For travel nurses, it is a new year, which means new goals or resolutions. When you hear the term resolution, your mind most likely goes to diet and exercise.
However, there are other goals and resolutions you can make as well. You might want to start saving more money, do more self-care, pay off debt, quit smoking, etc. The list could go on forever. Sticking to these goals or resolutions can be difficult. We are creatures of habit and often have a hard time breaking those habits.
Many people say it takes 21 days to create a habit. However, according to healthline.com, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit and an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic. If it takes that long to form a habit, there is a good chance that you will stop, forget, or feel defeated during that time. We have put together some tips to help you maintain your goals—any time of the year!
Travel Nurses Goals That Stick
Create a Vision Board
A vision board is a collage of images, quotes, affirmations, or your goals and desires. These are designed to serve as an inspiration and motivate you to succeed. Vision boards can be made using images from the internet or cutting out pictures, words, sentences, etc., from magazines.
There are many versions of vision boards. Whichever you choose is totally up to you and the goals or resolutions you set. The examples you see are just a couple of options.
The purpose of your vision board is to see the results of the goals you have set. If you want to save up money so you can take a vacation, pick an image of a location you want to visit that will motivate you to save up.
Track Results
This may seem like a no-brainer, but tracking your results can help you stay on target. Tracking your results shows you the progress you are making from your hard work. Many people track weight when that is their goal. However, if your goal is to eat a healthier diet, track your meals. Hold yourself accountable. There are many apps out now that help you track your meals. This is just one example. Tracking your results will help to keep you on track. If your goal is to save for a trip, make a chart. Have a starting point and have smaller goals along the way to your ultimate goal. Mark off the chart with every dollar or set amount you add to your savings. This will give you a visual of your end goal.
Start a journal
Write in your journal. Keep track of your progress that way. This can help you maintain your goal; you can go back and read how far you have come. This could also be how you’re feeling. Feelings of accomplishment, defeat, whatever you feel at the time, write it down. Keep track of the progress. It is safe to say that there may be days when you feel defeated or don’t want to continue; writing your thoughts and feelings can help clarify the issues you are facing with your goals and often renew your interest in the goal you set.
Use your phone
Our phones have so many great apps to help you maintain your goals. Whether you are trying to lose weight, eat healthier, or achieve any other goals, there are apps out there. There are many apps just for maintaining your goals. Below you will find a few of the top-ranked apps for maintaining your goals from Bustle.com.
- Coach.me, Habit Tracker
Coach.me’s habit tracker is designed to help you create and sustain personal, career, and physical health goals. It allows you to measure your progress so you know how to improve upon it, set targets and reminders, celebrate milestones, and view your journey across the weeks and months.
The app is free for Apple and Android users.
- Strides App
The Strides app helps you get organized when it comes to tracking your goals and habits. It offers four unique tracker types and includes step-by-step goal-setting. The helpful, easily customizable progress charts let you track literally anything you want.
The Strides app is free on the App Store.
- Way of Life
Way of Life makes setting goals and hitting them simple. It allows you to track your routines using a color-coded system in just a few seconds each day. The app will also send you reminders that will help you form better habits and shake up not-so-great ones. Plus, you can jot down quick notes in the diary and view your customized charts. You can download the app for free on your iPhone or Android.
Positive Thinking
Positive thinking is vital in maintaining your goals. Keeping a positive mindset and removing negative thoughts will keep you on track. Focus on the positives. If you have a setback, don’t look at it in a negative way. Look at how far you have come. Maintaining a positive mindset or attitude will help in your daily life, which will feed into your goals. According to The Mayo Clinic, health benefits that positive thinking may provide include the following:
- Increased life span
- Lower rates of depression
- Lower levels of distress
- Greater resistance to the common cold
- Better:
- psychological and physical well-being
- cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
- coping skills during hardships and times of stress
Many of these will spill over to your goals. So keep that positive mindset!
We hope that you found these tips helpful. Do you have any tips for travel nurses trying to maintain their goals while working away from home? Comment them below. We love to hear your thoughts!
Ready to make this year the one you reach your career goals? Find your next travel assignment on our job board.
