Why Seasonal Planning Beats New Year’s Resolutions

Raise your hand if you’ve ever set a big New Year’s resolution, only to abandon it by Valentine’s Day.

Yeah. Same.

Actually, same as 93% of people. Only 7% succeed with New Year’s resolutions.

The idea of starting fresh on January 1st “feels” good in the moment. A blank slate. A new you. How many programs have you signed up for that are even called things like, “New Year, New You!”?

But here’s the problem: life doesn’t really operate in annual blocks.

Life changes in seasons.

Like: in July, you finally established a great morning routine of exercise, reading, and journaling before starting work.

You’re doing it every day. Like clockwork.

And then… in September, school starts again. Suddenly your morning routine is making sure the kids eat breakfast and make the bus on time before you rush out to work.

That summer habit is now impossible to keep up.

Your energy, priorities, and schedule ebb and flow throughout the year. So why do we set our biggest goals based on an arbitrary calendar date, instead of aligning them with the natural rhythms of our lives?

What works better? Seasonal planning.

A more flexible, effective approach to goal-setting that helps you stay aligned, motivated, and on track — without burnout.

What Is Seasonal Planning?

Seasonal planning means you break the year into four 90-day cycles and treat each one as its own “mini-year.”

Or honestly, break it into whatever timeframe works for your life.

I no longer have children at home, but I most definitely still have seasons. I like to do my walking outside whenever possible, which means changing the time of day I go out, based on when I have enough daylight to safely walk. And I’m an avid Penn State football fan, so September to November for me is filled with a lot of road trips that can throw my schedule off.

Once you determine what those “seasons” are for you:
– Set 1–2 high-priority goals
– Identify the key habits or actions needed to reach those goals
– Adjust your routines to fit your current life season

Then, at the end of each cycle, you review and reset.

No guilt about what didn’t happen. Just an honest look at what worked, what didn’t, and what you want to shift moving forward.

Why It Works Better Than New Year’s Resolutions

1. It matches your actual life.
You might be full of energy and ambition in January. But come May, the kids are out of school and your priorities shift. Summer brings vacations and schedule changes. Fall might be a big push for your business. Winter may call for reflection or rest.

Your routines should change with the seasons — not in spite of them. And sometimes that also means goal changes… or sometimes it just means different routines to hit your same goals.

2. It builds in flexibility and course-correction.
Instead of feeling stuck with a resolution that no longer fits your life (which often leads to giving up), you get four fresh starts a year.

3. It keeps your goals front and center.
Ever set a goal in January and realize by April that you forgot what it even was? A 90-day focus means your goals stay visible, relevant, and active in your day-to-day life.

4. It creates natural motivation boosts.
Every season gives you a chance to reflect, re-engage, and re-energize. You’re less likely to burn out or drift off course when you have built-in moments to realign.

How to Start Seasonal Planning

You don’t need a fancy planner to get started. Just answer these questions every 90 days:

1. What do I want this season to feel like? (Examples: Focused, calm, adventurous, energized)
2. What goals or projects matter most right now?
3. What habits or routines would support those goals?
4. What do I need to let go of to make space for this?
5. How will I check in on my progress?

Then, put those habits or project steps on your calendar.

Take a look at the end of each week at what you were able to accomplish and celebrate it. Assess what didn’t go the way you’d hoped and adjust your plan for the next week to increase your chances of success.

And one extra check in I learned from the folks at The Tapping Solution which happens to be one of my favorite “get er done” hacks — every two weeks, block time Sunday evening to look back over the previous two weeks.

What did you intend to do, but you kept forwarding it into the next day… and the next day… and?

Take a good hard look at those items. Why did you keep moving them, but not checking them off?

Are they really important to you, but maybe too big for the time you allotted them? Can you break them into smaller pieces to fit your schedule? Writing a book “on the side” can often fall into this category. That’s why sites like 750words.com can be helpful – creating a writing habit you do each day that moves you toward the goal incrementally.

Do you need something you don’t yet have in order to get them done? If so, what, and how can you make that happen?

Can you have someone else do them for you? Like a virtual assistant? Or ChatGPT?

Are they things you may want to do someday, but aren’t important right now? Can you put them on a parking lot list for the future, or add them to next cycle’s goals?

Final Thoughts

There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big in January.

But if you want those dreams to actually happen, you need a planning method that evolves with you.

Seasonal planning gives you a rhythm to follow. One that works with your life, not against it.

So instead of starting over each January, start fresh every season.

You’ll be amazed what a difference that makes.

Want help figuring out how to plan your next 90 days? I help women in leadership and business create realistic, aligned plans that actually work. Let’s connect.