When we stop and realise it’s halfway through the year, we either remember the goals we had set for ourselves (and forgot about!) at the start of the year, or we reflect on the progress we’ve made toward our current goals. Either way, mid-year is a great time to revisit what you’d like to accomplish in the remainder of the year and beyond, whether revisiting your list of specific things you want to achieve or setting new goals.
Setting goals can sound like a boring activity, but it doesn’t need to be dull. There are numerous benefits and advantages to pursuing a set of goals. Setting goals can help you to develop a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in your life.1 It also triggers new behaviours, guides your focus, and sustains momentum in your life.2 People often set goals for different reasons, such as wanting to change or improve their lives, seeking help with their well-being and lifestyle, desiring the motivation to try new things, or to help them work towards something. Setting goals can also assist in the recovery from mental health issues, such as depression (behavioural goals, such as self-care activities) and anxiety (such as reducing avoidance behaviours).1 Ultimately, setting goals motivates us and can enhance our mental health and contribute to our personal and professional achievements.2
Goals can be short or long-term, and they can be for you as an individual or even as part of a group. The type of goals you want to set may depend on the area of your life you want to enhance, whether that’s changing careers, reducing debt and saving money, training for an event, spending more time with family and friends, or learning a new skill.1 The possibilities for setting goals for your health, work and personal life are endless.
The first step is deciding your goals and considering what is important to you. You can also use a step-by-step process to help you set your goals, such as:2,3
Think about what you want: Focus on what you want to do, not what you should do.
Think about what you enjoy doing: Write down five things that you enjoy doing, such as being outdoors, meeting people or playing a certain sport. Can these things motivate you to try new things or help you to achieve your goals?
Always start small: If you start with setting small, achievable goals, you’ll gain positive reinforcement more often. Smaller steps can also help to keep you on track, meaning you are less likely to give up.
Outline your goals: Make your goals specific and achievable with an endpoint in mind so that you can stick to them. For example, ‘Spending an evening out with your partner once a fortnight’ or ‘Learning how to make one new recipe each week’.
Break down your goals: It’s helpful to split up big, challenging goals to help you stay on track and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. For example, instead of ‘find a new job’ or ‘change careers’, which can be a long-term goal, more achievable steps might be ‘update your resume’, ‘check job ads online once a week’ and ‘do some extra training in your area of interest’.
Set a deadline/time frame for your goals: If you have an endpoint for your goal in mind, you will more likely stay motivated to achieve it. You can also set dates for achieving each smaller goal that will ultimately make up a long-term goal.
When it comes to setting goals, some people prefer to use the SMART approach, which consists of five criteria: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.1
Make it specific
What do you want to accomplish by setting this goal? It’s best to be as specific as you can. Instead of setting a goal to lose weight, for instance, you could set a goal based on how you will do this. The goal could be something like, ‘I will walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week for two months.’
Make it measurable
Decide how you will measure your progress and results. For example, you could measure yourself by losing 5 kg and weighing yourself weekly. Then, set a time you will reach your goal, such as ‘I will lose 5 kg in 60 days.’
Make it attainable
If your goal is realistic for you, you will have a better chance of achieving it. It’s good to have a long-term goal, but, as noted above, you may have a better chance of achieving it if you break it up into smaller goals. Whatever your goal is, make sure it’s challenging enough to get you results but also achievable enough for you to act on it.
Make it relevant
Set a goal that fits your specific needs. So, make sure it’s right for you as an individual. This is where thinking about your why comes into action. Your goal should fit your purpose for your life and who you want to be.
Make it time-bound
Give yourself a timeline for your goal. Instead of setting a goal to work out more this year, set it to work out three days each week by the end of a month’s time. Remember that while deadlines can help motivate you to achieve your goal, be sure to set something that you can actually achieve.
You can set all types of goals, whether at the start of the year, in the middle, or near the end, but remember to celebrate your progress along the way. Reward yourself for big and small achievements, and practice mindfulness to appreciate each moment fully. Life is about balancing pursuing your goals while cherishing the present moment.
Teladoc Health is also here to help you get from where you are to where you’d love to be. If you would like to book a consultation but are unsure if you can access Teladoc Health services, submit a form here, and a Member Engagement Coordinator will respond shortly.
References:
1. Health Direct – Goal setting
2. Positive Psychology – The Importance, Benefits, and Value of Goal Setting
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