Every year I make New Year’s resolutions.  I’ve even managed to keep my resolutions going throughout the year providing I define a maximum of three goals. The only rule is that the goals must be quantifiable, so that I can assess my progress as I go.  If I choose more than three, I inevitably lose focus, and several resolutions fall by the wayside before I’ve even taken down the holiday decorations.

One year, my main resolution was to improve my archery skills. This is a relatively easy goal to measure on an arrow-by-arrow basis. You either hit the gold, or you don’t. To make the resolution more useful, it helped to define exactly what improvement I was looking for. Was it to win more competitions, or to gain a peaceful state of mind when shooting? Both can be laudable goals, but which ultimately would prove to be the most beneficial?

I chose to relax and created a peaceful state of mind when shooting. That year, I won more competitions than ever before. It’s funny how focusing on the correct goal has ancillary benefits.

It seems that almost everyone sets a goal to improve their health in the New Year. “Work out more” is one of those phrases I try to avoid in my resolutions. It’s just not specific enough. A more useful set of goals is to buy a fitness tracker (e.g. Fitbit), and aim to walk 10,000 steps a day for at least five days a week. Those were my resolutions two years ago, and so far, I’ve managed to keep up the routine.

A great phone app for those who don’t wish to buy a tracker is Map my Walk. This free app uses the GPS on your phone to track your route and steps.  The graphs and reports are a useful tool to keep you motivated on those days when your will to walk is less than high.

This year’s goals are all connected to my writing. The first is to set up an ergonomic work space that is conducive to writing each day. To this end, I’ve ordered a sit-stand desk from Evodesk. Hopefully, the ability to switch writing positions will improve both productivity and health. Not to mention, it’s very sci-fi with its stealth-bomber black finish and shiny buttons.

Perhaps one of next year’s resolutions should be to find a way to stay motivated without resorting to gadgets?

I’ll make a note of that in my goal tracker phone app . . .