2016 IS OVER, WE’RE FEELING THE EFFECTS OF “JUST ANOTHER MINCE PIE” AND EVERY INSTAGRAM POST IS TAGGED WITH #NEWYEARNEWME.
It’s the time of year where, like most people, I love to start afresh, take a look at what I’ve been doing, what I want to do and cobble a list of things I want to achieve in the New Year. This year spans from running 5km in under 20 minutes through to going to the dentist (does anyone know of a good one around SW London?) and of course writing more…
Unfortunately life does get in the way, and come March, resolutions are long forgotten or written off because more often than not we set goals that are a little way off.
If you want to make things happen? Set goals, not resolutions.
And always think SMART. Think smart? Surely you always think smart you clever person. Well… to be even more clever, just follow these points to make life a little easier and I promise you’ll be nailing those new year’s resolutions…or should I say GOALS!
HOW TO THINK SMART…
Specific – Too often we’ll make generalised statements as part of our new year’s resolutions, such as “Lose weight/tone up/gain weight” or “Run more”. These are a good place to start, but it’s better to be more specific so you can track your progress. To give you an idea, aim for more “Fit into a size 10 jeans”, “Reduce body fat % by 7%” or “Run a sub 20 minute 5km”.
Measurable – make sure you’ve got a start and an end point for your goal. So start that stopwatch on your run tomorrow or jump on those scales later and write it down. And keep on writing it down so you can track your progress. Remember, you are entitled to off days as there will always be twists and bumps in your journey.
Achievable – Remember it’s you who’s setting these goals. You’ll be the person setting out to achieve these goals, putting in that time and effort. If you’re unsure, set the bar a little lower and then you can always move it up if you’re smashing it – otherwise you maybe left slightly disheartened even if you’re doing incredibly well without realising it.
Relevant – Why do you want to reach these goals? It’s no good if you’re being roped into a 10,000km swim by your best friend if you’re not bothered about becoming a mermaid in 2017. Think about the objective behind the goal and whether this goal will help you achieve that.
Timed – Set a timeline, but keep these realistic and flexible so your morale stays high. Don’t be too hard in setting time frames, as you won’t be able to focus on your goal, making it a race against time. But then again, don’t be too lenient either.
Whether it’s a checklist of things to do, a laminated sheet or a few reminders in your phone, make sure your goals are realistic. Yes, it’s about self-development but you should also aim for something that is within reach. You’re not a super hero so better to have a handful of resolutions you can focus on, rather than a long list where you don’t know where to start.
Go on. Make 2017 your year
Good luck!
Point x
