Do you find yourself complaining too much or spending too much time glued to your devices? If so, you are not alone.
A new survey of 2,000 adults in Britain revealed the top 40 ‘everyday goals’ toward which people are striving.
With Brits often having a reputation for being unfriendly, 23 percent of those polled set themselves the daily goal of being nice to other people, and one in five want to be kinder to their partners.
Not surprisingly though, three of the top five goals are related to health: Drinking more water, eating better, and going for more walks. 19 percent chose cutting down on the weekly booze, as well.
Despite setting such aspirations, only 10 percent achieve the goals on any each day. And, 37 percent acknowledged they gave up on their goals.
The survey by OnePoll, sponsored by protein snack brand Jack Link’s, also found 24 percent intend to follow a healthier diet.
Wellbeing expert and coach, Miriam Akhtar, suggests there are many advantages to setting small targets to aim for every day.
“People set daily tasks in an attempt to make the most out of every day and feel like they’re making progress with their lives.”
“As winter is looming, achieving these tasks can feel more tricky than normal as the urge to hibernate grows, but we need to cut ourselves some slack after the tough year we’ve had and aim for progress rather than perfection.
“You could try “gamifying” the tasks on your list, treating them like a video game, striving for a new high score and achieving a personal best on any given day or week.
“It is important to make sure your tasks are manageable, so that you get a sense of satisfaction from achieving the everyday tasks.”
Other small goals Brits try and tick off on a daily basis include going a whole day without eating cake (15 percent), folding clothes properly instead of shoving them in drawers (21 percent) and going to bed earlier (35 percent).
Many are also setting fitness-related goals such as going to the gym (17 percent), heading outside for a long walk (37 percent), or even trying to take part in a team sport (10 percent).
Respondents estimated they achieve less than half of their goals each day—and for one-third of these folks, this comes as a result of setting the bar too high—but 83 percent believe it’s still important to set goals on a daily basis.
Six in 10 of those polled use food as a reward if they manage to stay on target.
BRITS’ TOP 40 EVERYDAY GOALS:
- Drink more water
- Eat healthier
- Save money in general
- Clean the house
- Go for a long walk
- Don’t buy unnecessary things you don’t need
- Be more positive
- Go to bed early
- Any form of household chore
- Be more organised with in general life
- Cook a healthy meal instead of getting a takeaway
- Strip the bedding and wash it
- Wake up earlier
- Moan less
- Follow a diet
- Empty the bin as soon as it’s full instead of cramming more into it
- Be nicer to people
- Take the stairs instead of the lift
- Read a certain amount of a book
- Fold clothes properly and put them away instead of shoving them in drawers
- Finish work on time
- Spend less time on social media
- Don’t go on your phone as much
- Be more polite/ nicer to people
- Be nicer to your other half
- Don’t get a takeaway
- Don’t drink alcohol
- Go for a walk outdoors during work hours
- Stop scrolling on your phone after a certain time
- Complete a sudoku / crossword / puzzle of some kind
- Go for a run
- Go to the gym
- Spend more time with the kids/dog/cat
- Dress a bit smarter (instead of opting for comfort)
- Drink less coffee
- Go a whole day without eating some cake
- Don’t snooze your alarm
- Take public transport instead of driving
- Drink more green tea
- Iron your clothes for work
Jack Link’s are giving Brits a chance to win a month’s supply of beef jerky to help power through their goals, by entering a competition on its Instagram page, @JackLinksUK.