Goals for New Mums- The Flexible Goal Setting Guide
How to do goal setting
Being a mum is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have. However, it’s not always easy to balance your own goals with your responsibilities as a parent. Many Mums strive to be the best they can be in every area of their lives, but the reality is that sometimes our expectations can be hard to meet. Let me take you through how to do goal setting as a busy Mum. This one didn’t come in the manual!
The importance of goal setting for Mums
Finding the time to spend on your own hobbies and goals can seem literally impossible as a busy Mum, but ensuring you spend enough time focusing on yourself and your own needs is incredibly important for your life balance. Feeling as though you are getting enough time to focus on yourself can really help to keep you on the ground. This makes you a more patient Mum, a less stressed partner, a more wholesome friend and an all-round more pleasant person.
It’s easy to feel guilty for spending time on yourself as a Mum when there are a million other life responsibilities and chores to consider, but this is a false economy. Eventually you become resentful, burned out & tapped out. That’s not the Mum we all strive to be. With that in mind, its super important to carve out some time for yourself to meet your own needs. It’s ok to push yourself into the direction you want to see your future.
Finding the Time for Goal Setting as a Busy Mum
We can do this by understanding how to do goal setting within our new Mummy lifestyle. This makes our future both tangible and achievable, exciting and within reach, yet challenging and requiring some effort and dedication. This is where the magic happens!
One of the most important things to remember when setting and achieving goals as a Mum is to stay flexible. This means being adaptable and open-minded when things don’t go as planned. It’s okay to change your mind, pivot your strategies, or even take a step back if needed. We also need to accept that some days our kids are sick or the nursery has a water leak and is closed. And that’s okay. Not every day has to be a highly productive day. But even still, try to do SOMETHING to bring you closer to your goal today.
An Example of How to do Goal Setting
For example, if you set a goal to exercise every morning before the kids wake up, but sleep deprivation is making it impossible to wake up early, it’s okay to reassess and adjust. Maybe you can switch to an afternoon workout routine or find a different way to incorporate exercise into your day. What about taking the kids for a bike ride or a kitchen dance party instead? And if it’s a ‘sick kid day’, then reading a motivating blog post about exercise or healthy eating is within reach. These things still contribute massively to your growth mindset, bringing you closer to your goals.
Expect The Unexpected
Another important aspect of being flexible is to have realistic expectations. It’s not always possible to achieve everything you want to in a day. Be gentle with yourself when things don’t go as planned. It’s okay to adjust your goals based on your current circumstances, whether that’s sickness, childcare issues, or just a particularly busy week.
As Mothers we know full well that we need to expect the unexpected.Think your day is off to a great start? We know the baby is probably going to have a nappy explosion or vomit on your clean jumper. That’s just the way it seems to go! It’s the same with learning how to do goal setting. We can plan for it (and we should) but we should also EXPECT that the plan will be on version 7,465 by the time we have achieved it.
And this is okay! Do you think that Steve Jobs woke up one morning and set about designing the iPhone? From version one? Right from the get-go? Of course not! I dread to think how many versions Mr Jobs was on before he released the first iPhone. The point is that he kept adapting, readjusting, and making small but impactful improvements until he achieved what he was after.
Consider Involving Your Kids
Learning how to do goal setting as a Mum can also mean involving your kids in the process. For example, if you want to cook more meals from scratch, you can involve your kids in the meal planning and preparation process. This not only helps you achieve your goal, but it also teaches your kids valuable skills. It can even help them develop healthier eating habits in the long run. Win-win.
But sometimes your goals are better when they are just for you. Having your own time as a Mum is critical. Don’t feel that you HAVE to involve your kids in every aspect of your life.
Remember, Nap Time is YOU Time
My biggest tip for ANY parent is to make nap times sacred. That means you don’t spend your child-free time emptying the dishwasher or hanging laundry. You can do those things with your kids when they’re awake! Spend nap time doing something that YOU want to do. If you just LOVE cleaning the dishes then crack on. Otherwise, take the time out for yourself. You’ll find yourself more patient and energetic for the rest of the day ahead.
Finally, don’t forget to celebrate your achievements whether it’s completing a big project or simply getting through a particularly challenging day. Take the time to acknowledge your successes – no matter how small. This can help keep you motivated and focused on your goals.
The littlest wins all add up to big change eventually, so keep at it, no matter how tiny the improvements seem to be.
Overall, staying flexible is key to learning how to do goal setting and achieving your goals as a Mum. Remember to break down your goals into smaller milestones, adjust your expectations and celebrate all of your successes no matter how big or small. By staying adaptable and open-minded, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals – all while being the best Mum you can be.