How to optimise your time without the burden of a resolution
As the clock strikes twelve on the 31st of December, we all celebrate the beginning of a new year, not only because it's a holiday to spend with friends and family, but also because it’s a fresh start for all of us. It is a chance for us to leave behind all our bad habits and forget about the things we missed out on in the previous year. It’s a time to focus on the new aspirations and possibilities that lie out there for us in the future. It’s a chance for us to reset, recharge and reform ourselves into new people, all set to conquer the brand-new year.
The best part about starting a new year is that we can do whatever we want with it. With us lies the key to making whatever changes we want to our lives. A blank calendar is like a blank canvas, only instead of paint, it is up to us to fill it with the things we truly enjoy and the things that will make our year worthwhile.
I find new year resolutions a bit far-fetched. Committing to doing something every single day of the new year seems a bit stressful, so I like to start small. Start by making daily resolutions; it can be as simple as deciding to spend an hour of the day practising an instrument or spending more time with family. As soon as the day ends, you have your resolution already completed, and you are ready to plan for your next day. Instead of speculating what is to come in the year, take it one day at a time, making each day as fulfilling as the last. If you think daily resolutions are too easy, move on to making weekly ones, and see how long you can keep up your good habits.
One thing that we, unfortunately, cannot leave behind in 2021 is the Coronavirus, which continues to confine us to our homes. Though things are opening, the fear of contracting new covid variants still lurks in the air. Another year stuck at home sounds like a pain, but if we efficiently make use of this time, we could achieve something great. This ‘new normal’ certainly has become normal for us, so instead of wasting time waiting for things to get better, it’s time to get up and start moving. Go finish that book you’ve been wanting to read. Go carry out those ideas you had for an art piece. Go finish that research work you've been putting off for a while. The hardest thing about completing any task is beginning it, but once you’ve done that, you’re on your way to success.
Finding the motivation to do anything these days is a struggle that most of us face, but what we must understand is the only person who can make a difference is ourselves. What's the point in procrastinating or waiting around for someone to remind you when you know that you must make the first step yourself? Time waits for no one, so remember to make the most out of each day of this new year.
Ending with a few lines from a song by FINNEAS:
Don't waste the time you have
Waiting for time to pass
It's only a lifetime
That's not long enough