This technique will help you achieve your New Year’s Resolutions

“Next year I’ll start a diet... travel the world... get started with my business idea...”

These are some of the resolutions that people make every year. In most cases, they only remain as good intentions and are not achieved.

At CONECTA, we show you a better way to set your goals by using the SMART technique.

Before describing this technique’s steps, Rubén Sillas, a psychologist from the Department of Mentoring and Counseling at Tec de Monterrey’s Monterrey campus, shares why it’s a good idea to think about New Year’s resolutions at this time of year.

“It’s important to have a perspective on what follows, so resolutions guide you, helping you to focus more on certain things,” says the specialist.

This means that your list of resolutions goes beyond good intentions. The SMART technique used in Tec de Monterrey projects helps to create well-planned objectives.

The acronym stands for, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Result-oriented, and Time-related.

We show you each of them and how they can work for your new year plans.

“Resolutions guide you, helping you to focus more on certain things.”- Rubén Sillas

1. Be specific 

I’m going to lose weight, exercise more, stop smoking... these are examples of how NOT to set your goals.

It’s important to be as specific and precise as possible.

“I’m going to exercise three times a week for 45 minutes to create a habit,” is an example of how you can make a resolution, since that way you have a clear goal.

2. Make them measurable

Anything that can be measured allows us to make improvements along the way. Set numbers or measurements to make sure the action plan that you have drawn up is being fulfilled.

For example, if you decide to save money to be able to go on vacation abroad, set the amount that you must save each month for this resolution.

3. Attainable goals 

Having 365 opportunities to fulfill our goals can work against us, as we could get carried away and start listing unattainable goals.

“It’s better to be a little more realistic in what can be obtained, knowing my capabilities or limitations to do so,’ says Sillas.

Instead of asking how I’m going to go from a medium to small in a month, you should plan according to what’s possible: I will go to a nutritionist for guidance on my diet and establish an exercise routine,’ is a better approach.

 

4. Result-oriented 

Your list of resolutions will become important to you. To this end, think about what result you hope to achieve. Otherwise, why put in so much effort?

In addition to the result, reflect on the greater meaning of what you are considering as an objective or goal since that will help you to commit to the actions needed to achieve it.

Instead of writing ‘I want to learn a new language’, think about why and describe it in this way. ‘I want to start Italian classes because I would like a better understanding of Italian culture.’

5. Time-related

Finally, in your list of New Year’s resolutions, give each one a time limit to be completed, so you won’t forget them.

It is also helpful to establish temporary or smaller goals for each resolution because you will feel motivated as you go about them, and that will allow you to achieve what you want in the long term.

We invite you to try it and apply this method to your resolutions for 2022.

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