Those that know me know that before the first day of the New
Year comes, you better believe I'll have a crisp sheet of paper on
my bulletin board with all the things I'd like to achieve in the
coming year. Some call them New Year resolutions; I just call them
yearly goals. Regardless, I'd feel a bit lost without them - like
I'm working hard, but not getting where I want to be. Goals are
like a road map to help guide your journey to the destination of
your heart's desire.
Adults that are in or approaching retirement might think they've
already reached their destination, and therefore won't really
benefit from goals anymore. While you may have reached your
retirement destination, a whole new journey is just beginning.
Without a road map for this new journey, the days, weeks and years
might pass you by- leaving you wondering where your time has gone
and what happened to all those things you wanted to do after
retiring.
Take some time to think about what you really want out of the
next year or two (or five)! Keep in mind the importance of staying
mentally and physically active, as well as eating fresh foods and
scheduling regular checkups; these are items that should be on
everyone's list of goals. Try to incorporate those items into your
goals by looking into to social clubs that involve your hobby,
participating in a charity walk or signing up for a cooking
class.
Successful Goal Setting
Be Specific - Don't generalize about your
goals, state specifically what you want. For example: I want to run
a marathon. I want to sail a boat across Lake Michigan. I want to
improve the relationship with my grandchild. I want to learn how to
waltz. I want to volunteer for the Meals on Wheels program.
Make it Measurable - Putting dates, times and
amounts on goals can help narrow the focus and measure achievement.
For example: I want to sail a boat across Lake Michigan
by December 31, 2012. I want to
volunteer monthly for the Meals on Wheels program.
This will help you know exactly when you've achieved the goal so
you can reap the reward and pat yourself on the back.
Attainability is Key - Set realistic goals you
can achieve. If you base your goals on your own performance or
things more within your control, like running an eight minute mile,
you are more likely to achieve them. However, if you base them on
outcomes like winning the race, several other factors can come into
play - such as bad weather or an injury.
Remember to Reward - Take the time to soak in
the achievement of reaching the goal and reward yourself
appropriately. Review the experience of achieving it to help you
decide if the goal was too easy or too hard, and to consider what
you learned in the process; this helps build self-confidence and
motivation for future goal-setting. For example: I've completed the
marathon and now I will reward myself with a day at the spa. I
learned to waltz and now I will reward myself with some dancing
shoes.
Keep it Trackable - Once you've defined your
goals, break them down into smaller bits to track how you will
achieve them. This will help you trace your steps and adjust
accordingly along the way. For example: I will read a book to learn
about sailing terms by February 1. I will take a navigation course
by March 1. I will take sailing lessons all summer. I will find a
boat to rent by July 1. I will schedule my sailing trip in the
month of September.
Setting goals helps you organize your time and resources so you
can make the most of your life. Goals don't have to be all about
going and doing, sometimes goals can be about relaxing and
enjoying. Believe it or not, sometimes we have to set a goal to
meditate for a few minutes a day just to keep our sanity!
Carrie Robertson
Research & Community Education
Chicago Skilled Nursing
Chicago Senior
Living