I never was one to make New Year’s resolutions. Let’s face it – they have a bad rap because they are destined to fail! Making a resolution for the sake of making one and having little actual faith in its success is my idea of wasting time. Instead, I love the much more achievable and realistic process of setting goals on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis. These short bursts of time allow for small steps in the right direction. Whether it’s getting into a fitness routine, writing more blog posts (I’m talking to myself here), or starting a new business, simply stating the Big Grand Goal is not enough to make it happen. I have found that writing down a big goal and outline the smaller steps needed to reach that goal make it much more concrete and doable! Not only that, but setting smaller goals over time that build toward that one large goal make it 1) less daunting and 2) more sensible to keep working through the smaller steps rather than trying to do it all in one day, failing because that is basically impossible, and throwing your goal in the trash until it’s Dec 31st again.

One of the tools I have used to set and achieve my goals while staying organized with a full-time job and family is the Commit30 planner. I have used this journal for a few years now, and I absolutely loved it! Just like any other planner, it helps to track your daily and weekly obligations. However, it also has room to track your goals. Each month, you can commit to one important goal that is meaningful for you. For example, it could be to have a green smoothie every day for one month. It could be to exercise for 30 minutes daily that month. It could be to meditate daily for the month. You write down your goal at the start of each month. You then mark off the days you accomplish your goal, and you can set a reward for yourself if you meet your goal that month. The reward could be material, but it doesn’t have to be! Writing down the reward, whatever that means for you, helps you visualize the end of the month and motivates you to stick to your goal.

I also love that at the beginning of a new year, it gives you space to categorize your overall goals for multiple areas of your life: career, family, home, health, spirituality, etc. Underneath each category, you can be more specific about what your goals are in that realm of your life. You can then choose from these categories to focus on one month at a time.

A typical layout when you open up a page involves one week at a time. I found this so helpful especially when I was still completing my Masters in Bioethics program while in fellowship, and I needed to keep close track of my reading and writing assignments for school as well as my meetings and work obligations. Of course, add in appointments for the kids and myself, and you’ve got a mostly packed week!

The weekly schedule also gives you space to track other things for each day. I personally loved tracking my workouts and a list of three things I was grateful for at the end of each day. This practice sounds very cliche, but it truly helped me stay grounded and focused on all of the good things in life during a difficult and stressful year! You can also track things like your meal plan, grocery lists, and so forth.

I truly love the Commit30 planner and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great way to organize and stay motivated! They come in beautiful bright colors as well as two different sizes. A perk is the added stickers that jazz up each week (e.g. for holidays, vacations, etc.) They also have other specialty journals, for example for fitness, money, and joy! They offer digital version of the planners as well! I personally love the physical book because it’s something I can hold onto and look back on.

Do you have a favorite planner you love and recommend?