We're almost 90 days into 2024
At this point of the year we recommend reviewing the healthy living goals you set yourself back in January.
Here’s how a 90-day review can make a massive difference:
Positive behaviours can be easy to overlook so it's important to highlight anything and everything that you've done well
Then you must celebrate your successes so far this year
This allows you to appreciate that you're on track, and then establish what you'd like to do to build on these achievements
A short review will allow you to course correct where necessary. This could either be to double down on your January objectives, or modify them based on your progress to date. In many cases modifying will be as a simple as breaking the goals down into slightly smaller component parts so they are easier to begin and gain traction with
Visualise the next chapter of your success across the next 90-days. When you take the time to remember what you've done well, and revisit the positive emotions this creates, you'll be in a great position to set yourself up mentally to repeat these successes and maximise the feel-good factor yet further between now and the end of June
Then, the ultimate prize is to set up a system for regular reviews like this
This helps you create a sense of control:
You are always on track. Planning and reviewing are crucial elements of any project. As long as they are part of the process, the project is an ongoing priority
You are always moving forwards. Regular review means regular course correction so you are always progressing. Anything that doesn't go to plan is simply feedback that can be used to refine your plan for quicker success
You are building a sustainable plan that is appropriate to what’s going on in your life right now, and that will work for you all year round, year after year
When you need to make changes to your plan, you have your success strategies sitting there in front of you. You can either adapt strategies from one area of healthy living to apply in others, or replicate success strategies from the past
Here’s an example of this approach in action
January 2024 objectives
Increase exercise: shorter workouts, more regularly
Drink less alcohol
Eat earlier in the day
Switch off work email at weekends
Get to bed at 2300 latest
Delegate one thing per week at work
Maintain date night once every two weeks
A 90-day progress report
These objectives are from someone on a current programme so it's actually an 86-day progress report as they wanted to do their review slightly early as a way to stay focused until the end of this month.
Objective: Increase exercise: shorter workouts, more regularly
Review: 73 workouts (5-6 days per week on average)
Objective: Drink less
Review: 62 days of no alcohol (5 days per week)
Objective: Eat earlier in the day
Review: 24 days (2 days per week)
Objective: Switch off work email at weekends
Review: 0 success
Objective: Get to bed at 2300 latest
Review: 3 days per week
Objective: Delegate one thing per week at work
Review: On track
Objective: Maintain date night once every two weeks
Review: On track
Evolution of the plan for the next 90-days
Maintain the current level of exercise. It’s manageable and it works. Short workouts are the key
Increase number of alcohol free days to 6 days per week
Eat earlier in the day: increase to 3 days per week with the focus on weekdays as it's not such an issue at the weekends
Switch off email at weekends: pick just one weekend to do this in the next month so I can prove to myself it's possible
Get to bed at 2300 latest: make this happen 4 days per week on weekdays and also reduce the shift to later sleep hours at the weekends
Delegate one thing per week at work: increase this to two tasks / projects delegated per week. This is proving a great way to free up valuable strategy time
Maintain date night once every two weeks: continue current success as this is now something I really look forward to
Top priority from the above to double down on and establish as a non-negotiable:
Get to bed at 1100 latest and regulate weekday / weekend shifts in sleep routine. This makes a massive difference to success in all the other areas.
How to find your balance and maintain it
Pick a date and time in your diary over the next week to conduct your 90-day review. It will only take 15-30 minutes but could dramatically change the course of the next 3 months of your life for the better.
Remember as part of this review to set the time and date for the next one!