Last Updated on August 7, 2024

I have no issues with setting goals; it’s achieving goals that I’ve been getting worse and worse at.

Since becoming a mum the amount of time I’ve dedicated to achieving my goals has decreased, and this is something that I really want to change.

This year I set goals by using a word of the year and creating a 20 before 2020 list, but it’s nearly the end of the year and there are still a number of things on both of these lists that I know won’t be achieved before the year is out.

This means that I need to find better ways to set goals for next year. And I already know that the goals I set won’t be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) as honestly that’s just too much work.

If like me you really want to set some goals for the New Year but don’t have a lot of time to achieve them, or you want the goal setting process to be as simple as possible, then below are some things to remember when setting goals.

I’ve also included some examples of quick and easy goals that you can set, and how I intend to set goals for next year that will be as easy as possible to actually achieve.

Things to remember when setting goals

Set goals for things that actually matter

Make a list of goals that you’d like to achieve over the next year, and then highlight those that are an absolute priority.

This means that the goals you do achieve will be important ones, and will inspire you to set goals for years to come.

Realise that some goals take longer to achieve

Some goals, like saving for a big trip actually take a long time to achieve and may not happen within the time frame you want, and that’s okay.

Realising this and still working on them means that you won’t be disheartened if they don’t get achieved according to the time limit you set for them.

If a goal will take longer than the time you want to achieve it in, break it into smaller steps so you’re still working on it bit by bit and not loosing motivation to keep going.

Set goals that have short time frames

Choose the majority of your goals based on the length of time they’ll take to achieve.

Shorter goals can motivate you to work on longer ones.

Easy to achieve goal ideas

Here are some easy to achieve goal ideas for mums, and anyone who is short on time.

My advice when setting goals is not to get overwhelmed by all the possibilities. Choose a few goals to achieve over the year, and take as long as you need to achieve them.

Family goals 

• Let your kids play on their own for at least 30 minutes a day
• Eat dinner together (where everyone eats the same meal)
• Plan a weekend away
• Plan 4 family outings

Home goals 

• Clean your kitchen every night
• Declutter your messiest drawer
• Declutter your messiest room
• Donate unworn clothes and unwanted toys and kitchen items

Relationship goals

• Turn your phone off after 8pm, or don’t turn it on until after breakfast
• Plan 2 kid free date nights
• Organise a catch up with a friend you haven’t seen in awhile

Personal development goals

• Stop comparing yourself to others
• Listen to a podcast
• Watch a documentary
• Make more time for self-care, or just to be alone
• Find a new hobby
• Cut toxic relationships out of your life
• Say no to things you don’t want to do
• Get up earlier
• Think more positively
• Read more

Health goals

• Drink more water
• Have a healthy breakfast daily
• Do at home yoga or at home workouts
• Get at least 7 hours of sleep

Financial goals

• Have a no spend month
• Pay off a bill
• Start a savings account for your children and deposit £1 a month into it

How am I going to set goals next year?

Next year I’m going to set goals monthly, but I won’t set a monthly goal until just before the month’s started, that way I can choose a goal that will help me achieve whatever focus the month ahead has.

This means I won’t have more than 12 goals for next year, and it already feels more achievable.

To do this I’ll choose one of the goals from the above lists, or another one if one springs to mind, and make that my focus for the month ahead.

Once done I’ll make a note of it in my bullet journal, and set reminders if I have to on what needs to be done to achieve it.

One month a goal may be super quick to achieve, for example planning two date nights, or just paying a bill.

My goals for next year aren’t going to be about the number of goals I want to achieve, but in the time of life where I have a young family, goal setting and goal achievement is simply going to be about making sure I actually achieve goals that are beneficial for myself and my family.

How will you set goals for the next year?