Tis the Season of Staying Motivated.

The winter holiday season is often said to be the most wonderful time of the year. However, it is also one of the busiest and most stressful times of the year. There are increased demands at work or in your business. The holidays tend to be socially demanding too. With all this going on at work and in your personal life, it can be very emotionally draining. This time of year is often centered on celebration, family, and friends. The fact is some people find themselves mired in family conflict or feeling lonely, heightening their levels of emotional stress.

Unfortunately, the pressure during these months can cause us to get distracted from some of our most important goals. No matter what your goals may be, many people find it difficult to stay motivated.

Tips to Stay Motivated

Here are six tips I use help me stay motivated during the holidays:

1. Write your goals down. Carve out 30 minutes of your time to sit down without any distractions (turn your phone on airplane mode if you have to) and write down each goal you have on one side of a cue card. You should keep it to three goals or else your mind gets overwhelmed.
2. Know why. Review each goal and write down why you want to achieve it. On the back or your cue card, write down how it will make you feel once you accomplish your goal, and also add any new opportunities that might arise through the process of achieving what you set out to do.
3. Goal planning. The reason we normally forget about our goals during the holidays is that there is so much going on and there are so many distractions. Make sure to look at your goals and review them each morning when you wake up. Pro tip: keep them on your bedside table and read them when you first wake up (before checking your phone)!
4. Break them down. Instead of just focusing on the end goal, break the steps toward the goal down into manageable tasks that you can complete within 10 minutes or less. If you are able to break each goal up into that time frame then you will be able to move forward with your goals each and every day with no excuses!
5. Involve family and friends. It will be much easier to achieve your goals if your family and friends are on board and cheering you on. However, they cannot support you if you don’t tell them. Share your goals along with the reasons behind them so you can have people keep you on track.
6. Allow yourself to enjoy the holidays. Whether your goals are work-, life- or health-related, focusing and moving forward on your goals doesn’t mean you can’t also enjoy yourself! If you have a health goal, still allow yourself to enjoy that pie (in moderation, of course). If the goal is more career-centred, take time away from your laptop to enjoy social events and holiday parties. You will feel more refreshed and inspired when you take time away.

Above all, give yourself some grace during the holidays, remembering that the reason you want to work hard for this life is to experience more of it! Don’t be too rigid making it all about productivity; celebrate the small steps and reward yourself often! You will see the results which will motivate you to do more and make you feel confident as you enter the New Year.