As we begin our third national lockdown of the year, it is only natural to lose motivation and foresee a bleak future. For many of our young people, this means another interruption to their everyday routines and education schedules. It also means not being able to see friends, classmates, and community members.

 

While daily responsibilities continue for most of our young people, you may find it harder to keep track of your work and goals and start experiencing a lack of motivation. For those of you looking for jobs or employment, the situation may seem dire and incredibly difficult.

 

But as we step into this new year, there are several ways you could form your resolutions and goals for the year and stick to them, despite the uncertainty around you.

 

Here are five tips to get you started!

 

1. Review the previous year: Look back on 2020 and recognize both your achievements and challenges. This will bring about a more positive perspective and help start your year off on a better note. It will also allow you to focus on things you want to work on in the upcoming year.

 

2. Write it down: Research suggests that you are 42% more likely to pursue or accomplish your goals when you write them down first. This allows you to make your goals more tangible, get specific, and build a strategy to achieve them.

 

3. Use your time to learn new skills: With stay-at-home orders, some of us have more time on our hands. You could focus some of this time towards learning new skills by utilizing free online courses or even by watching videos on YouTube.

 

4. Go easy on yourself: Recognize that you’re living through unprecedented times and it’s normal to feel unproductive and unmotivated. Giving yourself some space and time to rest and recuperate. This will allow you to get back to your goals with a more positive mindset.

 

5. Reach out to us: At YES, we offer services and resources through Health and Wellness, Employment, and Education. We believe in our youth, so we’re here to support you at no cost. Reach out if you’re looking for a job, educational resources, or health and wellness services for young people and their families. Let us invest in you!