25 Simple Ways To Make 2025 A Better Year

New year’s resolutions are good, and I’ll admit I do make some along with setting professional and personal goals for the year. I’m also a big believer in the mindset of getting one percent better at lots of things instead of making massive changes in a few areas.

Listed below are some of my favorite small improvements I make from time to time that improve my work and life. I’ve also included a simple question you can ask yourself to take action more quickly. 

1. Plan for all three rings of your circus.

In case you’re new to my work, I co-authored a book called Juggling Elephants, which suggests you need to manage your life like it’s a circus. At the heart of the model is that you have three rings: Work, Self, and Relationships. The question that always tells the tale is, “Which ring do you neglect most often?” We somehow believe that we can be our best at work by consistently sacrificing our personal wellness and relationships with others. Sound familiar? For more about managing your life in circus mode, read Balance, Blend, or Blur: Keep Your Eyes On The Big 3.

What is one activity I should start doing to improve my personal wellness? 

2. Find a perspective keeper.

In 2020 I had the privilege of helping my wife care for our 95-year-old aunt. I could have a million things running through my head and feel like I was truly juggling elephants, but when I sat down with her all those “first world problems” just seemed to not be so important.

Who do I (or will I) invite into my life this year who will help me keep a healthy perspective on my work and life? 

3. Spend more time “becoming” instead of simply “doing.”

When we’re busy, we shift into maintenance mode and just try to meet the daily demands on our time, falsely believing we will have more time in the future for the “becoming?” Let me know when you find that future time… I’d like to know your secret.

What’s one item on my calendar each day that represents an activity that will help me become more of the person I want to be?

4. Ask for help more often.

As Les Brown says, “Ask for help, not because you’re weak, but because you want to remain strong.” To learn 11 other good reasons you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for guidance, check out my article, 12 Really Good Reasons To Ask For Help.

What do I need to seek out for guidance or direction?

5. Use “won’t” more and “can’t” less.

Can’t implies that the resources aren’t available or it’s so difficult it’s almost impossible. “Won’t” reminds us that we too often don’t want to make ourselves or others uncomfortable to make something happen. For a deeper dive into this concept, read my blog, What’s The One Word That’s Really Holding You Back?

What’s one area of my life where I am holding myself back because I won’t do something?

6. Intentionally invest in at least one person each day.

Building capacity in those around you helps ensure you have the team you need to accomplish your professional and personal goals. Remember the African Proverb which says, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Who are three people I want to invest in this year?

7. Be a fanatic about finishing.

We so cripple our brain’s ability to think clearly because we imprint so many possibilities on it and leave it to work on all of them. Before taking on any task, ask yourself, “What’s does finished look like?” and allow yourself enough time to complete the task when scheduling it. If you can’t finish it, at least schedule time on your calendar when you will come back and get it done. Your brain will thank you.

What are two tasks I need to finish that would free up my brain’s resources for other things?

8. Pre and Post quantify any task.

As Marshall Goldsmith writes in his powerful book, Triggers, “We chronically underestimate the time it takes to get anything done.” I am constantly amazed in my coaching sessions when people can’t tell me how long they spend on basic tasks at work or even at home. If they ever want to improve professionally or personally, they have to be able to determine how much time they have to invest on making those improvements.

What tasks do I need to more closely quantify to see how much time they are taking up in my day?

9. Stop trying to control everything.

It’s exhausting and leaves little or no room for creativity or fostering deeper relationships with others. To see the “big three” for me, read Three Things You Need To Stop Trying To Control.

What’s one thing I need to reduce my desire to control?

10. Seek feedback AND really listen to it.

While uncomfortable, it’s an incredibly effective way for us to improve at almost anything. We have so many blind spots that others can help us identify. It doesn’t have to be anything formal. Just start the conversation by saying, “In 2021, I’d really like to improve on ________________. Do you have a couple of insights on how I can do better?”

What’s an area of my  life where I have been avoiding feedback?

11. Set boundaries.

Whether it’s on how long you have for a work conversation, number of times you will check your email per day, the number of notifications you allow on your smartphone, or how available you are to others, know AND communicate those boundaries. Too many times we are so accessible in the moment that we are inaccessible to the deeper work that needs to be done. Learn more by reading my article on intentional inflexibility.

Where would established boundaries help me better focus on other tasks?

12. Deliver a more educational “No” when needed.

When people make requests of your time, don’t miss the chance to educate them on your priorities, commitments, or obligations causing you to say no. It helps them more clearly understand your motives, conditions that might cause you to say yes, and possible availability in the future.

Who needs more than a simple "No" from me?

13. Start with “being” instead of “doing.”

In his enlightening book, Meaningful Work, Shawn Askinosie shares his experiences of spending time with monks and how he learned to use his insights to create his own rhythms for work and life. He highlights how monks move from “being” to “doing” and then back to “being,” while we so often we start from “doing” and rarely take time to “be.” I see this play out in how most people handle their mornings. Instead of using those first few minutes of the day to reflect and nourish their body and soul, they spend it in a hurried rush to get to work and the next task. In 2021, challenge yourself to use the first and last ten minutes of the day to simple be in the moment, not focused on getting something done, but on the person you are and who you want to become.

How will I spend the first ten minutes of my day? Being or Doing? 

14. Be passionately present in every conversation.

Getting face-to-face time with people (or even phone calls) is more rare than ever. However, it’s these moments that often tell us volumes more about a person’s thoughts, feelings, and fears than we could extract from a hundred emails or a thousand text messages. Make it a personal goal to remove or minimize any distractions to having a deeper conversation. Reflect on everything from your body language, voice tone, ability to listen, and even putting down that electronic device that is normally glued to your hand. For more about being a better listener, read Strong Leaders Need To Be Level 3 Listeners.

What are some of my self-induced barriers to being present in a conversation?

15. Manage your minutes as intensely as you do your hours.

What are the small time ticks draining the life blood out of your day? We tend to discount the value of five minutes here or there in a day, but over the course of a year, five minutes a day adds up to over 30 hours!

What is one activity in my day that is consistently taking more time than it should?

16. Be boring.

Develop routines for everything from choosing what to wear to the food you have for breakfast to free up mental (and physical) time for more important things. Make every Tuesday dinner at your house “Taco Tuesday.” The goal is to minimize the time spent on the less important stuff so you can focus on the bigger picture.

Where would a consistent routine help me with my time management?

17. Have three “Its” per day.

Its are “important things” as described in my book, Getting to It. As you plan your day, always identify your three “Its.” They may be three work Its, or a combination of work and personal Its. Discover them by saying to yourself, “If I only get three things done today, they would be ….” This helps you focus your energy for the day and ensure you go to bed that night with less regrets. You may get more done than three, but you know what HAS to be done.

What’s an It for me tomorrow? This week?

18. Make decisions more quickly.

In her truly insightful book, How To Decide, Annie Duke gives several systematic processes to make better decisions. Some questions she offers that can help speed us up in decision-making are:

• What information do I need to determine my next steps?

• If a coworker or friend had this problem, how would they handle it?

• What am I missing out on because I won’t make a decision?

What are some decisions I need to make more quickly?

19. Stop the humble bragging.

You can read more indepth about the concept in this article, but a simple definition for humble bragging is making a self-deprecating statement to draw attention to yourself. Like saying, "I only got four hours of sleep last night because I was finishing the proposal," or "My weekend is so packed I don't know where I'll find any time for myself." When I hear comments like those I question their willingness to make better choices with how they are using their time. If someone wants to impress me they can say things like, "Last week I started handling interruptions better and I doubled my productivity," or "I was so tired of not being present with my family in the evenings I started leaving my phone in the car for at least two hours after work."

What are some "humble brag" statements I should stop using to try and draw attention to my unwillingness to better manage your time? 

20. Get more learning through your earbuds.

With all the time chunks in your day when you are traveling, waiting, or maybe even relaxing, there is no reason why you can't use that time to stream some knowledge or insights through podcasts, audible books, etc. If you're looking for a podcast to start, I recommend Coaching for Leaders. And if you need one just to laugh, check out Car Talk from NPR.

What skills or insights am I looking to grow this year?

21. Be soil... not dirt.

As Kelly the gardener says in my book, Always Growing, “Dirt is what you get on your pants.” In horticultural terms, soil provides the structure and nutrients to help seeds and plants grow. As a leader, you have a similar opportunity to help those around you grow. And while formal training courses and job assignments are a part of that process, nothing has a greater impact than your day-to-day engagement with your team.

What type of environment am I creating as a leader?

22. Be more grateful.

Yes, health, family, friendships, and career are the obvious ones, but what about those situations or circumstances in your life that are challenging you to grow? Learn more about being grateful for those things in my article, The Overlooked Gifts Of Gratitude. 

What should I be more grateful for in my life right now? 

23. Rest with intention.

There is an old adage that you should “work hard and play hard.” I believe it’s also important to “rest hard.” This means being intentional about planning periods of rest in your day and week. Start by asking yourself, “What do I need rest from?” and determine activities that would give you the break you need. It’s not about just stopping work. It’s about renewing your physical, mental, and emotional energy so you can be at your best in all areas of your life.

How can I be more intentional about resting this year? 

24. Take more walks in nature.

A study at the University of Michigan found that being in nature for just 20 minutes per day, three times per week could have a dramatic effect on your wellbeing.

What are three places I could go outside (i.e parks, natural areas) each week? 

25. Use the H-A-L-T method when you are feeling overwhelmed.

When you have too much on your plate it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and not know where to start addressing it. The H-A-L-T (Hungy/Angry/Lonely/Tired) method can help you identify the key sources of your frustration and identify quick steps you can take to address them. Learn more about how to use it by reading my blog, Try The H-A-L-T Method For Quick Relief From Your Overload.

What is a source of my sense of overload that I could do something about now?