How to Work With a Team

Being a good team player is an essential skill, especially at work and school. When you’re working with a team, make sure every voice is heard and work together toward common goals. Additionally, create compromise to resolve conflicts that arise. Don’t worry if you struggle with teamwork. You can improve your skills as a team player. It's also possible to prove you can work independently while working on a team.

EditSteps

EditDeveloping Good Teamwork Skills

1. Show you’re reliable by doing everything you say you will. Your actions will reflect on everyone in your group, so do your best to always follow through. Complete your portion of the workload, and speak up as soon as you notice any issues that may arise.^[1]
   
   • Always keep your promises to the group.
   • If you do need to back out of a promise, take responsibility for it by telling your supervisor, client, or teacher that you had to withdraw from the project. After you notify your supervisor, client, or teacher, tell your team that you've had to back out. Don’t put your group in an awkward situation.
2. Make sure you do an equal share of the work. No one likes a teammate who barely contributes to the project. Take on an equal part of the work, and speak up if you realize you aren’t doing your fair share. Not only will your group mates appreciate your work ethic, it will show your supervisor or instructor that you’re a good team player.^[2]
   
   • Keep in mind that some tasks may be harder than others. Make sure you and your teammates create a balanced workload that’s fair to everyone.
   • If you feel like you are doing too much work, tell your team. You might say, “I noticed that our team assignments are a little bit imbalanced. I have extra work assigned to me that I’m hoping we can spread around.”
   • If they still don't take on their fair share, talk to them one-on-one about their perspective on the project. Try to address their reasons for holding back. Then, compare your current roles and invite them to take a more active role in the project. If nothing helps, you may be able to talk to your supervisor or instructor, but doing so can be risky. Make sure you've tried to solve the issue as a team first.
3. Be direct and honest when you communicate with others. Always say what you mean, but use a professional tone. Similarly, don’t waste people’s time by padding the truth or being indirect about how you really feel.^[3]
   
   • This includes what you say and what you write in reports, memos, emails, or text messages.
   • On a similar note, don’t gossip about or to your teammates.
4. Share credit with your teammates. No one likes a credit hog, so don’t steal the spotlight. Treat the team’s accomplishments as a group success. Additionally, acknowledge the individual contributions made by your teammates.^[4]
   
   • For instance, you might give your teammate credit for having a great idea that helped your team finish your project in half the time.
   • Even if you’re the team leader, it’s important that you not hog the credit. A team success belongs to everyone.
   • If someone really didn't help the team, talk to them about team expectations and how they can contribute moving forward. You or your teammates may need to help manage their workload.
   • If someone else tries to hog the credit, you have a few choices on how to handle the situation. In the moment, you could say, "Thanks for bringing that up, Sharon. We all worked hard these past few weeks to create this plan." If you can't speak up in the moment, confront your colleague calmly to discuss what happened. Ask them to explain why they indicated that they deserved all the credit. If this doesn't help, you may need to involve your supervisor, so make sure you keep records that show who did what as part of the team.
5. Adopt a positive attitude when it comes to your work. People are more likely to enjoy working with you if you have a good attitude. You can improve your attitude by approaching problems as an opportunity, expecting a positive outcome, and adopting habits that improve your workday.^[5]
   
   • One way to always find the positive outcome is to consider your work never complete until something good comes out of it.
   • Good habits to help your workday go more smoothly might include enjoying a mug of your favorite tea every afternoon, organizing your desk to reduce your stress levels, and enjoying a brief, energizing walk at lunch time.

EditWorking Independently While on a Team

1. Take initiative when working on your collaborations to the team. Although you’re working on a team, you’ll likely complete some of the work alone. Don’t expect your teammates to take responsibility for keeping you on track. Be a self-starter by staying on top of your assignments, creating deadlines for yourself, and meeting project expectations.^[6]
   
   • This also shows your supervisor and teammates that you’re able to work independently of the team.
2. Speak up when you have ideas or expertise about a topic. This shows leadership skills, while also making you a valuable part of the team. Sharing your thoughts shows that you have more to offer and are thinking outside the box. Even if your ideas aren’t right for the project, they might lead to future innovations on a different project.^[7]
   
   • When you have team meetings, always contribute something to the discussion. If you have trouble thinking on the spot, brainstorm before the meeting so you have some ideas about what you have to say.
3. Volunteer to take on extra work, when necessary. This is another way to show that you’re not only a good team member but also an independent worker. Step up to lead a project, knock out a backlog of unfinished tasks, or complete a side project for your supervisor. Then, complete the extra work as quickly as possible.^[8]
   
   • You’ll show your independence by setting priorities between each of your work tasks, creating new deadlines for yourself, and following through on your promises.
   • When you take on these extra projects, you’ll quickly gain a reputation for being a self-starter and an asset to the organization.
   • Make sure that you don't take on too much work. You'll need to balance your new projects with your current work assignments. Know your schedule so you don't accidentally put too much on your plate.

EditCompleting a Team Project

1. Pick team members who have skills that complement yours, if you can. If you have a choice on who you’ll work with, look for people who are different from you. Although it’s tempting to pick similar people so your work will go smoothly, it’s better to have diverse ideas and skill sets on your team, as you’ll be able to be more creative.^[9]
   
   • If everyone has the exact same perspective and skill set, it will be harder to divide the work because everyone will want to do the same things. For instance, let's say you're working on a project to design a brochure. If everyone on your team enjoys graphic design, you'll all want to create the brochure, instead of tasks like conducting research on your topic.
   • Additionally, your group won’t be as innovative in your ideas because you won’t be coming at the topic from different perspectives. For example, team members from different socioeconomic backgrounds might have experienced a community issue in a different way, giving them a different perspective on it.
2. Compare skills sets with your teammates if your team is already chosen. Talk to your teammates to find out their background, strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Determine what you each bring to the table. Try to find ways you can complement each other’s skills so your team can work well together.
   
   • If you're the team leader, you might host a planning meeting and invite everyone to share their skills. If you're not in a leadership position, talk to people one-on-one. Look for ways that you can bring something new to the team.
   • For example, let's say you find out your teammates are strong in skills like networking with clients, statistics, and design. Although you might also be strong in networking and design, you could offer to use your writing skills to complement the skills of your teammates.
3. Include input from all team members so everyone is heard. A team can only thrive if everyone feels valued and heard. Not all ideas are winners, but the group must still listen to them and consider if they’re a good idea for this project. Make it a priority to collaborate as much as possible.^[10]
   
   • If team members start to feel as though their ideas don’t matter, they’ll stop being an active part of the team. This will hurt your overall output as you’re losing valuable ideas and expertise.
   • For example, you might host round table meetings to encourage participation.
   • If you feel like people on your team aren't listening to you, talk to your team lead about it. Say, "At the past three meetings, I've tried to offer input on the project, but I keep getting interrupted. Do you think we can try a round table approach so we can also share our ideas?"
4. Participate in goal setting as a team so you have a plan. It’s important that all team members are working on the same goals, rather than each person pursuing personal aspirations. Discuss your goals as a team and adopt the goals that everyone agrees on. Moving forward, you can change or adapt your goals as needed, as long as everyone provides input.^[11]
   
   • Be as active in the goal setting process as possible. If your team leadership already set goals for your group, you might not get a voice in the process.
   • For example, your team might start out with 3 goals: “1) Design a survey to gather public input about our park project; 2) Distribute the survey to residents; and 3) Evaluate the survey results to determine how to proceed with phase 2 of our planning project.”
5. Clarify the team expectations so everyone is on the same page. This can include explaining the expectations or asking questions if you find them unclear. It’s likely that each teammate has a different idea about what’s expected of them, as well as what everyone else needs to be doing. It’s essential that the team discuss these expectations and agree on one universal list of expectations that everyone will follow.^[12]
   
   • If you're not a leader on your team, you may not be setting expectations. However, it is important that you understand them, so ask questions if you're confused.
   • Write down the expectations and make sure everyone on the team has a copy. For example, you might email the copy to everyone or post it in a communal Google Drive folder.
   • Examples of expectations might be “everyone completes their work on time,” “check team communications daily,” “upload all work to the communal folder,” etc.
6. Participate in brainstorming sessions to encourage collaboration. When you can, meet in person so you can have a free exchange of ideas. If this isn't possible, schedule a group phone call or digital conference through service providers like Google or Skype.^[13]
   
   • Teams are most effective when they collaborate, so brainstorming sessions are a great tool for good teamwork.
   • Make sure each teammate is taking notes during the meeting so that you can all recall your ideas later.
7. Establish a universal means of communicating with the team. Choose one method of communication. Make sure all team members have access to the means of communication so everyone is on the same page. Otherwise, your group may not work effectively, as some group members may be unaware of what’s happening.^[14]
   
   • For example, all group members might participate on a group text message or email.
   • If you have no control over how communication is handled, that's okay! Follow along with the guidelines set up by your group leader.
8. Focus on the success of the group, not your personal success. When you’re on a team, everyone’s success depends on each member working toward a common goal. If you’re thinking about your own glory, you’ll be undermining the team. Keep your focus on your team’s success, and your own success will follow.^[15]
   
   • It’s helpful to remember that a team failure will reflect badly on you. Don’t let your personal aspirations get in the way of your team’s success.
   • Let's say your personal goal is to make it onto the management team. Rather than trying to impress your supervisor with your managerial skills, work with your teammates to accomplish your shared goals. Do your best to support the team, which shows you're an asset to the company. Then, you can volunteer for side projects that will help show your full range of skills.

EditResolving Team Conflicts

1. Discuss the issue in person with your teammates. Talking things out in person will allow a free-flow of information and prevent misunderstandings, which might occur if you bring up the issue in an email. State the issue you're having, then listen to what everyone has to say.^[16]
   • If you're concerned about having a record of the conversation, you can record it using your phone or a voice recorder.
   • If you aren't the group leader, you may prefer to talk to your group leader before talking to the group as a whole. This may be helpful if you'd rather the leader bring up the issue.
2. Direct your concern toward the problem, not your teammates. Don’t accuse or blame anyone on your team for causing the conflict, even if you believe they did. Instead, keep all of your comments and arguments focused on the issue and how your team can solve it.^[17]
   
   • If you feel attacked by the other person, don’t respond with your own attack. Say something like, “I’m sorry you feel that way, but blaming each other won’t help us solve the conflict. I’d like to stay focused on solutions.” This way, you show that you’re a professional and care more about the project than your ego.
   • You may not have much control about how the conflict is handled. However, you can control what you say and how you react. Keep your words and actions professional.
3. Give everyone a chance to share their opinion if you're a leader. Even if you think you’re right, it’s still important to hear everyone out. Otherwise, your conflict will continue even after you’ve solved this issue, as you’ll create resentments on the team.^[18]
   
   • For instance, you might host a round-table to allow everyone a chance to speak. Don’t respond to each other until everyone has shared their opinion.
4. Listen to each side of the conflict. Focus on what the other person is saying, not what you will say in response. You may even take notes about what they say. Once they're finished speaking, repeat what they said back to them to make sure you really understand what they’re saying.
   
   • In most cases, conflict on a team happens because people have different perspectives and backgrounds. This is actually a good thing! Understanding everyone’s opinion and why they feel that way will help you create a better solution to the problem, which eventually helps your team produce better work.^[19]
   • You might paraphrase their words by saying, “It sounds like you think your part of the workload is too heavy and that the rest of us need to do more.”
5. Use conflict to generate new ideas whenever possible. When group members start to disagree, look for opportunities to get creative or go in a different direction. Let conflict be a trigger for brainstorming sessions, with the goal of choosing the best ideas. Make a habit of saving unused ideas or information for use in the future.^[20]
   
   • Assume that there’s no one way to do something, even if you feel like your ideas are the best.
   • Keep notes about what comes out during your brainstorming sessions so you can refer back to those ideas later. This will help your team resolve conflicts more easily because people know that their ideas are being valued and may be used in the future.
6. Create a compromise so that everyone feels included. You likely won’t win when there’s a conflict in your group, and that’s okay. Whenever possible, teammates should give and take so that everyone gets to direct the group’s efforts. Be open to a compromise that works best for everyone.^[21]
   
   • If you can’t compromise due to constraints, offer the team members who aren’t getting what they want something else they want. This way they’ll still feel included on the decision.
   • For instance, let's say 2 team members aren't happy with their job assignments, but it's too close to the deadline to switch roles. Your compromise might be phrased like this, "Although we can't change the roles for this project, Maria and James are going to take the design lead on the upcoming project."

EditTips

• Be social with your teammates, if you can. Spending time together in a fun environment can help you grow together outside the stress of work or school.^[22]
• Try to build a diverse team. Having many different perspectives will strengthen your group because it leads to more ideas and better outcomes.

EditSources and Citations

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How to Play Jeopardy with Alexa

This wikiHow teaches you how to play Jeopardy! on an Alexa-enabled device such as the Echo or Echo Dot. If you hope to make it on the show yourself one day, putting yourself on-the-spot to answer questions within the short time limit isn't a bad way to practice! Simply enable the Alexa skill and you can answer regularly updated Jeopardy! questions each weekday. There are also versions for Teen and Sports Jeopardy which are fun if you want more specialized topics.

EditSteps

1. Say, "Alexa, open Jeopardy!" This starts the Jeopardy skill on your Echo device.
   
   • Say, "Alexa, open Teen Jeopardy!" or "Alexa, open Sports Jeopardy!" to access these versions of the game.
2. Do your best to answer the questions. After a brief intro, the skill will go right into asking you questions after telling you the category. Be sure to answer in the form of a question or your answer won't be accepted!
   
   • Here's an example question, "The category is: Medical Words and Phrases. This word that starts with 'C' is a fancy word for a bruise." You will now have about 10 seconds to answer. In this case the correct answer is, "What is 'contusion'?" There's no need to say "Alexa" before saying your answer.
   • Say "I don't know," if you don't know the answer. If you don't say anything, the game will simply close without telling you the right answer.
   • You can say, "Repeat the question" to hear the question again.
3. Get your results. After you've answered all 6 questions, the skill will tell you how well you did compared to every other player who answered this set. Compare your results with family and friends to see who did the best!
   
4. Play a previous day's questions. If you haven't been playing the Jeopardy! skill every day, you'll have questions available from other days waiting for you to answer. Just wait until you've after you've heard your results and if there are more questions available it will ask if you'd like to answer them. Just say, "Yes" and the game will start up again. New questions are released every weekday.
   
   • Members of Amazon Prime will get an additional 6 questions each day with Double Jeopardy! These additional 6 questions will be asked automatically after you have answered the first 6 for the day. If you're not a Prime member you can pay $2 a month for the extra questions.
   • For the Teen and Sports Jeopardy, there are 12 new free clues released every Friday. You can also buy monthly packs of 50 clues, $0.99 for Prime members and $1.99 if you don't have a membership.
5. Resume a game you had to interrupt. If you had to close the skill before you were finished, don't worry, you can easily come back to where you were. Simply open the skill again and you will be prompted to either restart the day's questions or resume where you left off. Just say, "Restart," or "Resume."
   
   • For example, if you wanted to continue to a previously unfinished game, you would say, "Alexa, play Jeopardy." Then when prompted, say "Resume."

EditQuick Summary

from How to of the Day http://bit.ly/2EZ6nzQ

How to Get Fit in the Gym

Going to the gym is a great way to get in shape, but it can be intimidating if you’re just starting out. Even if you're a regular at the gym, you might feel like your routine isn't producing results. Fortunately, getting fit in the gym is more than possible, regardless of your personal fitness goals. The key is to develop effective, safe workout habits and to arrive at the gym prepared and ready to succeed.

EditSteps

EditSucceeding at the Gym

1. Come up with a realistic gym schedule that you’ll be able to stick to. It may be tempting to plan on going to the gym every day of the week for faster results, but this can lead to burnout and you might feel discouraged if you miss days and don’t meet your goal. Instead, decide how many days of the week you can realistically make it to the gym and start there. You can always increase the frequency of your workouts later on when going to the gym becomes more of a habit.^[1]
   
   • If you’re new to working out, try setting aside 2 days a week to go to the gym. That way, you can get your feet wet without feeling overwhelmed.
   • You could also try going to the gym every other day of the week so that you have a day off in between your gym sessions.
   • If you think you’d have a hard time going to the gym on the weekends, you could go every day after work or school and then take the weekends off.
2. Wear comfortable clothes and supportive athletic shoes to the gym. You want to wear clothes that will make your workout easier and that won’t get in your way while you’re exercising. Go with shirts that will wick away sweat and shorts that don’t restrict your range of motion.^[2]
   
   • Shirts and shorts made out of polyester, spandex, nylon, or a cotton-polyester blend are good choices for the gym.^[3]
   • Polyester, in particular, needs to be laundered after every time you sweat in it. Unwashed polyester can quickly develop an unpleasant smell.
3. Bring a water bottle with you to stay hydrated during your workouts. Working out at the gym makes you sweat and lose water, so it’s important that you’re replenishing your body as you exercise. Aim to drink of water every 15 minutes during your workouts.^[4]
   
   • Dehydration can actually negatively affect your workouts by causing cramps and dizziness, as well as making your muscles weaker.
   • If you're going to be working out for longer than 1 hour, it's a good idea to bring a sports drink with you too so you can refuel your body. However, not all sports drinks are the same. Look for an isotonic sports drink that contains carbohydrates and sodium, which will give your body more energy during your workout.^[5]
4. Warm up for 5-10 minutes before your workouts so you don’t injure yourself. Make it a habit to do your warm-ups right when you get to the gym. Focus on doing active, dynamic movements that bring your muscles through their full range of motion, like leg swings, high knees, and arm circles. A dynamic warm-up will get your body ready for your workout session.^[6]
   
   • Not warming up before exercising can leave your body more prone to injury, so make sure you don’t skip your warm-ups at the gym.
5. Do both cardio and strength-training exercises. Try not to limit yourself to just one kind of exercise. Instead, take advantage of the weight machines, cardio machines, and free weights so you’re getting a balanced workout. With cardio and strength-training exercises, you’ll be burning calories and also toning your muscles.^[7]
   
   • Aim to get 150 minutes of moderate cardio a week. For strength training, try to get at least 2 workouts comprised of 20 minutes of resistance training each week.
   • You don’t need to do cardio and strength training on the same day. Instead, you could spend one workout doing cardio and then your next one doing strength-training.
   • While a balanced workout will help you get fit in the gym, you can adjust what exercises you’re doing more of depending on your personal fitness goals. For example, if your goal is to build more muscle, you could spend most of your time doing strength-training exercises. Or, if you're trying to lose weight, you could focus more on cardio exercises.
   • The right ratio of cardio to strength-training exercises will depend on your personal fitness goals, your weight, and the type of exercises you're doing.
6. Have a post-workout snack after the gym to replenish your body. Choose a healthy snack with carbs to restore your body’s energy, and protein to help build your muscles. If you’re trying to lose weight, have a low-calorie snack that’s between 150-200 calories.^[8]
   
   • For example, you could have a banana and some almond butter or a cup of nonfat Greek yogurt with some honey and fruit as a snack after the gym.^[9]
   • You could also make a fruit smoothie with some protein powder.

EditDoing Cardio Exercises at the Gym

1. Walk or run on a treadmill. Treadmills are available at most gyms, and they’re a convenient way to get some cardio exercise in and burn calories. Many treadmills let you adjust the speed and incline that you want to work out with, so it’s a good choice regardless of your fitness level.^[10]
   
   • You can burn around 125 calories per walking briskly on a treadmill if you weigh .^[11]
   • Using a treadmill can be hard on the knees, so you may want to use a different cardio machine if you suffer from knee pain or have a knee injury.
2. Try using an elliptical machine. Working out on an elliptical is also a good calorie-burning cardio exercise, and like a treadmill, you can usually adjust your intensity level. Ellipticals are popular exercise machines, so you shouldn't have a hard time finding one at your gym.^[12]
   
   • You can burn 170-320 calories in 30 minutes on an elliptical, depending on your weight and the level of intensity you're working out at. For example, if you weigh , you could burn 286 calories by working out on an elliptical at a high intensity for 30 minutes.^[13]
3. Exercise on a stationary bike. Pedaling on a stationary bike at moderate intensity for 30 minutes can help you burn 200-700 calories, depending on your weight.^[14] It’s also a great choice if you have knee problems since most of your body weight is being supported by the machine.^[15]
   
   • For example, if you weigh , you could burn 250 calories by exercising on a stationary bike with moderate intensity for 30 minutes.
   • If you’re new to exercising, you can start out pedaling on a light intensity setting and then gradually increase your intensity level as you improve.
4. Work out on a rowing machine. Rowing is a great, full-body cardio exercise that won’t place a lot of stress on your joints. On a rowing machine, you can burn calories while working out your arms, legs, and core. Start out on a low-intensity setting and progress slowly so you don’t hurt your back.^[16]
   
   • Depending on your weight, you can burn around 400-700 calories by spending 1 hour on a rowing machine. For example, if you weigh , you could burn 650 calories by working out on a rowing machine with moderate intensity for 1 hour.^[17]

EditTrying Strength-Training Exercises

1. Try bodyweight exercises when you’re first starting out. Using weight machines and free weights at the gym can be intimidating if you’re new to working out. Fortunately, you can still get a good strength-training workout in by doing exercises that only use your bodyweight for resistance. Some bodyweight exercises you can try are:^[18]
   
   • Squats
   • Push-ups
   • Lunges
   • Planks
   • Crunches
2. Do free-weight exercises to add more resistance to your routine. Most gyms will have free weights you can use, like dumbbells and barbells. The extra resistance will make your exercises more effective at building muscle. Start out with light weights that are easy to lift so you can perfect your form, and gradually progress to heavier, more challenging weights. Some free-weight exercises you can try at the gym include:^[19]
   
   • Deadlifts
   • Bicep curls
   • Bent over rows
   • Bench presses
3. Give your gym’s weight machines a try. Weight machines can be intimidating if you don’t know how to use them, but they can be an effective way to build muscle if they’re used correctly. If you’re interested in using your gym’s weight machines but you’re not sure how, ask someone who works there to show you the right technique, or consider working with a personal trainer who can show you what to do. Some common weight machines you can try are:^[20]
   
   • Lat pulldown machine: A good machine to try if you're looking for an upper body workout, including your latissimus dorsi, biceps, and forearms.
   • The Smith machine: It's great for working out your quads, hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, core, and upper back.
   • Cable machine: You can use different types of cable machines to add resistance to exercises like shoulder presses, step ups, lateral raises, and crunches.
   • Lower back extension machine: It's helpful for exercising the muscles along your back.

EditTips

• Make yourself a workout playlist with upbeat, motivational music that you can listen to while you’re working out at the gym.
• If you’d prefer to work out at the gym when there aren’t a lot of people around, try going in the middle of the day or late in the evening when there’s usually less of a crowd.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Do Treadmill Routines
• Start Your Own Exercise Regimen and Stick to It
• Exercise Your Eyes
• Feel Comfortable at a New Gym
• Enjoy Yourself at the Gym
• Protect Yourself from Gym Germs
• Exercise Without Joining a Gym
• Get Fit at Home
• Get Fit in 10 Minutes a Day
• Avoid Being Chatted up at the Gym

EditSources and Citations

Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

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How to Accomplish Your New Year's Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions are goals or promises that people make for the New Year holiday to try to make their upcoming year better in some way. Many people sometimes find it difficult to maintain and accomplish their resolutions. Here is a list of things you can do to help make sure you accomplish the goals you set for the New Year.

EditSteps

EditCreating Resolutions and Preparing to Begin

1. Brainstorm about changes and improvements you'd like to make. These can be about anything, not just the big ones like quitting smoking and losing weight that many people associate with New Year's resolutions. Jot down some notes while doing the following:
   
   • Consider how you can improve your health. Ask yourself, Can I drink more water? Quit smoking? Stop eating fast food or fried food? Become vegetarian? Exercise more?
   • Consider your relationships with others. Are there ways that you can be a better spouse, parent, other family member, or friend?
   • Consider your work life. Ask yourself, Can I be more successful and happier at work? Be more organized? Stop procrastinating?
   • Consider ways to make a difference. Are there ways you could make a difference in the world through activism, awareness raising or promoting a cause?
2. Choose one or two attainable larger goals. Look over your notes and determine what items on it are most important to you. Don't take too long choosing; often it's the things that leap out at you straight away that have the most meaning for you personally.
   
3. Create “systems.” Systems are the ways that you carry out a larger goal. You need to break down large goals into smaller actions that can are easier to carry out. If you leave your larger goals too vague, you may get confused and change your mind frequently on the ways to accomplish them. This is the purpose of creating systems.
   
   • For example: if your goal is to lose 30 pounds in the following year, you can resolve to cut out fast food, soft drinks, sugary snacks and drinks, drink more water, and walk three days a week until March, and then gradually add in two days at the gym.^[1]
4. Look at your list and reflect, using the SMART mnemonic. Make sure your goals are:
   
   • S – Specific (or Significant). This means your goals include systems for achieving them. You have specific actions that can be carried out that work toward your larger goal.
   • M – Measurable. This means that the changes you see once the goal is reached is noticeable. You will feel different (better), because you are healthier, because your family or social life has improved, etc.
   • A – Attainable. This means that the goal is realistic and can be reached. There are benefits to aiming high, but you don’t want to aim so high that you become disappointed and discouraged from making any changes at all if you can’t reach the goal you set.
     • For instance, if you’ve never run a day in your life, don’t make running a marathon your goal quite yet. Perhaps start with shorter races like a 3K or 5K, and work up from there.
   • R – Relevant (or Rewarding). This means that there is a real need for your goal. You have been unsatisfied with a certain area of your life for some time, and you have a strong motivation to want to change it.
   • T – Trackable. This is similar to measurable, but means that you can assess your progress throughout the process. Have you made a schedule and are you following it? Are you losing weight gradually (if that’s your goal)? Are you getting along better with your loved ones? Etc.^[2]
5. Talk to others about your goals. Discuss your goals and why you made them with your family and friends. This step is very important!
   
   • Ask for others’ support on these goals throughout the year. If possible, team up and visit the gym or shop at the health food store together. Ask them to speak up if you slip and order a Diet Coke instead of a water, or forget another goal on your list.
   • People who tell others about their goals are more likely to accomplish them, whether it’s because they have extra support they need, or because they’re afraid of being embarrassed if they don’t accomplish them, it’s hard to say.^[3]
6. Print out copies of your resolutions. Save a copy on each computer or electronic device you own, such as your cell phone and tablet.
   
   • Email a copy to your work address and save it to your work computer.
   • Make a smaller copy and keep it in your wallet.
   • Post a copy on the outside of your refrigerator! Use bright paper so it catches your eye and don't let it get hidden behind coupons and artwork.

EditStarting Your Resolutions

1. Create a schedule. Even more important than a specific deadline for your goals is to set a schedule of how you will reach the goal. Some goals are actually lifelong changes that you will continue after the goal is reached.
   
   • For instance, systems for weight loss and for improving your relationships don’t necessarily “end” once you’ve reached the goal. To keep weight off, you have to maintain the healthier lifestyle system that you created. To maintain healthy relationships, you would want to continue the things you started doing in your resolutions. So consider:
   • If the goal is losing weight, be sure that you have researched a healthy amount of time to lose a certain amount of weight, and write down your exercise schedule and the changes you will make in your diet for each day.
   • If you’re trying to be a better parent or friend, or to be more successful at work, make a schedule of when and how you will do each thing that’s on your systems list.^[4]
2. Start following your plan immediately. Don't wait for inspiration to strike. The best thing to do is start on January 1 and start tracking your progress.
   
   • If your goal is to lose weight, don’t say, “I’ll start tomorrow.” Start right away! Starting may actually be the toughest part, but once you get into a routine it should become easier.^[5]
3. Create accountability. Set up dates for evaluation with a mentor. This helps you to stay focused and evaluates methods for improvement.
   
   • It's even better if you find someone who has the same resolution. If you have a friend who’s also trying to lose weight, check in with each other and motivate each other. It may also help to consult with your doctor or a trainer about your progress
4. Remind yourself about your goals. For every day on your calendar or schedule, write down what you will do for that day, what time you will do it, and don't forget to actually do it, no matter how busy you are.
   
   • If your goal is losing weight, write down what you will eat, and when and how you will exercise each week.
5. Focus on the process rather than the end goal. Take each step one at a time and be happy with your progress. The only way you'll get to where you want to go is to complete every small step along the way, checking it off with pride as you accomplish each step.^[6]
   
   • Remind yourself of the weight you are losing or how you are feeling healthier instead of the fact that you haven’t reached a certain number of lost pounds yet. You will get there.
6. Create your environment so that you will accomplish your goals. It’s also good to get rid of habits that don’t coincide with your goals and may contribute to you being unable to reach them.
   
   • For example, set your running shoes next to the door. Put fruits and veggies in the front of the fridge. Get rid of the junk food and don’t buy more.
   • If something you regularly do for fun with family and/or friends includes eating out at places where most of the food is unhealthy, choose a different place that offer healthy meals. Or, don’t eat out at all and do something else like go for a walk or a bike ride instead.

EditMaintaining and Accomplishing Your Resolutions

1. Reward yourself. Determine ahead of time what rewards will be at small milestones of accomplishment. Have frequent small rewards and a “grand prize” for completion.
   
   • If your goal is losing weight, you might buy new clothes to replace old ones that don’t fit anymore at each milestone, and then plan a nice vacation for when you’ve reached your goal.
2. Remind yourself of your successes. It can be hard to maintain your motivation and dedication to making a change in your life when you can't see immediate results for your efforts.
   
   • At each low point, have faith that persisting and being consistent in reaching your goal will pay off in the long run. If you’re trying to lose weight and are struggling to keep up with your workouts, just think about how each minute you exercise burns fat and gets you closer to your goal.^[7]
3. Face your fear of change. Fearing change often stops us from achieving a goal. Making a goal sounds good at the time, but then the fear of change surfaces. To avoid this happening to you, realize that your excuses are a way of covering up a fear of change.
   
   • Look beyond "I can't" and start substituting this with "I can" and "I am".
   • Identify your excuses for not going through with parts of your goal. By listing excuses, you can see them for what they are and move beyond the fear of change.
   • Sidestep blaming other people or circumstances for not achieving your goals. If you take responsibility for achieving your goal, these external factors cannot sap your power to do what you've said you'd do.
4. Recognize your self-defeating behaviors. Write down the things you do out of habit that distract you from what really matters. Then, list things that you consider to be more positive and fulfilling behaviors and choices you want to make instead.
   
   • This includes adjusting the habits mentioned in a previous step, even if they were things you once enjoyed. For instance, if are trying to lose weight and you eat out with family or friends as bonding time, either choose restaurants that offer healthy meals or decide to do something else fun together instead of eating out.
5. Begin again if you slip up. Everyone encounters occasional outside stressors and events that take us out of focus on our goals. Use Monday as your day to regroup and start over if you slip and have a bad week completing your goals for any reason.
   
   • The “Monday Campaigns” is a group of nonprofit health organizations that organize various healthy things to do on Mondays, such as “Meatless Mondays,” “De-Stress Mondays,” and “Move-It Mondays.” Don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip and remind yourself of the progress you have made. Just start over on Monday.^[8]
6. Lean on your support team. Whoever you've chosen to help you, be it family, friends, a life coach, therapist, or someone else, lean on them to support you through times of weakness, when you need a booster to get back on track.
   
   • Don't expect to do this completely alone; look for other people's advice, ideas and feedback to help you keep going.^[9]
7. Keep a journal. Document at least one thing every single day in the following year for which you feel grateful and one sentence for the progress you have made.
   
   • When writing, consider: What memorable moments can you draw from each day? In what ways did you grow today or find that your awareness shifted? Keeping note of this will help you to stay grounded and motivated with your goals.

EditVideo

EditTips

• Don't try to plan your resolutions when you're in a bad mood or pressed for time. Taking time to make a thoughtful list will make your goals easier to achieve.
• Keep a Diary of your goals. Mark when you began, and set a date to accomplish them by. Do this for every goal and try to always improve upon your previous time.
• Research your goals. Be sure you understand how to schedule your system to accomplish what you want to accomplish.
• Consider setting up a little competition with your family or friends to keep focused on a tough goal. Should the loser buy a healthy lunch? Maybe take a family vacation to a great beach if everyone hits their goals by July.
• Track the results in your diary so that you get to know you improved and feel to hard work until you reach your goal.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Have a Good Family Life
• Choose Healthy Snacks
• Eat Healthy
• Have a Healthy Relationship
• Achieve Short Term Goals
• Set Goals
• Drink More Water Every Day
• Stop Making Excuses for Your Weight

EditSources and Citations

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