{Note: I realize that I’m a few days late in posting Part II. Better late than never though, right? I was having some issues with WordPress and getting this post published, but here we are!}

If you haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, please see Part I of my 2015 Resolutions. Then come back here and read this post so that you know what’s going on. 🙂

Forewarning: Novel ahead. I think I need to add onto my goals to learn how to write more succinctly… But I’m such a detail-oriented person!

In the Part I post, I narrowed down seven high-level resolutions that I’d like to focus on in 2015. Each resolution falls under one of three categories: self-care + self-discipline, for funsies, and professional goals. My high level goals as well as the “WHY?” are listed in Part I. For Part II, I wanted to expand upon the goals and come up with what’s called the SMART Criteria [link opens to Wikipedia, if you’re curious to learn more specifics on the concept] for each goal.

The SMART criteria was actually first introduced to me at my day job. Every year when we are opening our performance reviews, we have to setup our own professional goals for our position. The professional goals that we come up with must (of course) align with the overarching business goals. The great thing about the SMART concept is that it can also be easily used for personal goals, so that’s what I’m doing here.

Anyway, in most cases, the SMART acronym spells out the following:

Specific: This part answers the Who, What, Why, Where, Which? questions.
Measurable: Answers questions such as: How much/how many?
Attainable: Answers how the goal is realistic and whether or not it is achievable.
Relevant: Is this goal worthwhile? Is it relevant to me and where I’m currently at in life?
Timely: Not surprisingly, this answers the “When?” question: When will the goal be complete? What can I do with it now, and how will it change six months or a year down the line?

Now that I’ve reviewed what the SMART Criteria means, let’s see how I can apply SMART to my seven goals.

– Self-Care + Self-Discipline:
1. Become more physically active; develop a sustainable/enjoyable exercise routine.
S: I have been wanting to sign up for a local yoga class for awhile now, but those classes can be costly. So I will find a Groupon deal for discounted yoga classes and start there. 
M: Ideally, I’d like to go to an hour session of yoga at least three times per week.
A: I think that starting with moderate exercise three times per week is reasonable.
R: Yeah, I’d say it’s relevant and worthwhile! Yoga is great for mental and physical health, and it’s something I like doing. So it’s fitting for me.
T: Eventually, it’d be cool if I could exercise more often and become more skilled with it. But for now, I think easing into several times per week is enough.

2. Develop a healthy sleeping pattern.
S: I will start by going to bed just slightly earlier each night. For example, for now I will force myself to be in bed by 11:00PM every night. Then, I will work on making myself wake up at the same time every day [e.g. 6:00AM]. The main part that I think I need help with is snoozing, and keeping my sleeping schedule consistent. I like snoozing a bit too much. And I guess I’ll just have to force myself to get out of bed, even when I’m tired and groggy and my body feels like it got hit by a garbage truck… #thestruggle
M: This is something I will have to force myself to work on every single day, and many days will be a struggle for me because I’m a night owl with insomnia [aka the WORST combo!].
A: I think that this goal is attainable, provided that I start out with small changes and build my way up. Maybe I should even record my actual sleeping schedule for several weeks. Hmm.
R: It is definitely relevant; proper sleep means I’m healthier!
T: Again, this is something that I will have to work on for the rest of my life. But my short-term goal is to get it sorted out within the next six months.

3. Create a budget and stick with it.
S: Starting out, I can actually start tracking my budget better. My roommate gave me a copy of her budget spreadsheet, so I’m going to adapt it for my needs. I’ve never been a huge fan of tracking things that closely [I think my day job has caused a slight disdain for spreadsheets… lololol], but in this case, it’s necessary.
M: My goal is to update my spreadsheet once per week, starting out.
A: It’s definitely attainable, as long as I take it easy and continue working toward managing my money better, plus reducing my debt.
R: Finances are a relevant – albeit necessary evil – of life. 
T: I’m going to have to work on this for the rest of my life, but I will try to work on sorting things out for the next three months.

– For Funsies Goals: 
4. Post at least three new {food related} blog posts per month.
S: Currently, I am working on a schedule for all of my upcoming post ideas [more on this soon]. It will help me stay organized and less scatterbrained. 😉
M: My goal is to work off a monthly calendar and plan posts at least two months in advance.
A: This is attainable, as long as I balance my blog work along with the rest of my busy life!
R: It’s definitely a relevant goal, as food blogging and baking bring me joy. 🙂
T: My goal is to produce at least three good-quality posts every month, and hopefully continue this routine for the next six months. Then I’ll reassess at a later time to see if this method is working for me.

5. Compliment one person [can be a stranger] at least once a month.
S: As the title states, I want to pay someone a genuine compliment at least once per month. It can be a stranger, a coworker, a friend, whatever. The only requirement is that it has to be meaningful and genuine.
M: Again, at least once a month. More would be great, but they gotta come from the heart!
A: This is totally attainable.
R: It’s relevant because it brings both me and the compliment-receiver joy!
T: I’m going to try out this new goal for three months and see how it goes!

– Professional Goals: 
6. Continue with my Masters program for work.
S: I am pursuing a Master of Information Management at Washington University in St. Louis. I am currently only taking one class at a time, but it’s gonna have to stay that way for my sanity.
M: I would like to complete my spring course with an ‘A,’ then take another course in the summer.
A: It’s attainable, although it’s going to take several more years to finish the program. But that’s to be expected with working full-time.
R: Well, it’s relevant because it helps my IT career, plus it keeps my brain from turning to mush. 😉
T: Again, I just want take one course for now. I do not want to overwhelm myself.

7. Engage in more leadership/development activities at work.
S: I want to participate in any activity at work that helps me get out of my comfort zone, and grow both professionally and personally. For example, I am helping with some graphic design work for a side project at work. Plus I am on a leadership team for another group that does all kinds of activities with the community.
M: I have to maintain my work-life balance, so I don’t want to get overwhelmed. I think once every month or two is enough for participation [for now].
A: Totes attainable. Just gotta work it into my schedule and make time for it, even when I don’t feel like it.
R: It’s relevant because it helps me grow as a person and allows me to offer my skills to help work and the community!
T: I think that once every month or two is enough for now.

After reviewing my main goals for 2015, and running them all through the SMART Criteria, hopefully I’ll be able to actually achieve all of them. I’ll keep you all updated with how I’m doing as the year progresses; my goal for these goals [ha! yo dawg, I herd u liek goalz!] is to post more on my progress at some point in mid to late March.

Hopefully this will also help you with your goals, too. I think that sorting them out and really breaking them down helps out a lot, and makes them much more feasible and less intimidating. 🙂 Good luck with all of your goals, and may 2015 be your best year yet!

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