Have You Kept Your New Year’s Resolutions?

It’s March… Do you remember what you resolved to get done in 2016? Have you made a list and stuck to it? (Do you know where the list is?) The fact remains that most people break from New Year’s resolutions in about six weeks. Rather than looking back come December and thinking with a sigh, I really wish I’d stuck to them this year…, take some tips for more effective goal setting and ways to achieve them.

• Think of willpower as a muscle. Willpower isn’t necessarily a trait that some people have and some people don’t. We all possess it, although some folks do have more of a propensity for it than others. Much like any muscle, the more you exercise your willpower, the stronger and more easily you can use it. Give yourself small, manageable goals to set; exercise your willpower; and reach your goal. As you progress, you’ll find yourself increasingly sticking to your goals. This practice will become less of an effort and more of a well-honed habit.

• Don’t keep it to yourself. Bravo to those of you who effectively work as your own accountability coaches! But many of us need an outside force to help us reach those goals. We have great intentions, but the excuses come too easily. So tell a friend, tell a family member, join a group with similar goals to help you feel more accountable. And it’s not just to have someone else monitor you; share your goal setting so others can encourage you to keep going and cheer you when you reach a milestone.

• Set SMART goals. In this case, SMART stands for:
  • Specific/Significant
  • Measurable/Meaningful
  • Attainable/Action-Oriented
  • Relevant/Rewarding
  • Time-bound/Trackable

You may have a larger goal of reading 20 books in a year — breaking that down into 1.5 books a month or a certain number of pages per week creates a SMART goal that allows you to easily hit all of those markers. Setting yourself with a long-term goal means some prep work to accomplish it; breaking it down into smaller goals and using the SMART strategy will help you achieve them.

Even though it’s a quarter of the way through 2016 and your New Year’s resolutions may have fallen by the wayside, don’t give up. Revisit and reinvigorate your efforts using some of these tips. When December comes around, enjoy the realization that you’ll have kept your resolve. Reach out to our team of experienced recruiting professionals today to discuss your hiring needs or career goals with our team at Medical Professionals.