New Student & Family Programs hopes that you had a great winter break and is excited to welcome you back for the Spring 2018 Semester! Do you have any failed New Year’s Resolutions? February is the best time to revive and start working towards establishing goals.
Here are a few tips to help you set and achieve your goals for the New Year:
- Set Clearly Defined Goals: One of the most popular goals each year is to get in shape. What does that actually mean? How will you know that you have crossed the thin line of being out of shape to becoming in shape? Goals need to be clearly defined and have certain deadlines to help motivate you to achieve those goals. Instead of hoping to get into shape, strive to go to the gym three times a week or to play basketball once a week. These are goals that you can realistically go for and defined in a way that will allow you to know what you are striving for.
- Try it For At Least a Month: If you were to asked to describe your morning routine, I am sure that you could spout off the order that you brush your teeth, shower, drink coffee, etc. without hesitation as that is the routine you have had for years. That is what makes “resolutions” so tough—you have a set ritual in your life and introducing something new goes against that ritual. Many studies have shown that for something to become a habit, someone must do it for at least 30 days. Those first 30 days of your goals will be the hardest, but once it becomes a habit the subsequent days will become that much easier.
- Surround Yourself with Supporters: Achieving goals is so much easier when you have people in your corner who can help you. Whether it be someone who is striving for the same goal or someone who can hold you accountable during this process, having those people will make it much easier. A big piece of this is sharing your goals with those around you who you trust and value. If they know you are striving to stop eating fried foods, they can remind you when you are tempted to order that side of fries from Chick-Fil-A.
- Celebrate the Small Victories: If we wait until we reach that big goal to celebrate the success we have achieved, we will be burnt out before we get there. If your goal is to lose 10 pounds by July, don’t wait until July to celebrate the progress you have made. Celebrate the pounds you lose along the way and that celebration will be motivation for you to continue moving forward.
Setting and achieving goals is not the easiest thing to do, but there are so many people at the University of Arkansas ready to help you out. If you have fitness goals, UREC has multiple group fitness classes you can attend. If you want to achieve academically this semester, CLASS+ has tutoring and academic coaches for you to use. But the first step is establishing your vision for the New Year.
Good luck and here’s to hoping that you achieve all the goals that you set for yourself!