Your blueprint to achieving goals in 2025

Workplace happiness expert Heidi Horne checks in on those New Year’s resolutions as we enter 2025 and discovers the importance of daily routines and self-care.

If you’re feeling off track, well, you’re not alone. Did you know 92% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February? Even more interesting is that 59% of these goals are about improving self-care and well-being.

The importance of self-care

As an Executive Assistant, you are the backbone of the organisation, and the ability to stay focused and handle stress is not a ‘’nice to have’’ but essential. Making self-care a priority is critical to stay in peak performance in both your personal and professional life.

It has been clinically proven that engaging in a self-care activity will reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, improve focus, decrease frustration and anger, and increase feelings of happiness and energy.  Additionally, it has also been clinically proven to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer from a physiological health perspective.  How can your self-care goals be achieved in 2025?

The power of routines: your Secret Weapon.

In today’s fast-moving world, the difference between simply getting by and really thriving often comes down to daily habits. Morning and evening routines serve as anchors, offering stability through the chaos. Research backs this up: one study in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that people who set specific goals and worked towards them regularly were 42% more likely to achieve what they set out to do.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

Starting your day right

Having a vision that starts each day allows you to be fully prepared to confront any challenges that may arise. Even allocating 5 to 10 minutes to grounding practices can prepare your mind for enhanced productivity and resilience. A study by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information found that a mere 10 minutes of mindfulness meditation each day could reduce stress by 27% and improve general well-being by 14%.

Here’s how you can cultivate that with a mighty morning routine. Don’t feel like you have to start with all of these at once.  Start with one, make it a habit, then add another one.

1. Hydrate: drink two glasses of water and kick-start your metabolism.
2. Mindfulness: practice a 5-minute meditation or deep breathing exercise.
3. Gratitude: list three things you’re thankful for.
4. Visualise: spend two minutes envisioning your day’s success.
5. Prioritise: identify your top three Most Important Tasks (MITs).

Closing with reflection: the evening wind-down

Your evening routine is also important. Harvard Business School researchers found that employees who spent 15 minutes at the end of each workday reflecting on what they learned performed 23% better after 10 days compared to those who didn’t reflect.

Try the following evening routine:

1. Reflect: review your day’s achievements.
2. Gratitude: note three positive experiences from the day.
3. Plan: outline your top priorities for tomorrow.
4. Unplug: switch off electronic gadgets one hour before bedtime.
5. Wind down: do some light stretching or reading.

The cumulative advantages of consistency

It’s the small, everyday actions that, over time, add up to exponential growth and success. It is the same principle as compound interest in financial terms: small, frequent investments yield big rewards over time.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier

Learn from successful people

Many successful people credit their morning and evening routines for their achievements:

• Oprah Winfrey begins her day with meditation and walking the dogs.
• Richard Branson wakes up at 5:45 am, engages in physical activity, and enjoys a healthy breakfast.
• Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, begins every morning at 7:00 am by asking himself, “What are you thankful for?”
• Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of Bumble, starts her day by taking a walk with her dog before looking at emails.
• Jeff Bezos avoids scheduling meetings before 10 am, preferring to “putter” in the morning.

Why routines work

1. Morning routines bring clarity and focus by setting a mental framework for prioritising important tasks, while evening rituals bring closure and prepare the mind for rest.
2. Building good habits: according to a European Journal of Social Psychology study, it takes an individual around 66 days to develop a new behaviour.
3. Stress reduction: It reduces stress and increases positivity through gratitude and mindfulness. One study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology indicated that practising gratitude increased happiness by as much as 25%.

“The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.” – Mike Murdock.

The power of gratitude in stress reduction

In both of the routines further above, gratitude was mentioned. Why?

A gratitude practice has been shown to have a significant impact on stress reduction:

• Neurochemical changes: the practice of gratitude boosts the levels of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that introduce happiness and pleasure.
• Cortisol reduction: People who practice gratitude regularly have lower cortisol levels, the primary stress hormone.
• Better sleep: The Journal of Psychosomatic Research reports that subjects who practised gratitude before bedtime had better sleep quality and duration.
• Better emotional regulation: The more frequently gratitude is practised, the better one can regulate emotions.
• Quantifiable benefits: A single instance of intentional gratitude can create a 10% increase in happiness and a 35% decrease in depressive symptoms immediately.

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” — Amy Collette

Tailoring routines to accommodate your demanding schedule:

So you have written down your new goals, but as an executive PA, your time is money. Here are some strategies to make new routines work for you:

1. Simplify and prioritise: concentrate on the most significant aspects of your routines.
2. Prepare the night before: set yourself up for success the next day.
3. Wake up earlier: even 15-30 minutes can give you precious time for a morning routine.
4. Bring mindfulness in: the “One Minute Reset” concept is that even just one minute of mindfulness can create the beginning of change.
5. Wisely use technology: Use apps and tools to automate parts of your routine.
6. Be flexible: develop a “minimum viable routine” for those hectic days.
7. Combine activities: listen to educational podcasts while driving to work or doing chores.
8. Design transition rituals: small rituals that define the start and end of your working day.

Starting small is the key to success

Add one practice to your life today.  For example: drinking water, doing gratitude practices, or visualising a goal achievement. In time, these intentionally-oriented moments will create a path forward toward who you want to become. The power of small steps is also backed up by research. One study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people who broke down their goals into smaller, concrete actions were more likely to stick with their plans and actually achieve their goals.

Your year of transformation

Throughout 2025, remember that your daily routines are the blocks to your success; with the scientifically proven strategies being put into practice, it’s not merely about improving productivity but changing how you approach work and life. Start small, be consistent, and watch your daily rituals transform into a powerful catalyst for success.