It’s that time of the year when you’re stuck between unaccomplished goals and new goals. You tick your boxes and refill your list. Sounds familiar? Well, we all go through that.
Do you have a January to-do list?
Below are 8 tips to get you started for the year:
1. Pen It Down
This will only cost you a few minutes. Write down your plans, set targets, and keep daily reminders to get you going. It doesn’t take much. Materials needed: a pen and paper—then you’re all set.
When writing down your goals, be sure to attach a time frame. You don’t want to lose track of time and end up not doing what you should at the appropriate time.
2. Ditch the Past
We all have stuff to hold on to from the previous year. However, most of the time, you have to ditch the grievances, losses, failures, pains, and aches. While it’s quite daunting to let everything go, focusing on the negative will only stop you from exploring the many possibilities of the new year.
Research shows that our brains are wired to focus more on the negative. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of negativity around to ruminate on and zap all the positive vibes you’ve got.
In 2025, make sure that letting go of past hurts is part of your January to-do list. It will not only benefit you in the end but will also be a huge advantage to those around you.
3. Manage Your Time
From sermons, public speakers, movies, books, and conversations, we hear these words every day. But this time, you have to be really deliberate and intentional about using your time wisely.
Right when you’re supposed to be getting things done, you turn on your favorite love series. While sparing some time to watch your favorite show is not a bad idea, it may become problematic if you have an issue with using your time productively.
Prioritizing how you spend your time and what you spend your time on should be top on your list. While it’s okay and necessary to have fun, do well to keep track of time. Remember, the clock is ticking.
4. Prioritize Your Health
If there’s one valuable lesson the pandemic taught us, it’s how much our health matters. In 2025, be deliberate about keeping fit and maintaining good health. Eat wisely, exercise more, and manage your stress.
Beyond physical health, you should tick all the boxes by keeping your psychological and emotional health in check. You don’t want to keep spending your time and resources dealing with an illness you could have avoided
5. Build Profitable Relationships
This should be added to your January to-do list. Relationships are a powerful currency, more viable than money itself. There are places money can’t take you, but knowing the right people will. There are opportunities your skills may not place in your hands except you have the right connections.
Sounds weird? Well, this is a hard truth. No one can succeed or develop in isolation. So, make it your duty to build and maintain relationships with people relevant to your vision and goals for the year. Most importantly, watch out for people who sap the positivity and confidence out of you. They are the ones you should never keep close.
6. Be a Goal-Getter
It’s one thing to set goals and another to go for them. Make up your mind to see to the end of what you’ve written down as targets for the year. Don’t stop when your first trial does not turn out as expected.
Goal-getters don’t just quit with a “no, no”—they go for what they want.
7. Be Prepared for the Worst
Remember how the COVID-19 pandemic hit us. Well, you may have to be prepared for something worse. This is not negativity; it is preparing yourself mentally and emotionally for the storms that may come.
It’s not about accepting the negative; rather, it is knowing that the hurdles won’t make you drown. That’s the idea. So, in 2025, make up your mind to be tougher than tough itself. You’ll be amazed at how you’ll scale through big challenges even without knowing.
8. Build Your Self-Confidence
Beyond your imagination, your self-confidence determines a lot of the outcomes you see. You must be confident to take action and build healthy relationships. Many people never try because they are afraid of failing.
Do whatever it takes to be that confident person in the room. Whether or not the spotlight is on you, allow confidence to join you on the ride.
