The summer is …here…how did that happen!? Maybe you have finished your exams and have a goal for yourself over this period, something you would like to try or achieve? But how do you go about it? We asked our guest writer; Elizabeth Kate Coaching and Henley Business School staff to give us some expert coaching tips to help us with our wellbeing and to create kick-ass goals:
A few months ago life looked very different – Easter break was approaching, social events were in full swing, preparation for exams/assessments were beginning, and hanging out with friends was easy. Then the pandemic hit and things are certainly looking a lot different to how you probably imagined life would look.
Now more than ever, looking after our wellbeing in these times is crucial and setting goals and making plans all aids our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
We don’t know what is happening one week to the next, and it can be frustrating. Whilst the world may be uncertain, you don’t necessarily have to be, the current situation doesn’t mean we have to stop reflecting, planning or envisioning for the future. This is actually a great opportunity to really reflect and understand who you are and what you want in life. Goal setting as an opportunity to create a sense of hope, achievement, focus and add variety and structure to your day.
Perhaps a goal you had in mind is not actually possible for right now, and that is OK. So, what could you do instead that will still lead you to that sense of achievement? What is realistic for the season that you are in? Rather than having a fixed mindset and just seeing all the ‘cant’s’, why not explore the ‘can dos’ – being realistic, flexible and creative in your thinking and doing.
For example, if you are looking to get healthier think about what that looks like for you right now. Be specific. Perhaps it’s eating healthier – making a meal from scratch, rather than ordering take out or buying a microwave meal. Maybe it is increasing your exercise – the gym may be closed, so what can you do instead? E.g. research online classes, YouTube, fitness apps, e.g. ‘Couch to 5K’.
The key with any goal is to make them SMART:
Here are 6 tips to successful goal setting:
- Write clear and measurable goals
- Create a specific action plan for each goal
- Read your goals daily and visualise yourself accomplishing them
- Reflect on your progress to see if you are on target
- Revise your action plans if needed
- Celebrate your accomplishments
Be mindful not to overwhelm yourself with the big goal; break it down into small achievable, realistic bitesize chunks/steps, and most importantly…be kind to yourself.
What one simple action can you take that will help you towards your goal?