Why wait until January 1st? Set those personal goals now! New Years Day isn’t necessarily the best time to begin tackling new goals. When we make a decision to set a new goal and then take action based on a date rather than on our personal readiness, we might just be setting ourselves up for failure.
Here are some top reasons you should start addressing your new goals today:
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Stops procrastination. Procrastination is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to achieving any kind of goal. Waiting until the start of the new year to address a goal is the very definition of procrastination and it puts you on a sure path to failure. When we procrastinate, we experience a higher level of stress and a lower level of well-being. People often hold off on a task because they don’t feel prepared to address it, and believe they will be more ready in the future to do so, but this is not typically true. Waiting until January 1st only delays working through any obstacles you need to currently face. By starting today, you can put an end to procrastination and the stress that comes with it.
- The holiday season can drain motivation. Waiting until after the holidays to begin a new goal can actually make it harder to begin. Waiting until after January 1 st, when the excitement of the holidays has typically died down, your mood and motivation might take a dip too. If you implement new habits before the onset of those possible “winter blues,” you might be more likely to stick to your goals and may even fight off any depressive feelings.
- Get a head start. Studies have shown that to create new patterns of behavior, you must be consistent with achieving that new goal for at least 21 days. Keep things simple! Instead of making numerous goals that change up your entire routine (sleeping habits, diet, fitness routine, etc.), pick one habit that is the most important to you and start it now. Stick with it, and by January 1st, you will already have one habit changed, and possibly be ready to start tackling your next goal.
- Keep the focus on you. When you set goals for the new year, are those goals in tune with your personal values, or are you setting them because of social pressure? You are much more likely to achieve goals, when they reflect your personal values and interests, rather than one built around social expectations. Starting now instead of waiting until the new year is another way to make sure your goal setting is all about you. Starting now sends the message “this is important to me” versus “I’m doing this on January 1st, just like everyone else in the world because that’s what you’re supposed to do.”
If you wake up today and say, ‘Enough is enough: I don’t want to live like I lived yesterday.”, then don’t wait until January 1st to make changes. Take action now and you will be one day closer to a healthier you! To help with personal goal setting, chat with a Blue Sky MD patient care coordinator by texting CHAT to (828) 373-6199.
