New Year, New You: Setting S.M.A.R.T Goals!
The New Year is a great time to start fresh with a set of goals. Goal setting is something we all do, but may not be conscious about. We set goals in all aspects of our lives so we can focus on the things that matter.
Goals can be short or long-term. Firstly, choose an important goal for you to achieve in the long-term. Then, set a short-term goal that helps you get started, setting out what you will do, how much, when and how often.
Some goals you may want to focus on this year are:
- Health
- Career and business
- Education
- Family and relationships
- Financial
- Creative/artistic endeavour
- Community or volunteer work
Once you have chosen your goal or goals, you can use “S.M.A.R.T. goal setting” to make them achievable.
S – Specific
Be specific about what you are trying to achieve. Consider what you’re trying to achieve, where, how, when, with whom, and why you want to achieve this goal. Are there any limitations to your goal? Are there alternative ways of achieving your goal? For example, rather than “exercise more”, your goal could be “walk for 30 minutes every day”.
M – Measurable
Set goals that you can measure which include a quantity of ‘how much’ or ‘how many’. For example, “drinking 2 liters of water a day” or “eat vegetables twice a day” rather than “healthy lifestyle”.
A – Achievable
Set goals that you can achieve. Although setting a harder goal might lead to better results, make sure that the goal is one that is achievable that won’t discourage you to give up.
R – Realistic/Relevant
Choose goals that are you can realistically achieve that are relevant to your long-term goal.
T – Time-Related
Specify a timeframe or date for when you will complete your goal. Deadlines motivate people to complete their tasks.
Now that you’ve created your S.M.A.R.T. goals, be sure that they are worded positively. The more you focus on NOT doing something, the harder it is to suppress the urge to do it. Instead of “stop procrastinating”, your goal could be to “achieve a daily discipline”. Something else you may want to consider is asking for support from your loved ones and friends to keep you on track with your goals, and gaining their feedback on your progress with your goals.
And lastly, it is important to break down larger goals into smaller achievable steps. This can help you gain a sense of achievement and keep you focused. For example, if your long-term goal is to find a new job, you may want to break down the goal into steps such as updating your CV, checking advertisements and applying for positions you are interested in.
For me, my S.M.A.R.T. goal for 2019 is to place more excellent candidates into their dream job than I did last year!
If you are looking for work or open to new opportunities, feel free to reach out to me on belle@sustainhr.com.au or call me on 02 8274 4672.
Good luck everyone in achieving their S.M.A.R.T. goals for 2019. New Year, New You!
Written by:
Belle Shum
Para Consultant, Queensland
11/01/2019