The holidays are usually a time of increased stress and lack of time. Now that the stress of the holidays has passed, this is the perfect time to check in with your goals. Did you reach the goals that you set out for the last few months? If not, start thinking about what things that you want to do differently to support your goal over the next few weeks. If you did reach your goal, would you like to keep the same goal over the next few weeks or are you ready to increase the frequency or duration of your current goal?

Is now a good time to work on goals?

Before setting a new goal or increasing a current goal, ask yourself “is now a good time to work on this goal?” Try looking ahead at your schedule to determine if the next few weeks are going to be busy or will you have the time needed to work on your goals. Trying to add something new to your schedule can be overwhelming if you know that you will be limited on time or have a lot on your plate currently. To increase the likeliness of achieving your goals, you want to make sure that you will have the time to commit to making your goals into a reality.

Learn from the past.

It is okay if you are not able to achieve every goal that you set out to achieve. If you weren’t successful with your goal in the past, start thinking about what barriers got in your way. Was the time not right or did you set your goal too high? Try to use each attempt at setting a goal as a learning tool.  Based on previous attempts at achieving a goal, determine what you are going to do differently this time to become more successful at your next attempt.

Write it out.

Research tells us that people who write out their goal are more likely to achieve them. Be specific with each goal by writing what you want to accomplish, when you will work on the goal, and how many times per day or per week.  Have fun with goal setting by writing it out using fun colors or papers. Keep your goals visible so that you remind yourself of what you are working on.

Increase your support system.

Increase your likelihood of success by increasing your support system. Is there a family member, coworker, or friend that you would like to share your goal with? Sharing your goals with someone else can help provide the support that you need to increase your accountability. Setting up a reminder system can also help you reach your goals. Placing post-it notes where you can see them, adding phone reminders or calendar reminders can help make your goals more visible.

If you are looking for extra support on achieving your goals, the OSU Health Plan offers complimentary health coaching to any benefits-eligible faculty, staff or dependents. A health coach will help you develop an action plan to work on goals related to weight management, stress management, nutrition, physical activity, and/or tobacco cessation. To schedule an appointment with a health coach: Email: healthcoach.osuhealthplan@osumc.edu or Phone:  (614) 292-4700 (press 0) or (800) 678-6269. These sessions are conveniently scheduled by telephone, confidential and at no cost to you!