Have you promised yourself a fresh start in 2020 only to experience nutritious and fitness shortcomings due to social distancing? Did you make the goal that this is finally going to be the year you reach optimal health and wellness, but feel discouraged by the global pandemic’s effects? Even in challenging times such as these, we are here to offer a few tips and guidelines that will encourage and show you how to stay focused on wellness to finish 2020 stronger and healthier than before.
3 HEALTH TIPS TO STAY FOCUSED ON WELLNESS
#1. Know Your “Why”
We have all made commitments to improve our health and end up feeling defeated when we don’t follow through. The key to success is knowing your “why.” Only you know what is important to you and what motivates you. Take some quiet time alone to identify why you want to improve your health. Has social distancing given you the desire to cook healthier meals, spend more time in purposeful relaxation, or explore new hiking trails? Once you know that answer, you can become and stay motivated.
#2. Set SMART Health Goals
Once you know your “why,” begin working to set your health goals. SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and trackable.
- Specific Goals: Rather than say you’re going to eat more vegetables, a specific goal would say, “To meet my goal of nourishing my body better, I will eat five servings of vegetables daily starting tomorrow morning.” Here is a handy formula to set specific goals for yourself: “I will (goal + performance measure) by (specific actions) starting (date or time).”
- Measurable Goals: Be sure you can measure your goals. Instead of saying you will get more sleep, say, “I will get seven hours of sleep each night starting tonight,” which is measurable.
- Attainable Goals: Set small, manageable goals for yourself. It’s good to challenge yourself, but if the goal isn’t attainable for you, you could end up abandoning your efforts altogether. If you haven’t exercised for the past five years, it could sabotage you to set a goal to exercise every day for an hour. Start with something you can achieve, such as twenty minutes three days a week, and then work your way up to a higher goal.
- Realistic Goals: Realistic goals will stretch you, yet keep you motivated. Resist the temptation to compare yourself to anyone else and overreach. Choose goals that set you up for success. If you’re not a reader but decide you’re going to read one book each week throughout the remainder of the year, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. Instead, set a goal that is realistic for you, such as starting by reading one book per month.
- Time-Bound Goals: Open-ended goals aren’t helpful. Set your realistic goals for a specific amount of time, such as one week. Then you can evaluate your goals and choose to keep the same ones or set new goals.
#3. Be Kind to Yourself
You don’t have to earn your value, and it isn’t dependent upon reaching your goals. Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend. Speak kind and encouraging words over yourself. When you achieve a goal, celebrate your success! At a time of failing to meet a goal, see this as a learning opportunity.
MCR HEALTH IS HERE TO HELP
At MCR Health, we are committed to helping you achieve your health goals and overcome hurdles brought by social distancing and COVID-19.
Contact us today to find out how we can partner together to create preventive and proactive plans so you can be your healthiest.
