As we move into the third month of the year, this is a great time to reflect on how your year has been going so far. Whether you made New Year Resolutions or are working on objectives from last year, it is good to check in. Our theme this month is growth & renewal and how it can improve your personal wellness habits. A part of growing as a person involves determining where you want to go. Setting goals is a great way to keep yourself motivated and focused on the various objectives you want to reach.
What is a goal?
Having a goal is setting a target or defining an objective to work toward. The scope of goals can look different for everyone and can have many different focuses. For example, goals could be centered around your personal life, your physical health, or your career. Our goals should be a reflection of our personal values and what is important to us. To get you started thinking about what type of goal you want to work toward, check out our ideas below
Personal Goals
Reflecting on how your personal life is going is a good place to start when thinking about things you want to accomplish. Maybe your personal goals have a financial focus and you want to buy a home, pay off your loans, or create an emergency fund. Or perhaps you have always wanted to learn a new language and travel to a new destination. Personal goals can also include wanting to spend more time with your friends and family every week – or maybe the opposite, and learning to take more time for yourself. Looking to increase your self-care hours? Check out our article from January for some ideas on simple ways you can incorporate self care into your day.
Wellness Goals
Wellness goals are often what first comes to mind when thinking about our working on ourselves. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Create and stick to a regular workout routine.
- Pick a number of steps you want to reach and hit that amount daily.
- Learn to start your day with having a healthy breakfast with a big glass of water.
Wellness related goals can also include taking care of your body. Have you been avoiding going to the chiropractor or to see a physiotherapist? Make it a goal to take care of your personal needs so you can be the best version of yourself moving forward. If wanting to workout more often sounds like a goal you want to accomplish, check out our blog post from earlier in the year about various exercise classes to try.
Career Goals
Along with personal and wellness related goals, career goals are another type of goal to be mindful of. Maybe learning a new job related skill is on the list this year. Or maybe you’re focused on earning a promotion to a new role or improving your networking skills. Thinking about the future and where you see yourself in 5 or 10 years can help you formulate goals for the future.
Tips for Setting Effective Goals
Now that you’ve been thinking about goals in your own life, here are our best tips for create effective goals:
- Set goals that motivate you. Take the time to brainstorm those ideas that actually interest and hold value with you.
- Set goals that you can control.
- Set SMART goals. Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Relevant. Time specific.
- Write them down and make an action plan.
- Be confident that you can achieve your desired goals.
- Remember to have a positive attitude.
- Review your goals and be open to making required adjustments.
So, why is goal setting important? Having goals are a great way to have vision and direction for the future. It also allows for short term motivation to keep you moving in the right direction. Remember, goals can look very different for everyone.
Personal growth and development can sometimes feel overwhelming. Thinking through and creating goals can make this task feel less daunting. Our overall health and wellness is something that impacts our daily life. Taking the time to refresh and development healthy changes can improve many different aspects of our lives.
If you’ve made it a personal goal to take care of you more, let us help! A Personal Health Plan from Saskatchewan Blue Cross includes coverage for health practitioners including chiropractors, physiotherapists, massage therapists, and clinical psychologists. Visit our website to get a quote for a Personal Health Plan.