How to set weekly Goals : A guide about SMART goal setting & hitting your goals

If you’re not setting weekly goals, you’re missing out on a very important productivity tool that could literally change the way you look at goals. It’s the single most effective tool that will make your goals look a bit more achievable, even if you set really BIG goals.

Raise your hand if you set really big goals at the beginning of each year but fail to achieve them? I know I am not the only one. And it happens. Mainly because we are pumped for a new year and we set BIG goals, but life happens. And life is pretty unpredictable.

And there is no way we can factor in this kind of flexibility when planning for long tern goals, right?

That’s where weekly Goals come in.

Setting weekly goals is the practical approach to reaching your long term goals.

Because it breaks down the bigger goals into more actionable and achievable smaller goals. If you often set BIG goals at the beginning of the year but then don’t end up hitting those goals because your feel demotivated/directionless or simply out of sync with your goals, then this post is specifically for you.

Why is setting weekly goals important?

Weekly goals are the “how” to achieve your big yearly goals. Simply because they break down your goals into more actionable steps. So instead of saying ” I am going to launch a business this year”, you could actually break it down into weekly smaller steps that ACTUALLY tell you what needs to be done this week in order for you to hit your goal.

But, if you are still not convinced about setting weekly goals, let me explain why you absolutely need to:

NO OVERWHELM:

Setting your goals weekly allows you to look at a shorter time frame and a smaller goal too. That makes the big goals a little less overwhelming. You no longer have to look at EVERYTHING in one go. you could simply look at the smaller steps and avoid overwhelm.

INCREASED FOCUS:

When you are looking at a smaller goal, it’s easy to decide what you need to prioritise and then focus on the smaller task at hand, instead of losing focus. Weekly goals help you focus your attention towards specific tasks each week. And that ensures that you’re working towards your long tern goal, without losing your direction.

MORE MOTIVATION:

Achieving your goals weekly gives you a sense of WIN at the end of each week, which is a big motivator in itself. It boosts your confidence that you can actually hit your bigger goals too. And it will keep you working towards those big goals as well.

BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT:

Setting weekly goals will also help you be better at time management because you’re no longer leaving the major chunk of work for the last minute. Instead you have weekly progress that you are tracking and it helps you achieve the big goals in small weekly steps. And that helps you be better at scheduling things on a daily basis and prioritising your time as well.

REDUCED PROCRASTINATION:

Going in line with better time management is the benefit that setting weekly goals will help you reduce procrastination. You no longer keep delaying your tasks to the next day, next week or month. We all tend to do that when we’re looking at a long term goal. So setting weekly goals will reduce that possibility.

Have your heard about PARKINSON’S LAW that work expands in order to fill the time that’s available for it’s completion?

It essentially means that if you’re looking at a deadline that’s far in the future, you’ll fill your days with trivial tasks and delay the important work and will only get around to doing it when you are close to your deadline.

So having weekly goals also helps because you have a weekly deadline, instead of a yearly.

MORE FLEXIBILITY:

Sometimes, some goals that we set at the beginning of the year are no longer relevant to us. And setting weekly goals gives you an opportunity to audit and make the necessary changes. Sometimes, life gets in the way and you fall off track, but then weekly goals help you put yourself back on track to achieving those goals.

Measurable progress:

Setting weekly goals allows you to measure your progress more frequently and then make the changes that are required for you to hit your long term goals. You no longer have to sit with your goals at the end of the year and reflect on why you failed to achieve those goals. Instead, you can do weekly reflections and understand what worked and what didn’t work. this way you can make changes and improvements on a daily basis.

SETTING S.M.A.R.T. WEEKLY GOALS:

Now that you know how important it is to set WEEKLY goals, you also need to understand the “HOW”.

How you set your goals is really important too because this is at the very fundamental level. knowing how to set goals will helps take actions to achieve them. Let’s start off by discussing what are S.M.A.R.T. goals. SMART GOALS are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant & Time bound.

Setting SMART goals is the right approach to goal setting and will maximise your chances of achieving those goals. Allow me to explain how you can turn any goal into a SMART goal:

GOAL: I want to lose weight

• Specific: I want to lose 10 Lbs and decrease my fat percentage by 2-4%
• Measurable: I will track my progress on a weighing scale and the fat percentage by using a body composition calculator at the gym.
• Achievable: Losing 10 lbs is achievable with proper workout and nutrition meal plan.
• Relevant: The goal is relevant because it will enhance my overall health and how I spend time with my kids
• Time bound: I want to achieve these goals in 6 months.

REFLECT ON LONG TERM GOALS TOO:

One of the most important aspects while setting your weekly goals in aligning them with your long term or yearly goals. Breaking down the bigger goal into smaller actionable weekly goals is really the key.

Sometimes, when we have a really big ahead of us, we tend to get overwhelmed and may lose direction. But having weekly goals that are in line with our long tern goals does the trick.

Weekly goals are a great way to avoid overwhelm. Because instead of looking at the big goal, you’re looking at the smaller goal. Maybe your goal is to lose 10 lbs and that sounds intimidating, but going for a workout 3-4 times a week doesn’t seem that intimidating, right?

All you can focus on, is getting the workouts in, and following the meal plan. That way you don’t need to worry about hitting the big goals. Because the weekly goals make sure that you’re working towards them, without you feeling the pressure.

SOME TIPS WHILE SETTING WEEKLY GOALS:

As fun as setting weekly goals seems, it’s important to remember a few things while doing so:

DON’T PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON YOURSELF:

The whole idea of weekly goals is to avoid overwhelm and the stress of reaching goals. So while setting weekly goals, make sure that you are not setting unrealistic goals for that time frame. Don’t overload yourself with too many goals or by expecting too much from yourself.

Weekly goals are supposed to make achieving long term goals fun and simple and not add a weekly stress.

BE FLEXIBLE:

While weekly goals allow you more flexibility, sometimes you’d still need to be a bit more flexible than that. There will still be weeks where you won’t hit your goals and that’s okay. Be at peace knowing that you can make the necessary changes and cover up in the coming weeks.

Sometimes circumstances change and your long term goals also change, so you might need to make adjustments to your weekly goals accordingly. Be prepared for that kind of flexibility.

STAY Accountable:

There are various tools that you could use to stay accountable. Some of my favourites are a weekly reflection and habit trackers. At the end of each week, answer a few questions like “what went well this week” and “what needs improvement” and make the necessary changes in the upcoming week.

Habit trackers are also great when you’re trying to make lifestyle changes and adopt new positive habits. They act as a gentle reminder at the end of the day to get back to your habit (if you missed it one day).

Leave Room for fun:

Leave time for fun and to enjoy your life too. Sure you have big goals, but you need to live too. Schedule in time to have fun, go out with friends, go on date nights and to travel too. You don’t want to be hyper focussed on your goals and loose sight of everything else. Try to strive for a healthy balance.

Celebrate your small wins:

While we often look back at our yearly goals and celebrate the ones we have achieved, we need to do this more often. you don’t have to accomplish really big thing to celebrate yourself. Achieving your weekly goals allows you the opportunity to celebrate your wins weekly, if not daily.

50+ weekly goals to try:

Depending on what aspect you want to focus on, here are some ideas for weekly goals that you could try out:

Personal Development:

1. Read a book for at least 30 minutes each day or read 10 pages daily.
2. Meditate or practice mindfulness for 15 minutes daily. You could use guided meditations or meditation podcasts.
3. Learn a new skill or language by dedicating time to it each day. Use apps like duo lingo and spend just 10 mins daily.
4. Write in a journal for self-reflection and personal growth. Use prompts if you are a beginner.
5. Set aside time for a creative hobby like painting, writing, or playing a musical instrument.

Physical Health:

6. Exercise for at least 30 minutes, five times a week.
7. Eat a balanced and healthy meal every day.
8. Drink a specified amount of water daily to stay hydrated.
9. Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.
10. Reduce or eliminate consumption of sugary or processed foods for the week.

Professional Development:

11. Set clear, specific work-related goals for the week.
12. Network with a colleague or industry professional.
13. Attend a relevant webinar or workshop or sign up for a new training.
14. Complete a work project ahead of schedule.
15. Organize and declutter your workspace for increased productivity.

Financial Goals:

16. Create a weekly budget and stick to it.
17. Review and categorize your expenses for the week.
18. Set aside a specific amount of money for savings.
19. Research investment opportunities and start saving weekly.
20. Pay off a portion of your debts.

Relationships:

21. Plan a date night or quality time with a loved one.
22. Reach out to a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while.
23. Attend a social event or meet up with friends.
24. Send a handwritten note or message of appreciation to someone.
25. Practice active listening during conversations.

Organization and Productivity:

26. Create a to-do list with tasks for the week and prioritize them.
27. Implement a new productivity technique or tool & see how you benefit from it.
28. Declutter and organize a specific area of your home. You don’t have to tackle the entire home in one go.
29. Set up an efficient filing system for your important documents, so you never have to search through drawers when you need something.
30. Limit distractions during work or study hours. Keep your phone in another room if possible.

Community:

31. Volunteer for a local charity.
32. Participate in a neighborhood clean-up or community event.
33. Offer assistance to a neighbor or friend in need.
34. Donate items you no longer need to a local charity.
35. Mentor or provide guidance to someone in your community.

Mindset and Well-being:

36. Practice gratitude by listing three things you’re grateful for each day.
37. Challenge and replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
38. Seek feedback or constructive criticism to grow personally.
39. Engage in a relaxation or stress-reduction activity.
40. Practice a random act of kindness each day.

Environmental Sustainability:

41. Walk more instead of using your car
42. Start composting.
43. Reduce single-use plastic waste for the week.
44. Plant a tree
45. Educate yourself about environmental issues and take action.

Adventure and Exploration:

46. Visit a new place or try a new restaurant in your area.
47. Plan a day trip to explore a nearby town.
48. Start a “bucket list” and add a new adventure idea each week.
49. Try an outdoor activity you’ve never done before.
50. Learn about a new culture or cuisine and incorporate it into your week.

Digital Well-being:

• 51. Limit screen time, especially on social media
• 52.Unsubscribe from email newsletters
• 53. Organise & declutter your digital files
• 54. Take a backup of your important files

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There you have it. Weekly goal ideas and why you need to start setting weekly goals. Tell me in the comments, which of these are you going to try? Do you set weekly goals? AND if not, would you give it a try?