New Year, New You! Sounds good, right? At the maturing age of 44, I’ve figured out that self-improvement doesn’t happen without a real plan. So, I did something different this year. Professionally, I’m a Project Manager, and I know what it takes for successful project completion. My health is literally THE most important project I have to manage. So, I built out a project plan. I’ll take you through it so that you can try too!
Step 1: Initiate the project.
Health Goal: I want to move my body more.
Mission statement: Striving for 8k steps every day!
Step 2: Make a Plan for the project.
Project Scope: I want to move my body at least 8,000 steps a day. This is about walking - not any other type of physical activity.
Measurable Outcome: For 94% of the days each month, I will capture a minimum of 8,000 daily steps on my Apple Watch.
Resources Needed: Walking shoes with good insoles to cater to my plantar fasciitis, outdoor walking gear since it’s a little cold right now, a walking pad for indoor walks, Apple Watch for tracking, and audio books through my Libby app to listen to and enjoy on the walk… and of course the time!
Stakeholders: My husband and kids might walk with me from time to time (and they definitely need to support me along the way) and my nutrition coach is my accountability partner as we set this goal together.
Step 3: Execute the Plan.
Action Necessary: During waking hours, I’ll wear my Apple Watch to count the steps I take through normal routine and the steps I get by adding in a purposeful indoor or outdoor walk (preferably earlier in the day so as to not impact my sleep schedule).
By writing this out, I have committed to and planned my walking and how to integrate it into my every day.
Each night before tucking in for sleep, I will examine my next day's calendar to decide where to slide in an intentional walk so that I have a plan.
I am tracking this through Apple Fitness, so I can check my progress throughout the day to supplement with extra steps if needed.
I acknowledge that I need to be flexible with myself. There are many reasons that life could get in the way, and I either need to adjust my plan or allow myself grace for a miss. (It’s rare to see a project with an absolutely perfect track record!)
Step 4: Monitor and Control to track and evaluate my progress.
During daily journaling sessions, I’ll reflect upon the benefits of walking that I’m feeling.
At the end of every week (on Sunday) I’ll take a look at my step summary to review whether or not I achieved my daily goal of 8,000 steps over the past 7 days.
With that information, I’ll figure out what worked or didn’t. I can reflect on what caused distraction, and make any adjustments needed when planning the following week.
Step 5: Close the project through reflection and optimization.
I’ve always been a believer that when you do something mostly consistently for about 3 months it becomes a part of your lifestyle. So, I’ll plan to close out this project at the end of March.
I’ll take a look back at the three months of walking to evaluate what went well, and what obstacles there may have been.
If I have met my outcome - 8k steps, 94% of days each month - I will reward myself by scheduling my next tattoo. (And yes, I have a plan in mind already!)
I’ll also acknowledge what the new normal looks like, and put any support in place that I’ve identified as necessary to continue to move this project forward.
I’m also pretty well versed in change management, and I’m anticipating the need to help enable my own behavior change. So, I’ve made myself a reminder of “What’s in it for me” by walking 8K everyday. Well, Valerie, by moving your body 8,000 steps daily, you are*:
Improving your physical health. Walking:
Helps maintain a healthy weight
Lowers risk of heart disease & stroke
Lowers risk of several types of cancer
Regulates blood pressure & cholesterol
Helps prevent and manage type 2 diabetes
Helps ease arthritis pain & stiffness
Strengthens muscles & bones
Lowers risk of falls
Improving your mental health. Walking:
Reduces stress & anxiety
Lowers risk of depression
Improves mood
Helps you sleep better
Improves energy levels
Improves cognition & creativity
Lowers risk of dementia & Alzheimer’s
Improves overall quality of life
On your way to getting a new tattoo!
And so, there it is. It doesn’t take too long to write a plan for your goal, and you’re giving yourself some accountability and a map on how to get there. But please, please, please remember - You are a precious resource and only human! Self-care is on-going and eternal. There’s always room for growth. Go easy on yourself and celebrate all the wins! Now, you go girl!
*Source: Health Benefits of Walking
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