The Harmoniser
Time to give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve taken the plunge and set your goal.
Whether you’re just starting out or are ready to kick things up a notch, is most definitely a ‘well-done-you’ moment.
But let’s be honest: staying focused on your action plan isn’t the only thing you’ve got on your plate over the next month, right? Because, life! And that means there may well be times where sticking with the plan becomes a challenge.
Don’t panic. There are other things you can do as a Harmoniser to help yourself stay on track or get back on it if things start to slide.
Be specific about your goals
As a Harmoniser who’s eager to please and enjoys collaborating with others, sometimes your plans can get hijacked.
One solution is focusing on your end goal and making it nitty-gritty specific.
It works like this: goals are more achievable when they’re SMART goals – that is, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-related.
“Do 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio activity on five days this week” is already measurable, achievable, realistic and time-related, but you can make it more specific by adding in some detail like, “Go for a 30-minute walk with [insert best friend’s name] before breakfast every weekday this week.”
Write those goals down
Writing your ‘planned activity’ goals down is scientifically proven as a ‘keep you on track’ tactic, but don’t forget you’re on a mission to move more throughout the day, too.
To help with that goal write ‘MOVE MORE!’ on some sticky notes and place them in strategic spots: put one on your computer and one in your line of sight from the couch to prompt you to get the family away from the TV.
Research proves that mentally linking an action (like embracing opportunities to be active) with visual cues (hello, sticky notes!) equals performing that action more successfully.
Maintain your motivation
Motivation plays a key role in helping you stay on track. Why? Long story short, motivation is the drive you need to achieve your goals. And luckily there are ways to maintain it that are specific to your Harmoniser personality.
5 planning and goal-setting tips for Harmonisers
These suggestions will help you stay the course as you work towards your movement goal.
1. Don’t overestimate your goal-kicking capacity
As a Harmoniser, your compassionate, easy-going nature can make it hard to say no, so you might be swayed by others into tackling a few other health-related goals this month on top of your movement goal.
Best not to be too ambitious – as well as needing to avoid Harmoniser’s burnout, the brain can’t handle working on too many changes at the same time.
2. Be consistent
The fact that you’re happy to go with the flow is one of your personality’s key strengths. But bear in mind that research shows it’s people who commit to exercising at roughly the same time each day who wind up doing the most activity.
So if you’re planning when to exercise, remember that consistency is key.
3. Track your activity
Using an activity tracker won’t guarantee that you’ll hit your exact exercise goal, but studies do link their daily use to spending more time moving and less being sedentary.
4. Create a playlist partner
While you are a team player, don’t forget it’s okay to do something on your own occasionally – particularly if it means staying true to your exercise plans. And when you do, moving to music will help.
It not only makes exercise more enjoyable, it can make it seem easier, too.
5. Phone a friend
Goal-setting research proves that, regardless of personality, a little thing called accountability goes a long way. And, as a team player who loves collaborating with others, this one’s right up your alley!
Share each week’s goals from your action plan with a friend and ask them to check in with you regularly for progress updates.