Quarterly Goals Are Effective, Achievable, & Keep You On Track For The Whole Year

New year resolutions are exciting; they provide you with something to look forward to when writing them down. The downfall to these resolves is that you have a whole year to do them, and if you're a procrastinator, you might not start them until you're close to the end of the year. While it's nice to think we have 365 days to complete every goal, it can be extremely overwhelming if you don't devise a plan for how you will achieve them. They can pile up quickly, but the perfect way to succeed is simple. 

Instead of finishing every goal in one go, try dividing them and accomplishing a few every quarter. The year comprises four quarters: January to April, April to June, June to September, and September to January. You'll have completed four resolutions by trying to accomplish at least one goal every quarter. Depending on the number of resolutions you have, you can divide them between the quarters. Here's how creating quarterly goals can help you achieve your resolutions.

We mentioned how splitting up your resolutions over the quarters will help you accomplish them faster without being overwhelming. While 90 days may seem like a long time, it's short enough to keep you focused. In addition, knowing you only have 90 days to complete a few of your resolutions will make you take action every day to get you one step closer to accomplishing them. However, you'll want to make realistic goals that you can manage easily. You might overwhelm yourself if you try to go after bigger objectives first. Choosing which goals you want to accomplish first allows you to plan in detail what measures you must take to reach the end.

On the other hand, if you have more significant resolutions, break them into smaller ones that can lead you to tackle one big goal over the year. You can throw in some fun, light, and easily accomplishable pursuits to get you excited over your other goals. For example, if you've been trying to do your skincare routine every day, choosing the same time can keep you accountable. Or, if you have too many steps in your routine, cut back on a few and stick to the basics that will still benefit your skin.

Giving yourself 90 days to complete a few resolutions allows you to stay consistent with your action plan. While 90 days may feel like a long time, the days go by fast, so it'll feel like you're on a time crunch. Plus, it won't give you time to think about procrastinating, so you'll be more motivated to work towards achieving your resolution. If you have trouble keeping track of what you've accomplished during the week, write down everything you've done at the end of the week in a journal to help give you insight into what you've achieved. You can also create weekly checklists you can follow; that way, you have an idea of the smaller tasks you should be doing.

By taking these steps, you'll be able to keep yourself accountable during your 90 days. If you fall behind or lose motivation, remember what you're trying to attain and how well completing your goals will feel. You'll be looking forward to a fresh start with new plans at the beginning of a new quarter.

One thing we don't realize when we're making new year's resolutions is that over time, there might be a chance that we change our minds and switch goals. When we think about having 365 days to complete multiple resolutions, we try to do as much as possible in the first month, then stop by the second. If we pick up where we left off, we've come up with other things we want to do. Creating short-term goals with a 90-day deadline allows them to stay relevant to what you're trying to achieve at that time, and it'll keep you focused as you maneuver each task that will help you succeed.

If you're having trouble thinking of what goals to make, consider certain parts of your life you'd like to improve, such as your career, relationships, finances, and personal — for example, making a goal to read more books. If you want to read 12 books by the end of the year, your quarterly plan could be to read at least three books. You can do some math from those three books and decide how many pages you'd like to read a day that works with your schedule and is easily attainable.

The vital thing to remember when planning your 90-day goals is to be kind to yourself even if you don't attain them by the deadline. As long as you're working every day to get closer to succeeding, any progress you make is still an advancement. For example, if you're trying to increase your step goal from 2,000 to 4,000, your weekly plan could be walking an extra 160 steps until the end of the 13 weeks. If by the end of the 90 days, you only reached 3,200 steps, you can use the next 90 days to work toward the remaining 800 steps. Or move on to the next goal you have.

If you want to ensure you succeed, you can always review your plan and make adjustments. Sometimes you might find that you don't want to continue a goal after the first month; it's okay to scratch it and start a new one immediately. However, always try to celebrate your small accomplishments throughout the 90 days. In addition, you could reward yourself after every month to keep you motivated until you reach the finish line.

Once you can get through 90 days comfortably and successfully, at least a couple of times, you'll be prepared enough to stretch your timeframe to six months for a bigger goal. On the other hand, you'll probably give up if you don't see results fast enough when you try going headfirst into accomplishing a long-term objective. Even if you have a larger plan, breaking it up into smaller parts can get you closer to the big goal and allow you to celebrate small successes along the way.

Larger goals can take more time to plan, so ensure you take a sufficient amount of time before the new quarter starts to create an action plan. Think about what you want to attain each month that will bring positive outcomes to your resolution. In addition, significant goals can feel overwhelming, so don't be afraid to reach out to a support system that can help you be successful. By the end of the six months, you'll be able to see how far you've come and how productive you've been in executing your goals.