Sprint to Success: Adopting Agile Strategies for New Year Resolutions

It’s that time of the year when our thoughts turn to the goals we aspire to achieve in the coming year – what we commonly refer to as New Year Resolutions. Whether it’s weight loss, dedicated time for personal growth, better work-life balance, or new career aspirations, the start of a new year holds the promise of a fresh beginning.

Yet, scepticism often arises from the familiar scenario: resolutions set in the past year remain largely unfulfilled.

The Waterfall Approach to Setting New Year’s Resolutions

Ever noticed how the traditional method of setting New Year’s resolutions mirrors the waterfall project management approach?

As the year comes to an end, we fixate on planning the goals for the upcoming one, setting rigid objectives with a one-year deadline, a practice that mirrors the fixed goals, inflexible timeline, and the absence of regular assessments and adjustments in a typical waterfall project.

Given the inevitable changes in our lives—shifts in priorities, unforeseen opportunities, and evolving circumstances—it’s no wonder we struggle to accomplish our initially defined goals.

Retrospective: A Pause for Reflection

Before diving into a new set of resolutions, take a moment to pause and reflect.

Consider the achievements of the past year and celebrate your successes. Delve into the reasons behind these accomplishments, extracting valuable lessons for the future.

Now, turn your attention to the resolutions left untouched. Why did they remain unaddressed? Were they too ambitious, overshadowed by unexpected opportunities, or rendered irrelevant by changing circumstances?

Analyse goals in progress as well, and the reasons for not completely achieving them. 

In all scenarios, focus on improvement. Seek feedback from impartial sources—friends and family—gaining insights through an external lens.

It is crucial to dedicate ample time to this reflective exercise as your experiences offer rich lessons.

Be honest, discard a victim mentality, and leverage feedback loops for continuous learning.

Create a Prioritised List (Backlog) of Resolutions

Having reflected on the past, now identify resolutions to carry forward and new ones to embrace.

Whether on paper, a spreadsheet, or an app, list each goal and meticulously break them down into smaller, achievable targets.

For instance, if the overarching goal is to lose 24 kg by year-end, break it down into specific actions, like for example, committing to the gym at least three times a week and going for a walk four times a week. Ensure each goal is measurable, enabling progress tracking throughout the year.

After identifying and breaking down resolutions, prioritise them based on your perceived importance.

Set Timeboxes (Sprints)

While tradition dictates yearly resolutions, a year is an extensive timeframe. As probably evidenced through the preceding analysis, numerous unforeseen events unfold during the year, diverting our attention from these goals and making them challenging or unworthy of pursuit. 

To counteract this, opt for shorter timeframes—I typically recommend three months, but the key is to keep a consistent timeframe throughout the year. Given the shorter timeframe compared to the traditional one-year period, initiating work on resolutions begins much earlier. This early start significantly heightens the likelihood of successfully achieving the set targets.

Planning: A Dynamic Approach

Now that you have determined the timebox window, it’s the right time to start planning.

It’s an easy task, isn’t it?

Just break down the year into equal chunks depending on the selected timeframes, look at the prioritised list of activities, and start plugging each one into the respective timebox.

Actually, it’s much more complex than this….

Rather than creating an exhaustive plan for the entire year, just focus on the upcoming timebox. Detailed planning for subsequent periods will occur at a later stage and will be based on evolving situations and lessons learned from previous timeframes.

Furthermore, take into consideration your own capacity to work on these goals. Often, resolutions disregard existing commitments such as work and family, making them unrealistic to achieve.

Now that you have identified your capacity and know the duration of the timebox, begin by placing achievable goals within the first timebox, striving for a well-balanced blend of career growth, health initiatives, and family time.

Come January 1st, you’re well-prepared to embark on your objectives. To maintain focus and commitment, construct a simple Kanban board displaying all backlog items and their status. Ensure easy accessibility, perhaps through a mobile app.

At the close of each timebox, reflect on accomplishments, assess what went well, areas for improvement, and seek constructive feedback. It is also the right moment for you to evaluate the remaining goals in the backlog  and determine their validity and need for adjustments.

Embrace the principles of continuous learning, improvement, and feedback loops for a successful journey toward achieving your New Year’s resolutions.

Good luck!