HARD COPY PLANNING: START NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS ON JANUARY 21; not 1/1/19

Taken by PKSenagore December 2016. All rights reserved.

SPEND THE LAST WEEK OF DECEMBER + FIRST 3 WEEKS OF 2019 PREPARING TO BE SUCCESSFUL  (updated from December 2017)  Why suffer the pressure of composing a New Year Health/Fitness Resolution list on January 1? Prepare a draft on the last few days of December, and then edit and refine it in the first 3 week of the year.  Not a mental list, but a HARD COPY, on paper.

A huge barrier to accomplishing goals set at the start of the new calendar, in Earned Runs experience, is to not have invested enough time and effort in the process of building a list of exercise and health behavior to-do’s.
 
There’s no rule that work on resolutions must absolutely start on day #1 of the next 365 in the coming year.  I like to mark the START DATE as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In 2019, it falls on January 21.  Holiday festivities can leave us exhausted and disorganized.  Resolution makers might be prevented from starting immediately on self-promised improvements by travel disruptions, resumption of full work, school, and family schedules, and general household cluttering that resulted from holiday activities.
 
It’s nearly impossible to begin new fitness and health regimens under these circumstances. Disappointment at not being able to start reversing previous bad habits leads to discouragement. Before we’ve even started.
 
Earned Runs suggests this step-by-step process, or something like it, to give yourself a chance at success in establishing, starting, and keeping your 2019 resolutions:
 
Last week of December 2018:

• Buy or make a calendar, log, or diary for 2019 fitness/health tracking
• DRAFT a list of resolutions that cover exercise, diet, health or other fitness related goals on page 1

 
First week of January 2019 (1/1-5):

• Revise the resolution list on page 2 as needed
• DRAFT a list of specific goals or activities that will help you to keep those resolutions on page 3
• Organize/clean food storage/prep areas, build shopping list of needed items
• Organize/clean closets, gym bags that will hold/store workout clothes

 
Second week of January 2019 (1/6-12):

• Revise resolution list as needed on page 4
• Refine activity list on page 5
• Continue to organize, clean food storage and prep areas 
• Investigate/trial recipes
• Continue to organize, clean areas for workout clothes/equipment
• Investigate training programs and trial exercises

 
Third week of January 2019 (1/13-19):

• Map out a year-long plan using the calendar or log book for January 21-November 30, even if rough dates must be used (December can be kept a free month if you like)
• Construct a program for Jan 21-March 31, including specific training schedules; fill in all activities, even if it seems unnecessary.
• Finalize resolution and specific goal lists

 
[Earned Runs likes to plan events generally over an entire year, but setting down the specific details of one season in advance.

• Roughly constructing each season’s program just before it starts:
  • Jan 21- March 31 winter season, 
  • April 1 – May 31 spring season
  • June 1 - September 2 summer season
  • September 9 – November 30 fall season
  • December is a ‘free’ month]

 
January 21, 2018:
Start activities for new resolutions!
 
An Earned Runs example can be seen by clicking on this link.
 
The important points to keep in mind about making resolutions for 2019:
a)  Don’t wait until January 1 to start working on resolutions
b)  Don’t feel you need to begin those resolutions on January 1
c) Definitely exercise that first day of 2019, whether its running or walking or working out.  It doesn't need to be all an out effort; just a symbolic session that confirms a global intent to work on health and fitness in 2019.

​More advance planning and thought will possibly help you continue to successfully make the desired changes identified by the resolutions.

RUN & MOVE HAPPY!