Think back to the last time you set a long-term goal. If you’re like most people, you did great for the first week, so-so the second, and fizzled by the third. Week four — if you hadn’t abandoned your goal by then — was probably more about getting back on the wagon than steadfastly continuing on your originally-scripted path.
It’s not your fault. Long-term goals fix their sights rigidly on the future, but we live in the present — and the present is full of surprises.
So what’s the answer to setting goals we’ll actually achieve? It’s both simple and revolutionary: Think one week at a time.
In more than 25 years of studying human behavior, I’ve found that the people who approach challenges this way are the happiest and most successful. That’s why I launched barre3 Online, which provides a new workout plan each week — and doesn’t look a day beyond.
I invite you to apply this approach to your health and fitness goals. You’ll be amazed at how easy and effective it is. Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. If you don’t plan it, then it won’t happen.
Set aside a specific time to sit down and look at the week ahead. What are your main activities? Will you be traveling? Is your calendar packed with events? With all of that in mind, schedule 10 minutes to move every single day. Now look again: Which days can you go longer? Can you fit in a 30-minute workout one day? A 60-minute? Can you supplement a 10-minute workout with an energy-boosting walk later in the day? Think in terms of how exercising and eating well can fit into your life, not how you can make your life revolve around them. It’s about planning healthy and happy into your life: If you don’t plan it, then it won’t happen.
2. Align around your priorities. Now share them.
Every Sunday, my family and I sit down and go through our calendars and our priorities for the week. This not only gets us all on the same page, but it also helps us support each other in our goals. For example, I’ve been meditating twice a day recently. When I let my family know this is a priority for me, they can help me make it happen by giving me the time and space I need to do it—and by keeping me accountable when I’m tempted to skip a meditation session.
3. Weight your physical activity toward the beginning of the week.
One of my barre3 Online clients shared her mantra “Never miss a Monday.” I love this because it gets to a truth about human nature: We’re driven by momentum. The longer we wait to start something, the harder it is. But if we start strong, kicking off Monday with a burner of a workout, we begin the week feeling great and we’re more likely to stay on track for the rest of the week. Our new barre3 weekly online plans launch every Monday for this reason!
4. Look at the week as a whole, not each individual day.
Let’s face it, there are going to be days when we’re not exactly pillars of good health. That’s OK. Rather than fall down a shame spiral, accept the slip and start fresh the next day. Your week as a whole will still be full of exercise and that’s what counts (especially if you kick it off with a strong Monday)!
5. Be nimble.
One of the best things about working in one-week increments is that it allows you to adjust your activity to your current needs. Some weeks we’re bursting with energy and crave intense exercise sessions, other weeks we’re depleted and need to move in ways that replenish our energy. Adjusting our goals one week at a time gives us the opportunity to plan our exercise accordingly so we can take care of ourselves in the best possible way.
6. Connect — both with yourself and with others.
Take time to reflect and connect how your chosen exercise makes you feel. There is great power in learning about how your choices influence how you feel in your body. Use this information to plan your week ahead. I’m so excited for you to discover the power of one week!
Feeling inspired by Sadie’s tips? You can start applying this one-week-at-a-time approach to your studio or online practice today!
