities – that transcend a specific year.  I then look for ways to focus my activities throughout the day around these priorities. At work, I am thoughtful about my annual performance plan and continually seek input from my manager on where my personal priorities line up with the larger goals of my team and the company as a whole. Setting goals is an on-going process of re-prioritizing through on-going dialogue with my family at home and with my manager and key stakeholders at work.

I have also found Peter Bregman work called “18 minutes” very helpful in identifying key priorities and connecting them to your schedule. If reading another book on time management overwhelms you (as it does me), you can get a great summary of Mr. Bregman’s book in this HBR Ideacast from January 2012.

2) Use a master task list:

Every day I strive to organize my day around a master task list that is connected to my annual goals. My thought is that unless it ends up on my calendar, it is not truly prioritized. I aim to regularly check throughout the day to see if the task I am doing is still the most critical. Peter Bregman also has a great tool that helps you to check in on how your goals align to your calendar called “The 18 Minute Daily Template”.

So what do you think?

Is their value in New Year's resolutions and what practical tools do you use to accomplish your goals?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this, whether here in this blog or e-mailing me directly (joabmeyer@global.t-bird.edu). 

Next Post:  I plan to talk about how we can leverage technology tools such as video and e-mail to further enhance our ability to connect with others and achieve our personal goals.