Do you still remember the goals you set at the beginning of the year? Don’t worry; you’re not alone.
A study by Statistic Brain reported that 92% of people failed to keep up with their New Year’s resolutions. In fact, 25% barely made it past the first week.
Goal-setting can be a beneficial thing to practice, especially since so many of us are working from home without our usual outlets for downtime.
It can help us stay focused and have something to work towards, especially when your personal motivation is low.
Most people think of goal-setting as simply creating a dream board or manifesting – but it’s more than that.
The way goals are written can have a more significant impact on the outcome than you realize.
For a greater chance of success, setting goals should follow the SMART framework. SMART translates to Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Timely.
“I want a new laptop” is very different from “I will take on a side job to earn an extra Php 40,000 to buy a new laptop by December 2021.”
The SMART framework is very useful in itself in order to map out goals.
If you have used other goal-setting strategies in the past but are having trouble seeing them to fruition, maybe it’s time to switch your approach.
Here are a few more tips to help you visualize your SMART goals and achieve them before the year ends.
Review where you are so far. Take stock of accomplishments, hiccups, and areas of improvement. This way, you know what you need to focus on.
For example, if you wanted to lose a few pounds this year but aren’t quite where you want to be, it’s okay. You can start again.
Evaluate the strategies you’ve implemented so far, then tweak them.
You can add in an hour of walking after work on weekdays, or get active through group virtual classes with your friends on the weekends.
Categorize your goals. Not all are created equal. Don’t feel like all your goals have to be giant projects with drawn-out timelines happening all at once.
Some can be as simple as waking up early each morning instead of resisting the temptation of sleeping in before you need to clock in for work.
You know what you can handle, so choose what you can realistically do before moving on to others—this is an integral part of your specific, realistic and timely goals.
Break them down into doable actions. It’s hard to stay motivated if your goals seem unreal or impossible.
Instead, list down concrete action steps for each major project so that you can see how far along you are with them.
Again, an important part of SMART goal-setting is the realistic aspect of it.
If you have a long-term goal of being financially free, a good goal is to pay off any small outstanding debts before the year ends.
Don’t be tempted to set lofty goals of saving a million pesos when you aren’t sure how to do it and how long it will take to achieve.
Use tools that will motivate you. Some people like the cross-platform accountability of a Google Calendar when it comes to goal-setting.
Others prefer the old-fashioned way and keep a vision board with a journal or planner.
Whatever method suits you best, ensure that it is something that you will regularly check and update.
You can even make it a habit to periodically look over your goals with a cup of coffee and a clear mindset.
Make room for self-improvement and learning. We all need a little help getting along.
There is a ton of information on YouTube from coaches, life gurus, and planner enthusiasts that can help inspire you when you need some motivation.
There is a lot to learn regarding productivity and goal-setting, as there are so many methods that can suit each individual.
As you evaluate your goals thus far and tweak them, you have another partner to help you as you learn and reward yourself for your mini-milestones.
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To keep you on track with your 9-5, choose from Giga Work and Giga Study data packs.
These plans are loaded with sulit data packs and access to study and work apps which you can use for online meetings, collaborations, payments, and more.
You can also choose to subscribe to other Double Giga offers like Giga Games to reward yourself with play time, or Giga Stories to stay connected with like-minded individuals who can keep you inspired and accountable for your goals.
With a little luck and consistency, you should be able to look back on 2021 with a greater sense of accomplishment.
