If you’re like me, you've spent way more time working rather than planning for the new year than you care to admit.

Before Christmas, I told my colleague I intended to only work on my newsletter over the holidays.

It’s tough!

I have time to work on my website, develop a mini-workshop, and jump back on my recently lost habit of writing daily content.

Shifting our focus through the holidays allows us to think clearer and spend time on the items we can’t seem to get to in our daily schedules. It gives us time to set our intentions for the new year.

On this last day of 2023, let’s jump into setting your intentions, re-establishing good habits, and leaning into new habits to build your productivity in 2024.

Forget resolutions

Resolutions tend to fade in the first few weeks, so creating new intentions can help you make new habits that lift your game in all aspects of your life.

According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, “You are two to three times more likely to follow through with a habit if you make a specific plan for when, where, and how you are going to implement it.”

He continues, “Intention is a choice we make beforehand about when and where to act. It refers to how you intend to implement a particular habit.”

When you sit down to create intentions for 2024, consider following JC’s thinking pattern:

“When situation X arises, I will perform response Y.”

This simple framework helps design your implementation intention, which he calls the Action/Time/Location Strategy.

Consider these examples:

• I will stretch for three minutes at 6 a.m. in my living room.
• I will improve my knowledge of new CRM weekly for one hour in my office.
• I will exercise for one hour at 4 p.m. in my local gym.

Try his template: I will [ACTION] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].

The final step is to write it down.

Jump back in

You’ve been building good habits for years now, but if you’re like me, you often find yourself losing the spark that helped you create the good habit.

Back in early 2022, I jumped on a habit-building writing course. My goal was to write every day for 30 days. I wanted more consistency in my writing, so this was my new Intention.

I learned about idea creation and habit forming. I also learned how to correct my course if I missed a day.

I did well for a long time until this fall. I fell off the writing habit train.

Granted, I had some personal distractions, but I intend to board the writing train in the new year. I will write daily for at least 30 minutes at my desk at 7:00 am.

Lean in

You have the power to manage your expectations.

But being able to decide on how to live and work is a blessing we often take for granted.

Improving productivity and activating the steps necessary to reach our intentions are essential these days.

Distractions, including jobs and family responsibilities, can always replace our commitments.

To help cut our distractions, I’ve created a free 2024 Planner for you to track habits (old & new) and the Intention to get there. Inside the planner, you’ll see monthly intention sheets to map out action plans, dates to consider, ways to improve and what you’re grateful for.

Here’s how each section can set you up for the year:

Action Plan transforms your intentions from ideas to achievable steps. It provides structure to help turn them into reality. Once it’s written down, it helps boost your motivation to succeed.

Setting Dates allows you to follow a timeline to reach your objectives. It gives you a sense of urgency while providing clarity, direction, and an overview of your development. Think of these dates as your milestones to reach throughout the year.

Improve Your Skills shows progress while making necessary adjustments. As you reach each milestone, you’ll quickly see the skills and experiences you wish to improve upon. Seek feedback and implement improvements. You’ll soon see a difference.

Gratitude creates a better mindset, fostering resilience and strong mental well-being. Your focus changes from what is lacking to what is present. When you appreciate the journey and learn from challenges, your mindset wins. Be kind to yourself.

Setting intentions means clarifying where you want to guide your energy without being attached to a particular outcome. – Remember to approach setting these intentions with a positive mindset, adapt as needed, and celebrate your progress.

Make 2024 the year to explore new interests and revive neglected passions. Only YOU have the power to create the best intentions.

Happy New Year!
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