2018 = GOALS

How to accomplish everything in 2018

Happy New Year! As we all know, the new year is a time for promises of change and self-improvement. People are motivated to work harder and achieve their goals. However, these promises (in my case anyway), are easier said than kept.

In the past, it’s taken around a week for me to break my resolutions of ‘no alcohol’, ‘no junk food’ and ‘revise relentlessly for that fast-approaching exam’. It’s only this year I’ve realised that to make real changes that actually work, I need to set realistic, achievable goals.

Here’s some tips on how to stick to your goals, using START, and some suggestions on what those goals could be:

1) Stay positive

Don’t make negative goals like, ‘stop drinking alcohol’ or ‘stop leaving work to the last minute’. Instead, make positive changes; ‘drink more water’ or ‘go to the library to work’. This way, you’re adding something to your life, not removing things you enjoy.

2) Team up

Sticking to something new is always easier when you’ve got someone with you. Struggling to keep to your new library timetable? Your pals will get you through, send them a copy and convince them to join you!

3) Achievable

You’re not looking to change the world. Set yourself small goals that you can build upon and can see yourself achieving.

4) Reflect

Think of some things that you really want to change. Making too many resolutions can be overwhelming and you’re a lot less likely to see them through. Take the time to make one or two resolutions that you’re really dedicated to.

5) Time

‘I’ll start tomorrow’ is a phrase I use much too often. It’s only recently I’ve realised how quickly time passes and you haven’t achieved what you wanted. So, use your time wisely and don’t waste it, use it as a motivator to do things you’ve always thought about doing.

Resolutions any student can smash

Here’s some simple resolutions you can keep up for the whole year:

Call home more often

(Your parents will love this one!) Make a regular time to call home, once or twice a week. Trust me, your parents want more than that ‘I’m alive’ text sent once every blue moon. They might miss you more than they want to admit.

Make time for you

Everyone knows the stresses of being a student. Deadlines flying at you left, right and centre. Feeling overwhelmed impacts on your work, relationships and mental health. Set aside 15-30 minutes a day to do something you love or even just sit and do absolutely nothing; give yourself dedicated time to relax.

Reconnect

Moving to university normally means losing contact with people, people you used to spend every day with. Life can get busy, so picking up the phone and sending a quick text to someone you’ve not spoken to for a while can mean a lot. It’s a simple resolution that’s easily kept and it can make someone’s day.

Eat well

Student diets are renowned for being unhealthy and reliant on junk food: that cheeky kebab after a night out, a quick McDonald’s because you don’t want to cook.

There’s no point lying to yourself by saying you’ll get rid of these delicious treats completely, but try your best to make them just that… treats.

Make a shopping list every Sunday night perhaps and plan your meals. The weeks will flow more smoothly and, as students will all be glad to hear, it will help you keep on top of that tight budget.

New Year’s resolutions only come about once a year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to make positive changes throughout the year. If you fall off the bandwagon, don’t think of it as a failure, learn from it and get straight back on there! You’ll thank me later.

Good luck and Happy New Year!