New Year’s Resolutions for 2022. How specific goals can help you.
How are you going with these? Not so good?
So, what are the resolutions we’re all wanting for in 2022? Here are the top 10 New Year’s resolutions according to a survey of 2,000 people:
- Diet or eat healthier (71 percent)
- Exercise more (65 percent)
- Lose weight (54 percent)
- Save more and spend less (32 percent)
- Learn a new skill or hobby (26 percent)
- Quit smoking (21 percent)
- Read more (17 percent)
- Find another job (16 percent)
- Drink less alcohol (15 percent)
- Spend more time with family and friends (13 percent)
Are any of these ones you’ve made?
If you’ve a hard time keeping resolutions in the past, or actually making them achievable, then we have some great tips about some how to get the best out of them and make them work for you.
When making a resolution, or setting any goal, it’s a great idea to work with the S.M.A.R.T. goal strategy…
Make it:
Specific – State what you want, not want you don’t want.
Measurable – Can your track your progress with smaller goals?
Achievable – Factor in everything you need (how will you do it, what you need other than yourself, etc.)
Realistic goal – Is it an actual possibility.
Timely – It needs to have a specific end date.
So using SMART goals some common resolutions might be…
- I will reduce 10 kgs by 30th June
- I will quit smoking by 31st January
- I will set aside 30 minutes each day to improve my fitness from 15th January
- I will plan healthier meals for each day of the week, the day before I shop
“I prioritize what I need to do each day by 9am”
If procrastination is taking over your life and tends to bring on stress for you here are our tips to overcome it:
- Don’t get hung up on perfection. Nothing is ever perfect, so don’t go in to a task with that kind of mindset.
- Set a reminder on your phone so you complete what you need to do by the time stated.
- Talk to a friend or colleague that often inspires you, to discuss what you’re doing and for a progress check. Great motivation!
- Do you have all what you need to accomplish what you want to do? What help do you need? Do you need to purchase something?
- Try doing something tiny to start off with. From here you will start to build confidence and motivation.
- Address any anxiety you may have over the task. It is common knowledge that the best way of facing any fear is head on, so you need to face whatever you are procrastinating over head on!
- Get up and move!! (see exercise section of this blog)
- Break down big goals into small steps. EXAMPLE: – writing a book. Just write one chapter. – organizing your house. Just do one area, or maybe even one drawer at a time.
- Try to make tasks that you don’t like doing fun in some way. For example put on your favourite music while you organize your house.
Try taking some of these tips on board the next time you find yourself twiddling your thumbs and avoiding a task!
“I will improve my fitness by 50% by 31st March!”
On some days it can be hard getting out there and moving and exercising, especially if we are tired and feeling unmotivated.
We need to understand that exercise is a blessing, not a chore. If you are physically able to exercise your body, and release all those endorphins in the process, look it as a privilege. You may get a bit sore when you first start, but It’s a good, satisfying feeling isn’t it?
Research has proven that exercise is one of the best ways to beat depression.
Tips for getting fit:
- Find what you love. If you hate gyms, then don’t go there. Find some form of exercise you can enjoy. There are many different classes out there or online. E.g. Zumba, Tai Chi, Barre Class, Yoga, Pilates, Boxing, Ceroc Dance, Swimming. Take up sport, or just work out at home
- Take advantage of the weather when it is good. Go for a walk around your neighborhood, or a bushwalk or tramp in your local area. If being in nature inspires and relaxes you, then go for it.
- Schedule a routine walk with a friend. You can motivate each other, and it’s harder to back down when you have someone that has your back!
- If you can’t find a friend, then set your alarm for the time you want to walk and listen to some motivational audios as you walk.
- Housework can count as exercise. Any kind of movement at all is good for your body, so go hard on the vacuuming, dusting, gardening and other chores around the house! There are YouTube videos on this.
- Sign up for a fun walk or fun run. This will give you something to work towards and train for! Plus if it’s for charity you get the chance to support a worthy cause by taking part.
- Expect to feel uncomfortable at first, as you need to do something different to what you have been doing to achieve your goal. The more you do it, the easier it will become.
“I will stop smoking by 31st January”
Stopping smoking is the absolute best thing you can do for your health and not to mention your family and friend’s health as well.
Did you know that 350 deaths a year in NZ are estimated to be from past exposure to second hand smoke? Smoking harms nearly every organ and system in your body and more than 60 chemicals in cigarettes can cause cancer. (source: www.health.govt.nz)
Often people try to quit smoking by using nicotine patches, going cold turkey or cutting down on cigarettes slowly. Generally, nothing works long term.
Research has proven that once you stop smoking the nicotine is out of your system in a a couple of days. So this points to it not being an addiction to nicotine. So if it’s not that, what is it then?
There is often part of our subconscious mind that can’t let go of the habit.
Roger Saxelby specialises in helping people to quit smoking. He can help you too.
He offers a 30 minute free consultation. Contact us now to kick the habit.