AUSTIN, Texas - A New Year’s resolution without accountability is a most useless thing.
Despite our best intentions, the little promises we make ourselves at the beginning of a new year don’t go very far unless we hold ourselves to them and exercise some long-term willpower.
But have you seen our attention spans lately? We expect instant gratification for everything from online shopping to movie releases. (And speaking of which, shouldn’t that new “Star Wars” movie be here already? What’s the holdup, J.J. Abrams?)
Luckily, we have digital tools all around us, every day, that are much better at keeping track of things than we may be. We have smartphones that track our movements and web browsing. We have wearable gadgets that can tell us what our heart rate was at 5 p.m. three weeks ago. And we have online access to other people in so many more ways; they may be able to help keep our goals in line.
Here are a few ideas to employ digital tools to keep resolutions on track.
Apps and websites
After many years of experimenting with to-do list apps and a half decade of playing around with productivity tools on smartphones, I’ve come to this conclusion: Which app or Web tool you use is really not that important.
There are great to-do list apps such as “Things,” “Wunderlist” and “Todoist” and tools such as “Evernote” to capture your thoughts and notes on the go.
Features may vary, but overall, they’re less important than getting into the habit of using them regularly and keeping them updated daily.
Not every few days. Not once a week. Daily. Even on weekends.
When used in conjunction with a good calendar tool such as “Tempo,” “Google Calendar” or even the built-in calendars in work applications such as “Outlook,” your to-do list should be base camp for goals both short-term (pay that veterinarian bill) to small steps toward larger goals (walk two miles, step on a scale).
I’m a big believer in setting alarms, reminders and specific deadlines for even the tiniest, most mundane goals. Start your day by updating your to-do list and end your day by seeing how much you accomplished.
Staying motivated
Motivation has to come from within to fulfill broad New Year’s resolutions such as “get in shape this year” or “spend more time with close friends.”
Unstuck.com is a website as well as an app and email newsletter that’s good at keeping you motivated without sounding cheesy or like a motivational speaker trying to sell you something. It focuses not only on inspiration but on practical tips for making decisions and avoiding getting trapped in cycles of uncertainty and ennui.
I find that nothing motivates me more than feeling like I’m wasting time or money. Signing up for training sessions at my gym and paying for those sessions in advance worked out much better for me over the last year than counting on myself to find time and energy to go on my own.
Using your network
To that end, the people already in your life might be best equipped to help you meet your goals for 2015.
If you’re a pretty public person, you could post regular updates to a blog or social network such as Facebook, asking friends and family to give you feedback and keep you on task.
If the idea of putting yourself out there to that degree makes you want to crawl back into 2014, consider creating a smaller private blog or social network circle and give access only to those you choose.
“Evernote,” for instance, allows you to share content privately with others, including notes, photos, audio and practically anything else.
It may be that your goal for the year needs a more organized approach. Websites such as Meetup.com and Eventbrite can get you in touch with local interest groups, events and festivals that may coincide with what you’re trying to get done.
Most importantly, don’t get discouraged and stay positive. Giving yourself a little reward at the end of each month or just brightening up your digital surroundings (say, your phone’s home screen background or the screen saver on your computer) can affect your mood in ways you might not expect.
2015 could be the best year yet. Don’t let those resolutions be a regret by February.
