We are down to the last 3 days of 2024, and I admit, I’m feeling a little stressed. Being a goal-driven person, I work to create goals to focus on in the new year. This goal creation process takes reflection, assessment, as well as vision. Not to mention, you don’t want to go at it alone. More than anything, I want to be in God’s will for my life. See how I can feel the stress? As I work through this process and consider necessary adjustments, I’m reminded of the importance of routines, so in this post, I will provide insight that will assist you in establishing new routines in 2025.
Establishing New Routines in 2025: 5 Tips
1. Consider your season
A variable that impacts our goals and how we spend our time is our season. You do not want to start creating goals without first considering your season. What season of life are you in? Are you single, married, raising kids, unemployed, in school? All of these variables impact what we can do, as well as what we should focus on. The current season is often a result of a previous season, and a predecessor of what is to come.
What you choose to do with your time in this current season will impact your readiness to gracefully move into the next season. As you consider new year goals and routines, I encourage you to determine your current season and how it may be tied to the goals and routines that you establish.
2. Consider your desires
This is huge. Once you consider the season of life that you’re in, you must consider what you want. Consider your desires. It is so easy to be bogged down by circumstances, or feel overcome by the season that you may find yourself in, to the point that you no longer dream. Don’t fall victim to that.
No matter the season you find yourself in, consider your desires, dream, and pray. Always, look beyond your circumstance.
As you consider what you really want out of life after assessing your current season, you are able to start brainstorming goals or focus areas for the year. The goals that you set should factor in your current season and resources, as well as what you really want out of life.
3. Consider your abilities
I’m a dreamer and I believe dreaming is a critical element of progress, yet, I do believe you must take the time to consider your abilities and what you can do in this season of your life. Without considering your abilities, you will unnecessarily stress yourself out. Focus on what you can do, what you do have, and what you can work with. Yes, goals stretch us, but they should not keep us in a constant state of stress. Our goals should motivate us and challenge us, but they should be doable, based on our current abilities and resources.
4. Consider your responsibilities
While going through the goal-setting process, you want to take the time to consider your current responsibilities. Often, our goals are tied to our responsibilities. For instance, if your responsibilities include parenting, then you may have goals tied to your kids. Additionally, if you current responsibilities include caring for multiple young children, then you may save the lofty career goals for later, and instead focus on goals that will assist you in being the best mother that you can be- in this season of your life.
Remember, the season will change. Often, sooner than you realize. So, for now, focus on goals that will help you to be the best you in this season of your life. Trust me, all of the seasons of life are connected, and as you commit to being the best you right where you are now, it will translate to a better you in the season to come.
5. Consider New Routines!
Now that you have considered your season, your desires, your abilities, and your responsibilities, start creating! Consider the routines that you can implement that will help you to do and be your best. This post is focusing on routines, and not goals, because I believe that achieving your goals will rely on healthy routines being established. Think about it. If you rush to create these lofty, grand goals but don’t have the routines in place that will support you in achieving them, then you were just dreaming.
Establishing new routines, however, will give your goals something to stand on. For instance, as I’m looking ahead to 2025, my goals are likely to be more people-oriented than they’ve been in times past. This focus area will influence how I spend my time, hence, the routines that I implement. Routines are key and are more about a lifestyle than an end goal.
So, as we close out 2024, I encourage you to reflect over how you spent your time in 2024. Consider establishing new routines in 2025 that will support you in creating and achieving your goals. Remember, the goal is the end-game, while the routines are the day in and day out actions that will get you there.
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