It’s normal to feel unmotivated during this difficult time, especially when you don’t know what to expect next. On top of the new emotions we’re all processing, thinking about the future can be daunting when it feels like COVID-19 is going to change our plans at any given moment. Living in the moment is great, but it’s just as important to look to the future and hope and work toward all the things we want most.
That’s why we have curated the following list of three tips you can use to set manageable and achievable goals without adding more unnecessary stress to your life. That is the last thing we need right now.
Focus on Completion, Not Perfection
When it comes to setting and completing goals, all that matters is that you complete them to the best of your ability. Setting your expectations too high can lead to greater feelings of stress and insecurity and result in huge delays in your projects. There are always going to be ways to improve something to your liking; the real power and skill lie in knowing when you have done enough.
Is perfectionism something you struggle to manage in your day-to-day life? Harvard Business Review has a few tips that may help you focus on how to set goals without being too immersed in the idea of what’s perfect or “good enough.”
Make Goals You Can Actually Do Right Now
We are constantly adapting to the changes presented to us by the COVID-19 pandemic. If 2020 taught us anything, it was how to live in the moment. We learned to count our blessings because we never know what could happen next. In the new year, we have the opportunity to use these lessons to our advantage to set goals that are achievable in the current climate.
If you had a week to live, which goals would you most like to accomplish? What goals have been buried under more “important” tasks on your to-do list that are just as beneficial to you? Now is the time to reflect on what you most want to achieve and get them done with the resources you have.
Divide Long-Term Goals into Several Short-Term Tasks
Sometimes, achieving a goal becomes impossible to us because it seems like it’s too far removed from our daily lives. This is especially true in situations where one wants to accomplish something long-term. It can be overwhelming to view a huge goal from a starting point when you have no experience. This is why breaking up long-term goals into several short-term tasks can help you stay motivated throughout the process.
In a pandemic, this tip can be even more useful because the long-term future feels so uncertain. Even if your long-term goal ends up being unattainable in the moment, you will eventually appreciate that you took advantage of your time to build up skills and set goals that will help you achieve your long-term desires later.
A pandemic does not have to stop you from accomplishing all the goals you want to achieve. At The Pines at Montclair, we care about helping you live happy! With these three tips, you can focus on setting goals that matter most to you, are achievable, make you feel more motivated than before, and help you build a happier life.