Ditch Resolutions Forever: This Planning Method Actually Works
Another new year has arrived…
On one side, there’s the excitement of setting New Year’s resolutions and dreaming of the person you could be by year’s end.
On the other, there’s the skepticism that creeps in after years of abandoned goals, leaving you wondering if it’s even worth trying again.
Whether you’re ready to tackle a fresh set of goals or just hoping to make it through 2025 in one piece, one thing is clear: Going into the year without a plan can leave you spinning your wheels and wasting your time.
Life is busy. Distractions are endless. It’s all too easy to lose sight of what’s important and get lost.
This year, let’s try something different.
Don’t just set resolutions for the sake of it.
Instead, make an intentional plan for your year that aligns with how you’d most like to spend your time in the coming months.
Even if your only goal is to stay afloat, this intentional approach can help you focus your time and energy so you can look back on 2025 with contentment instead of disappointment.
Your Intentional Year
Planning your year helps you live proactively.
You can schedule your most important priorities first, ensuring they don’t get overshadowed by the day-to-day demands that will inevitably crop up.
Planning an intentional year is an extension of your weekly planning practice. But instead of looking at the immediate week ahead, you zoom out to the entire year to help you make better decisions from week to week.
You’ll plan for the “big rocks” first such as vacations, anniversaries, birthdays, or milestone events to make sure they don’t get squeezed out by less important tasks.
Then you’ll set the goals you want to spend time on during the year (i.e. the personal and professional pursuits that will make your life more fulfilling.)
Finally, you’ll work backward to incorporate elements like rest and recharging as well as the smaller maintenance tasks and errands that are a necessary part of life.
An intentional year isn’t just planning out your calendar. It’s designing your life. By taking control of your schedule in advance, you ensure that your time aligns with your values, goals, and aspirations.
How to Plan an Intentional Year
The Tools You Need
To plan an intentional year, you’ll need a few tools:
Digital or Paper Calendars: Tools like Google Calendar, Outlook, or a physical planner help you visualize the year as you plan. They will also help you be realistic with how much you can (or want to) fit into the year. Your calendar never lies…
Master To-Do List: You’ll want to keep track of anything not being scheduled directly on your calendar, so it can be evaluated as part of your weekly planning efforts. Tools like Notion or Trello are a good option, or even a simple Google doc can do the trick!
Notebook or Journal: Good planning begins with brainstorming and I’d ideating on what’s possible. Give yourself some blank space to write and think as you go along.
Planning doesn’t have to be fancy. There’s no right or wrong tool. Pick software or tools that are easy for you and that you already reference regularly.
Start with the “Big Rocks”
One of the cornerstones of intentional planning is to identify and prioritize your “big rocks.”
This concept, borrowed from Stephen Covey’s time management framework, refers to the things that matter most in your life.
When planning your year, start with these major priorities:
Key Events: Block out birthdays, anniversaries, and major family events.
Vacations: Schedule time to recharge. Whether it’s a week-long getaway or long weekends scattered throughout the year, these breaks are essential for maintaining energy, connection, and creating experiences that make life fun.
“Me Time”: Protect your personal downtime. Whether that’s a regular gym schedule, spa days, or quiet evenings with a book, these moments keep you grounded.
By identifying your big rocks first, you ensure the most important parts of your life aren’t crowded out by lesser priorities.
Schedule this time directly in your calendar.
If using a digital calendar, create recurring tasks where it makes sense (such as your workout time) and guesstimate vacation timing if you haven’t quite nailed down the dates. You can refine the details as part of your regular planning activities throughout the year
Choose Your Big Goals
Once you’ve established your big rocks, it’s time to think about what you want to accomplish over the course of the year.
Consider goals by category such as:
Career and Professional Growth – Advancing your skills, achieving promotions, starting a business, or improving work-life harmony.
Health and Wellness – Focusing on physical fitness, mental health, nutrition, or self-care routines.
Relationships and Connections – Strengthening bonds with family, friends, or romantic partners, and building meaningful social networks.
Personal Development – Pursuing hobbies, learning new skills, expanding your knowledge, or exploring creative outlets.
Financial Goals – Saving, investing, paying off debt, or planning for long-term financial security.
While it’s tempting to tackle everything at once, spreading yourself too thin can lead to frustration and burnout. Instead, limit yourself to one main focus for each category for the year.
Let this focus serve as your guiding principle when making decisions. If something doesn’t align with your focus, it will be easier to say “no”.
Brainstorm some goals and accomplishments for each category and highlight your top goal for each category. Everything else should get a “No for now” designation.
Break Your Big Goals Down Quarterly
To make sure you aren’t taking on too much, you’ll want to break down these bigger goals to understand what they will require from a time perspective.
Break them into quarterly milestones.
For example:
Quarter 1: Build foundational habits (i.e. start a workout plan or research career advancement opportunities).
Quarter 2: Take actionable steps (i.e. sign up for a class or apply for promotions).
Quarter 3: Focus on progress (i.e. track health improvements and make adjustments or seek feedback on skills).
Quarter 4: Reflect and refine for the future. (i.e. celebrate accomplishments, identify lessons learned, or start outlining priorities for the upcoming year)
Breaking goals into manageable chunks makes them less overwhelming and ensures steady progress throughout the year.
Repeat this quarterly breakdown for each of your main focuses for the year. Add the action items to your Master To-Do List to be broken down further during your regular planning activities.
Batch Smaller Items
Not everything fits neatly into a “big rock” or main goal, yet will still need some attention throughout the year. Bundle these smaller items together to give them greater significance to plan around.
For example:
Combine recurring tasks into a monthly “admin day” to handle bills, chores, or other logistical items.
Group professional learning goals into a quarterly theme, such as completing a course or reading industry-specific books.
Schedule a quarterly declutter day to clear out closets, digitize paperwork, or reorganize workspaces.
Plan social connection blocks by grouping smaller social activities, like coffee dates with friends, video calls with family, or networking events, into a monthly or bi-weekly schedule.
Batched tasks become easier to manage and less likely to clutter your calendar.
Add time for batched tasks directly on your calendar if you know when you want to devote time to these activities (such as a Saturday morning admin day). Or add these items to your Master To-Do List to be evaluated during your weekly planning activities.
Include Energy Maintenance in Your Plan
It’s tempting to fill your schedule to the brim with ambitious goals. But if you’re drained and overwhelmed, you’ll never be able to achieve what you’re capable of.
Managing your energy is just as important as managing your time.
Schedule time to decompress and recharge. Some ideas include:
Take a day or two after big events or projects to reset (my personal favorite is to plan an extra day after vacation to “catch-up” before diving back into your regular routines.)
Plan mini getaways or local adventures that allow you to step away from the daily grind and have something to look forward to.
Build in regular recharge routines, like weekly date nights, slow unstructured mornings, or a nightly mini-Netflix binge.
Pull out your calendar and make the additions alongside your “big rock” activities.
By acknowledging your energy needs ahead of time, you’ll prevent the overwhelm and burnout that can creep in when you’re focused only on the “hustle.”
Putting Your Intentional Year Into Action
Planning is the fun part as you get to fantasize about all the great things you’ll accomplish.
But, life will hit. You’ll be tempted to tuck away the plan, forgetting about it until the next new year rolls around. Here are a few practices to keep your plan alive so you can continue to make incremental progress.
Tip #1: Don’t Forget the Pebbles: Weekly Planning
Your intentional year serves as a guiding framework. Your weekly planning activities then serve as the “pebbles” that fill in the details.
Weekly planning allows you to take small actions while adapting to life’s curveballs and staying aligned with your big-picture goals.
During your weekly planning sessions, check in with your annual plan to ensure you’re staying on track. Adjust your focus as needed to reflect unexpected priorities or challenges.
Tip #2: Plan With a Partner
If you share your life with a spouse or significant other, consider making your intentional year a collaborative effort.
Sit down together to discuss your individual and shared goals. Then plan vacations, date nights, and other meaningful activities.
Aligning your plans ensures you’re both working toward a life that feels balanced and fulfilling.
Tip #3: Check-In and Adjust Quarterly
Planning an intentional year isn’t a one-and-done activity.
Things change.
Regularly revisiting your plan and making adjustments will ensure the plan stays realistic and actionable.
Schedule quarterly check-ins to reflect on your progress and make adjustments as needed. Ask yourself:
Are your big rocks and top goals still your top priorities?
Have unexpected opportunities or challenges come up?
What changes can you make to continue to make progress on your goals?
These check-ins ensure your plan remains relevant and effective throughout the year.
So What?
Planning an intentional year takes a bit of time upfront, but the benefits are well worth it.
You’ll feel more in control of your schedule, less overwhelmed by daily demands, and more connected to the things that truly matter to you
As you enter 2025, take a moment to reflect on the life you want to create. With an intentionally planned year, you’ll be ready to make it happen.
So grab your calendar, your favorite planning tool, and maybe even your partner—and start building the framework for your best year yet!
(Note: While the beginning of a new year is a great opportunity to reevaluate your life and make a plan, remember any time of year will do. Even a Tuesday in the middle of April is a perfect time to start living with more intention.)
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About Me
Hi, I’m Kara. I’m a former workaholic turned time-management expert. I help women stressed out in their 9-5 get more done, in less time, so they can get back in the driver’s seat and start living a life they love.
