Who would have thought that another year has come and gone so soon? As we launch ourselves into 2022, you may have been considering what you would like to improve about yourselves this year. The new year can be a powerful tool to shift your mindset and help you set new goals or resolutions! But how can you make yourself stick to them, especially if you are stuck at home? How can you make sure that you will keep eating healthy or going to the gym? Whether you are stuck in lock down due to COVID-19’s Omicron variant or you need to stay home with the kids, stay tuned for some tips to help keep your motivation high!
Tell your family and friends your goals to help you stay accountable
Get your peer circle to keep you motivated to complete or continue working toward your goals – that way when they ask how you are doing, you will want to tell them you made progress! It works even better if you make goals that you share with your friends so you can all help keep each other on track. For example, if your resolution is to read one book a month, creating a book club with your friends could be a fun way to achieve your goals together.
For fitness goals try to get a gym/workout buddy
Working out alone can be draining and simply no fun for some! In order to make exercise and healthy lifestyle choices easier to maintain, it can really help to have a friend or family member at your side. If you have children, you could even try to get them involved with your yoga practices, run around with them at your local park, or turn exercise into a game. If you are away from your family or are isolating at home, you could even do workouts over Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet. For some people, having this connection with a loved one can make working out seem more enjoyable. At the very least, you aren’t going through it alone!
Celebrate your successes and milestones
Planning out small rewards for all of your progress towards your resolution can be a great step to help sustain your motivation! It can be something as small as your favourite food, buying yourself something nice, or inviting friends over for a celebration. By creating a positive reward system, it can help you stay on track and be happier with your progress. Recognizing how far you have come is also very important!
Break down large goals into easy bite-size steps and set yourself up for success
Often when people are making their resolutions, they will choose large, vague, or unrealistic goals that they hope to achieve. However, once they are a week into their goal, it all seems to fall apart. By breaking down large goals or making specific and realistic steps, climbing the ladder to your resolutions becomes all the more attainable! For example, if you wish for better mental health, try fulfilling one self-care task per day. It could be going for a walk outdoors, making your favourite hot beverage, or reading a good book.
If a resolution seems too hard, try starting out with a smaller goal to help build your confidence
If your resolution is to become fit or drop a certain weight, the amount of steps and effort that is required could make you burn out before you reach your goals. In order to prevent burnout and despair, it can be helpful to start with smaller goals that work towards your long-term aspirations. For example, to get fit you could start with going for a walk every day instead of immediately trying to spend hours lifting weights at the gym. Your physical and mental wellness all depends on a balanced lifestyle – there is no point in burning yourself out before you can truly begin!
If you would like to find out more, please feel free to check out this article from Psycom.net or make use of Advica’s 24/7 virtual care Nurse Practitioner services if you are in need of support.
Disclaimer: The information shared by Advica Health Communications Team, included but not limited to text, infographic, videos and other material contained in this blog are for educational and informational purposes only. No material in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your family physician or other qualified healthcare professional with any questions that you may have regarding a medical condition, treatment or before undertaking a new health regimen. Do not delay any medical intervention or treatment because of something you have read in this newsletter.
