January is a good time to do some goal setting for new beginnings. However, in my case it is usually February before I start putting those goals into motion. I tend to spend the month of January hibernating and planning my resolutions. Perhaps resolutions is not the best word for goals because most people scoff or roll their eyes when New Years resolutions are mentioned!
This is probably because resolutions are hard to stick to and usually get thrown to the wayside quickly. So instead of making resolutions, consider goal setting for new beginnings. I normally have my goals in mind before New Year but spend a lot of time planning on how to achieve them.
Here is my basic 10 step strategy for goal setting –
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Write down a list of things I wish to achieve throughout the year.
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Put together some steps towards achieving those goals.
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Plan daily, weekly or monthly tasks that bring you closer to those goals.
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Work out a reasonable timeframe to reach those goals.
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Buy a notepad to track your progress. Daily, weekly or monthly update it.
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Visualise the end result daily. Make a vision board if necessary.
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Have an accountability partner if needs be. Set up a schedule with them.
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Work out a financial plan if needs be. Set up a savings plan.
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Arrange a reward for yourself on completion of a goal.
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Focus your energy on a few achievable goals at a time, daily. Set reminders on your phone if needs be.
They say it takes 2 weeks to form a habit.
Try to stick rigidly to your goal plan for the first 2 weeks as it is important. If you miss a step from your goal setting routine, just continue on and keep at it. Once the habit is formed, it will become second nature. Click To TweetHere is an example of my goal setting for new beginnings –
1 I want to lose weight and drop a dress size.
2 I want to go on a cruise holiday.
3 I want to get fit and healthy.
4 I want to get my kids into a regular bedtime routine.
Now that I have established my goals, I will write down the best ways to work towards them.
1) So I want to drop a dress size. I could healthily and steadily lose 1-2 pounds a week. I will choose a healthy eating diet plan – The Mediterranean diet, for instance. I will shop for the foods on my list (make a list of foods allowed) and remove any foods from my house that are not in keeping with the diet.
I will weigh myself weekly, stick to the calorie deficit shown on my BMI calculator based on weight and height etc. I will give myself 3 months to achieve this goal. I have a pair of jeans I want to fit into by then so I will hang them on the back of my door where I will see them every morning and evening.
2) I want to go on a Caribbean cruise this year. I will be working full time and so will my partner. We could save a little money every month for our holiday. If it costs 3000 euro we could save 400 euro a month (200 each) and put that into a savings account for our cruise. I could consider saving that 50 euro a week by using my tips from work/by saving any money I make via the blog/shopping wiser.
A combination of saving will help me achieve this goal. I may just stop buying my morning coffee! As a reward at the end of the month, I will buy myself a coffee and cake. My partner and I will put the money in to the account on the same date at the same time, therefore he is my accountability partner.
3) I want to get fit and healthy. I will workout at home every day doing a combination of different workouts, weekly. Mondays – kettle bells, Tuesday – HIIT, Wednesday – yoga, Thurs – kettle bells, Fri – HIIT, Sat – Pilates, Sunday – I will reward myself with a rest.
I will cut out sugar from my diet, replace white carbs with wholegrains, cut out processed fats and increase my fruit and veg intake. I will track my progress with a food journal or online program such as Lifesum or My Fitness Pal. I can track my fitness, calories and diet plan online or in a notepad and even get an accountability partner. I have a friend who wants to lose weight, get fit and healthy too. I won’t join the gym as I can’t afford it and don’t have time, so I will set up My Fitness Pal and also use my smartwatch to track my steps per day. I will set reminders on my phone to drink water hourly, via an app – Waterminder.
My friend and I can track each others progress on My Fitness Pal if we don’t have time to catch up. This helps with motivation. The Lifesum app can keep me on track with my healthy eating diet plan, The Mediterranean diet and also suggests recipes. As a treat and reward to myself for achieving my weightless goal after 3 months I will buy myself a nice dress and go out to dinner.
4) I will start getting both kids ready for bed at 8pm. TV and any digital devices will be off by 7.30. I will have pyjamas ready by 7.45 and on by 8pm. We will brush teeth at 8.15pm. We will read a book at 8.15pm and both kids will go to bed when the book is finished. Kids will be in bed by 8.30pm.
I will implement these steps daily and stick to the plan rigidly for at least 2 weeks until the habit is formed. Any late nights or evenings will have to be arranged at a later date. I will keep going with the plan and track progress by keeping an alarm on my phone for the first while to remind myself. Once they have a bedtime routine in place, I will reward myself with a good book that I can read in peace. I will reward the kids with new books for bedtime.
I will implement these steps daily, track my progress weekly and keep a daily log online. At the end of 3 months I should have reached my target weight, be fit and healthy and be a third of the way to going that cruise! I will have some much-needed peace in the evenings when the kids are fast asleep in bed by 8.30.
Fingers crossed I can stick to my plan! I might even buy a planner…
Do you have any goal settings for new beginnings? Let us know in the comments and also if you have any other tips for achieving such goals let us know!
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