Be SMART: a word of encouragement during a pandemic
The pandemic we face has put some difficult challenges in our way, but we can overcome them. Maybe we want to lose weight, eat healthier, or save some money-all of which we can do if we make a goal and are motivated to reach that goal.
Goal setting isn't just something that we do as a New Year’s resolution, rather something we should set and work on throughout the year. Setting short and long-term goals to work on throughout the year can make goals realistic and attainable.
To set goals that are realistic, they need to be S.M.A.R.T. - S –Specific, M – Measurable, A – Attainable, R – Relevant, T – Time-bound.
To make a goal Specific, we aren't going to just say, I want to lose weight. How much weight do you want to lose? I want to lose five pounds. How can we make this goal Measurable? Well, you can weigh yourself on a scale. Is my goal Attainable? Yes, it is. Losing five pounds is easier if I can stick to it. Did I make a relevant goal? Yes. To complete my goal, I need to make it time-bound. When do I want to achieve this goal by? 2 months sounds good.
When I write my goal down (because you are more likely to stick with it if you can see it) you are going to say, I want to lose five pounds in two months (or by this specific date).
Now that this short-term goal is set, we need to figure out how we are going to achieve it. We need to have a plan in place so that we are able to follow through with it. Underneath that goal, I would write down I am going to walk 30 minutes three times a week. Now, I am going to post it somewhere that I am able to see every day (that way the goal stays in our mind), like the fridge (no pun intended), or on a closet door.
To make things a bit easier, share your goal(s) with your friends or family. You can possibly have an accountability partner who you can check in with to make sure both of you are following the plan you set up.
When we are making a long-term goal, we need to also include what milestones we can hit on the way. Then, when we reach those milestones, we need to celebrate them with a reward like ice-cream, a night out, buying a new book to read, or a spa day.
So, if I was setting a long-term goal with my son, we would write, I want to save $3,000 for a car by the time he turns 16. This is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. He could make each $500 or $1000 saved a milestone, and celebrate by buying himself McDonalds or an accessory for that vehicle.
The point of me sharing this information with our readership is to acknowledge things can be rough around the holidays, especially when we are limited to what we can do because of Covid-19. I want us all to be able to have something positive to look back on when this is pandemic is under better control. Keep positive and as always, be well.
