The festive season is almost upon us, and it’s time to start thinking about your New Year resolutions. The best resolutions are well thought out and planned ahead of time. You need to think about how you can change your life for the better and make realistic goals. All too often, we make ambitious goals in January and forget about them by February.
The common New Year goals are to travel more, read more, lose weight, join the gym and get a promotion. None of these goals are specific, measured or properly planned. You might have the best intentions when you set them – but you need a game plan to put them into action.
Here are a few ways you can make sure you stick to your new year resolutions.
Set smaller goals
If you have some big goals in mind, start by breaking them down. For example, if you want to get fitter and healthier – you could join the gym, hire a personal trainer and improve your diet. You could aim to work out three times a week and learn a new skill, such as doing a pull-up.
Think about how you will measure your progress and know you have achieved that goal. Remember to rest and listen to your body when you are pushing for a fitness goal. You don’t want to end up injured. If you experience an injury that wasn’t your fault, always consult a professional for advice.
Limit your resolutions
It’s easy to be ambitious with your resolutions. You might take a hard look at your life and think about all the things you want to change. However, realistically, you can’t change every part of your life in one year. These things take time. You might want to change your career and venture into a different industry. Start off by setting a goal to find a new job that you love. You can work on promotions, pay rises and further training once you have achieved the initial goal. Limit your resolutions and make sure they are achievable.
Write them down
Always write your goals down and pin them to your bathroom mirror or kitchen cupboard. You should see them every day and remind yourself of what you need to do to achieve them. You can even start ticking them off when you achieve them.
Be specific
Always make your goals as specific as possible. If you want to read more books, think about how you can incorporate more reading into your life. Make a SMART goal that’s specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed. You could set a goal to read 12 books in 2022. Buy a few to get you started, or download audiobooks to listen to on your commute.
Make your resolutions achievable goals this year with the SMART approach.
