Once the dust settles from Christmas and we settle back in to work, study and the daily grind, our thoughts inevitably go to what lies ahead.
For some, the coming twelve months promise to deliver significant events and milestones to look forward to, but for others, the new year provides an opportunity to focus on smaller achievements and starting the year on the right foot.
Whether they are finance, fitness, travel, career or relationship focused, goals are best realised when said out loud. By sharing your goals or New Year’s resolutions with others, you have a much better chance of achieving them. Friends, family and colleagues can hold you accountable and check on your progress to keep you on track. Pride can kick in and you’ll want to achieve so as not to have egg on your face at the end of the year when it comes time to review!
It’s also important to set SMART goals – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound. When you follow this framework, you’ll find it easier to tackle your goals and keep an eye on your progress. And make sure you have a good balance between long term and short term goals, you need to be able to see progress and tick things off your list to keep you motivated for the bigger goals. It also helps to vary the themes – don’t only focus on your finances. Challenge yourself socially and physically and this will keep you interested and engaged. There’s nothing like conquering a soufflé to feel accomplished and clever!
We asked around The Hopkins Group office to find out what our team members are focusing on in 2016, and also if they had any tips to share – both professionally and personally – to help others on their journey this year.
Samandah Matty, Property Manager
- To actually use my gym membership more than once a week!
- Spend more time at home with my family.
- To travel to Europe! (But I need to have leave approved first . . . Lorena!?)
- To stop eating all the biscuits in the kitchen at work!
Abigail Lee, Graduate Accountant
- Donate more to charity – I have always donated to charity and have volunteered for the leukaemia foundation, this year I want to do a little more for those that need it.
- As I am marrying a Dutch man I will be taking on lessons this year to learn how to speak Dutch.
- I want to finish what I start – I always get excited about new projects but tend to never finish… So this year I plan to finish everything I currently have started before taking on anything new.
- Be more organised – I feel I am normally an organised person, but with family coming from overseas, a wedding and a trip to Europe to plan, I think I need to up my game.
Charmaine Offer, Office Assistant and Personal Assistant
- I’m doing no chocolate for a month which includes my love, Nutella. I have a massive tub with my name on it on my bedside table waiting to be used!
- The Herbalife one month challenge – clean eating for the month!
- The 52 Week Saving Challenge where you put away that week’s number in cash i.e. if it was Week 23, that week I must put away $23. By the end of the year I hope to have saved $1378.
Pip Middleton, HR Coordinator
My goals for this year are pretty, um, not sure the word… I don’t think they are deep, but they’re things I know I’ve struggled with and now that I’m having a baby, I think that I would like to work towards achieving them in order to (hopefully) influence my own little girl!
- Patience: I sometimes struggle when things aren’t done my way and on my time frames. Be better at accepting (and even embracing!) a lack of control!
- Love myself a little more: I’m not good at believing I’m good at much, so I want to try change that and not beat myself up if I make mistakes. This one is not just related to motherhood. I want to be a good mum by doing the right things, but more than that, I want my kid/s and those around me to see that it’s ok to not be good at things or perfect: there’s no harm in that and it’s not a reason to be down on yourself!
Editor’s note: On a less serious note, Pip also provided a list of hilarious New Year’s Resolutions that were too good not to share.
- Look to Kanye for inspiration on how to love myself a little more. NB. However, I am fully cognisant that I would make a terrible leader of our country and therefore will not aspire to such ridiculous ideas of grandeur.
- Not call my daughter Saint Middleton. See above ‘Kanye’ for reason (if you need a reason to not call a child Saint).
- Not leave my daughter in a coffee shop like I regularly do with my mobile and sunnies. Probably should have put this as Priority 1…
- Not allow Bradley Cooper to fall in love with me: so far so good for 2016, but I think this one will be a struggle.
- Not get annoyed when my mum asks me (again) what her wifi password is. 1. I don’t know it, and 2. It’s set up to auto connect.
- Passwords: Branch out and add a second password to my world.
Brian Godfrey, Finance and Mortgage Adviser
- Visit Berlin
- I committed to only buying three ties this year
- Dine in a different Yarra Valley winery every ten weeks
- Definitely time to build up my repertoire and expand from my one chicken curry dish
Nicholas Siemensma, Paraplanner
- Only buy something with a note. All the coins you get as change, put into a money box. I find it works well because a) it’s a good way to save all that annoying change; and b) having to break a note to buy something small like a chocolate bar or something will make you less likely to do it!
Durham Kenigsvalds, Group Financial Controller
- Clearing the clutter! I’ve started with my desk at work and plan to keep it tidy for the rest of the year
We’ll check in with our staff throughout the year to see if they’re on track to realising their goals for 2016, but in the meantime, we encourage you to put pen to paper and actually set out some plans for yourself this year.
While we can’t snatch a Tim Tam from your grasp or take out a restraining order on Bradley Cooper (sorry Pip!), we can help you with your financial planning and investment goals. Call 1300 726 082 to book in with one of our Financial Advisers who can help map out your financial future for 2016 and beyond.
Strike while the iron is hot! It’ll be Easter before we know it . . .
