New Year's Resolutions, Working for You?

Chances are, at some time in your life, you've made New Year Resolutions and then broken them only to repeat the cycle the following year. It is common for people to get caught up in a pattern of resolving to make important changes across life and then not following through. This year, keeping these few simple tips in mind may help to increase your chances of success.

Pick Realistic Goals

The surest way to fall short of your new year’s resolution is to set your goals too high. Remember to keep your goals realistic, small and achievable.

Define Those Goals

A common pitfall for people is that they are too vague about what they want to achieve. Spending time developing a specific, concrete action plan with the details of each small step will help increase your chances of success.

Goal Setting with S.M.A.R.T Goals

The S.M.A.R.T. model is a great way of keeping your goals on track and giving them the best possible chance of success.

• Specific: Goals need to be as specific, clear and concise.
• Measurable: The need for your goal to be specific is highlighted when you try to measure it. This needs to be relatively easy.
• Achievable: What is involved in achieving the goal? Do you have the resources?
• Realistic: Is your goal possible given constraints such as time and/or money?
• Timely: Ensure that you set timeframes around your goals. This is where it becomes important to break goals into smaller parts/tasks.

It’s important to include some flexibility around your goals and review them on a regular basis. Unforeseeable changes may occur throughout the year which impacts on the relevance of your goals, or your ability to achieve them.

Finally, a values-based approach helps provide the rationale as to “why” you are aiming towards the goal in the first place. The idea is that achieving the goal is a part of something bigger, and is not in itself a means to an end.

Plan Ahead

If your action plan involves tasks which need to be done daily or weekly, set specific times of the day or week which you will use to work on it. The key is to stay flexible and adopt changes needed to be successful in your goals.

Have a Contingency Plan

Decide how you will deal with temptation. This could include practising positive thinking, reviewing the reasons why you set goals in the first place or calling a friend.

Track Your Progress

Keep track of each small success you make toward reaching your larger goal. Rewarding your small accomplishments will help keep you motivated along the way.

Seek Out Support

Don’t keep your resolution a secret. Tell family and friends who will be supportive of your resolve to make a change in your life. Let them know how to help you achieve your goal.

Keep Trying

Accept that there will be times when your resolve weakens or you will have that slip-up. Don’t beat yourself up – simply start over again! Keep trying and enlist the help of professional services if needed.

 

Alison Keleher, Director, Newport & Wildman

Photo by john paul tyrone fernandez from Pexels