We’ve all been there: got halfway through the year and suddenly realised we haven’t exactly stuck to our New Year’s resolutions. Whoops, we did it again. That’s OK though. Juggling the often conflicting priorities of family life means balls are going to get dropped. The good news is another New Year is coming up and we are giving you some useful tips to help you ACE the next one and achieve all your family goals! 

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1. Take it Easy!

It’s very tempting to try to hit the ground running as soon as the clock strikes midnight on NYE, but let’s just take a moment to breathe. December can be a very busy time for families with lots of dashing about and lots of personal obligations. 

January 1st, by contrast, can feel a bit weird, right? It’s suddenly eerily quiet in the house and you may have that feeling that you should be doing something new, but what?! Maybe you already know what your goals are already but don’t feel like you have the energy to implement changes to achieve them.

“Sandra next door has already started her ‘Couch to 5k’ running mission and created a Bullet Journal template for the whole year and I’m still eating the kid’s festive sweets in my PJs and trying to remember what I resolved to do last New Year.”

It’s all good! Start small and set one goal a week that you know you can comfortably achieve. It’s fine to be selfish too. As a parent, you’ve probably spent the last month getting tugged in lots of different directions and your head is still spinning as a result. Think of one thing that brings you joy - or even just peace. Whether this is yoga, running, doing art, reading a book in a coffee shop or anything that is your ‘happy place’. Just set aside some regular time to decompress and ease yourself into the New Year at your own pace. 

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2. Setting Family Goals (and achieving them)

The good news is that parents don’t have to tackle this alone. Setting goals as a family is a great way to bring your family closer together! Plus, goals that you have collaborated on are more likely to be achieved as everyone is already on the same page and change is happening with them, not to them. 

• Family Meeting. Start by brainstorming ideas. What are some things you would like to do as a family this year? What are your individual goals for the year? Once you have a list of ideas, start to narrow them down to the ones that are most important to you.
• ‍Get SMART. This type of objective setting is common in business, but there’s no reason why families can’t benefit too! 
  Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. 
  For example, instead of saying "We want to spend more quality time together," you could say "We want to travel as a family for at least one month and learn some new skills."
• ‍Bitesize goals. Break your goals down into smaller, more manageable steps. This will make them seem less daunting and more achievable.
• ‍Whoop-whoop! Track your progress and celebrate your successes together. This will help you stay motivated and on track. Make sure to celebrate your successes along the way, no matter how small they may seem.
• ‍Flexibility. Things don't always go according to plan, so be prepared to adjust your goals as needed. Ha! You’re parents - I DO NOT need to tell you things don’t always go to plan!! 
• ‍Have fun! Setting and achieving family goals should be enjoyable. If you're not having fun, you're less likely to stick with it. If it’s not fun maybe it’s not the right goal. Feel free to toss it in the Recycle Bin guilt-free.

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3. Quality Time

One of the most common goals families will set themselves is “To spend more time together as a family.” It’s quite a broad objective that is often not given more specific attention - meaning, over time, it gets more difficult to achieve consistently. This is where our SMART objectives ⬆️ can help.

• Quality over quantity. This means that it is better to spend a shorter amount of time with your family but be fully present and engaged.
• ‍Experiences over things. This means that the memories you make with your family can be more significant than the things you buy them. When you spend time together, you are creating core memories that will last a lifetime. You can read our Blog all about the value of Experiences here.
• ‍Make time for each other. Even if you are busy, it is important to make regular time for each other. This could mean setting aside a specific time each day or week to spend together as a family, or it could mean just being more mindful of each other when you are together.
• ‍Be present. There are so many distractions nowadays that it is sometimes tricky to be fully present. How many of us can claim that we’ve never been distracted by the TV or a notification that just popped up on our phones? Technology is a double-edged sword. It can take a real conscious effort to put your phone out of reach and just be present. 

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How can Boundless help you ACE your New Year?

At the start of every 3-month Boundless Experience or 4-week Getaway, we invite all parents to join our ‘Boundless Connections session. Everyone has the opportunity to share their own reasons for joining Boundless and what their personal goals for the experience are. 

As you might expect, ‘wanting to spend more quality time as a family’ is usually right up there in terms of the rationale for becoming Boundless. We are 100%  confident that all our families leave with this box thoroughly ticked!

If you are looking for a Master Reset for your family this coming New Year, our January-March cohort could be the perfect tonic. 

• Pure Boundless Living. You will have the opportunity to experience one of our locations in their purest forms. No sunbed shortage on the beaches of Syros or peering over the heads of tourists to marvel at the magnificence of the Pena Palace in Sintra. You and your family will have the space - and time - to truly connect with your chosen destination and each other. 

• Better together...and apart. Quality family time doesn’t necessarily mean living in each other’s pockets. Parents shouldn’t neglect their own needs and passions. Taking time out to learn a new skill with other parents (sailing in Syros, anyone?) or just taking part in our weekly well-being session can be the emotional refresh you didn’t know you needed. If you don’t feel reset at the end of an outdoor yoga session on a lido at the edge of the Aegean Sea with beautiful historic architecture as your backdrop we’ll give your money back. Or we would, but the weekly yoga is included! 😉

• Quality optimised. Our January cohort is the perfect platform for achieving your goals - whatever they may be. 
  Not sure how to overcome a hurdle at work? You’ll have access to a community hive-mind of entrepreneurs and people at the top of their respective games who will only be too happy to brainstorm a solution with you. 
  Feel like your children need a new challenge or way of learning? Our project-based Quests and multi-age classrooms could be the perfect opportunity for them to thrive. 
  Perhaps your family-time bucket is running low and you need a serious top-up? Slow travel as a family will leave it overflowing. 

Ready for the New Year to hit differently? Give us a call! We will help you craft the best start to a year you’ve ever had.