Turning the page from one year to the next brings a special energy, doesn’t it? There is a feeling of opportunity and change. A chance to reset and restart. It’s also a chance to build on what you have achieved in 2025. I started teaching English as a foreign language last year, so I look forward to building my experience this year and perhaps travelling abroad to teach. What ideas do you have to make this a good year for you? What will help you kickstart New Year 2026?
New Year’s Resolutions
Sometimes we get weary of New Year’s resolutions, because they are often hard to do! Turning resolutions into real change can be hard. An alarming number of New Year plans are never completed. Why? Well January can be the toughest time of the year to start lots of new things. Our motivation is often low in January as the excitement of Christmas fades. We return to work, facing into a long month. And with dark evenings still upon us, finding the energy to tackle new challenges can be hard.
Plan One Month at a Time
Don’t get me wrong – I love plans and goals. In fact, I spend most of my year helping people make plans, set goals and be productive! But the start of January may not be the best time for you to do this planning.
Setting a goal for a full year can be a bit daunwasting too. Or it allows is to procrastinate as we can say to ourselves, “I don’t have to start now, I have all year to do it!”
If you can relate to any of this, my advice is to take it one month at a time. Instead of drawing up a long list of challenging resolutions for 2026, identify one thing to start each month. This takes the pressure off January when your energy and focus may still be low.
Use January to Reflect, Reset and Recharge
Use the month of January to reset and recharge for a productive year ahead. Make a start on one goal or resolution. This has worked for me in previous years. By easing into January I was ready to tackle a more challenging resolution in February. By then I was rested and energised and very motivated to try something new. And by starting one new thing each month, it was easier to stick to the plan.
Setting Good Goals
I love the quote “a goal without a plan is just a wish”. It is attributed to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a poet and hero fighter pilot in World War II. It helps me remember that the reason why most resolutions or goals fail is because we don’t spend time planning how to complete them.
So I am sharing my 5 tips to help you turn your resolutions and goals into real change this year: 1) Remove The Vague, 2) Start Small, 3) Identify What You Need, 4) Be Accountable, 5) Track Your Progress.
Download my 2026 Planner here to help you build an action list. And here’s the link to the full article: https://beproductive.ie/2025-is-your-year/
If you need any help planning your goals just contact me here.
Be Productive in 2026
With any of my tips I recommend that you take the idea and tweak it to find what works best for you. You can access lots of productivity articles on our website on a range of topics including Tips for Hybrid Working, Managing Email, Reducing Stress, Wellbeing and Saying No.
We help people develop productive routines and enhance personal effectiveness through our individual Coaching, group Productivity Workshops and Seminars.
To discuss any of these options, contact me here.
Written by Productivity Consultant Moira Dunne, founder and director of beproductive.ie
