You got off to a good start this year, with your resolutions, new habits, projects. . . and now it’s March. Say you started going through the 28 bins of junk that have been sitting in your attic for the past 10 years. How can you maintain the momentum? Here are some quick ideas for when the novelty wears off, your energy wanes, and the work gets hard.
- Remind yourself why you’re doing this thing. “I’m finally going through those bins in the attic, because there is no reason for me to be holding onto things that I don’t use, need or love. The thought of them is weighing me down.”
- Recognize what you’ve already done. Take a few minutes to actually write down what you’ve done so you can see it on paper. “I’ve emptied out 3 bins from my attic, and sold and donated the stuff I didn’t want.”
- Assess what more you need to do. Write these down too. Feel free to express your feelings as you do. “I have 25 bins to go through. Ugh.”
- Break the project down into manageable steps. “3 bins wasn’t so bad. I’ll plan to do 3 bins at a time.”
- Figure out when you’ll do these steps. Be specific, and schedule them in your planner or calendar. “I’ll go through 3 bins every Saturday after I work out, but before I shower. I’ll do it while I drink my 2nd cup of coffee. I’ve put it in Google calendar to repeat every Saturday, and alert me on Friday.”
- Plan to celebrate; when you’re done with the project, but even after every step toward completion. Maybe completion is enough of a prize in itself. But if you need encouragement along the way, it doesn’t hurt. “When I’m done going through 3 bins each Saturday, I’ll treat myself to something fun – a pedicure, Netflix, or little treat. When I’m ALL done, I’ll take us out to dinner with the proceeds from what I sold.”
Keep your eyes on the prize. Remember your “why.” You’ll get there.
