Generic and Vague Goal - "Exercise More"
So remember when I posted some goals for 2015 and one of them was "exercise more"? I'm just going to come on out and say what you probably already thought when you read that; what a stupid goal. You can't quantify "more".
Considering I was basically doing little to no exercise, technically "more" is just, well, anything active.
As I've learned in my business analysis courses, goals or objectives for any project should be S.M.A.R.T., including (and probably especially) exercise regimens.
Keeping S.M.A.R.T in mind, I've quantified what "more" means to me and I've set an actual goals with regards to physical fitness.
I would like to preface this post by saying how inspired I am by my friend, Karmen McNamara. She wrote this blog post a few months ago on her website called the "I Can't Run Workout" that I found impactful. I've known Karmen for a few years now and if she had told me three years ago that "she can't run", I would have empathized with her and told her that I too cannot run. But here's the thing - Karmen can run now and she can run really fast and for a really long time, and then she swims for a really long time and then she tops that off with a bicycle seat dessert and pedals her little legs off to finish a triathlon. Karmen went from being a girl who couldn't run to a girl who runs every single day for fun. It's true. Triathletes are not just mythical unicorn-like creatures. They do actually exist. I know one and she is going to the ITU World Championships Long Distance Triathlon in a couple of months. If Karmen can start running, then I can put one foot in front of the other and start running too.
So I have. I downloaded this app called "5K Runner" and I love it. I love how it paces you so that you work your way up gradually to running long distances. I love how it plays along behind my podcasts on creative writing and reminds me when to start running and when to "slow down and walk". I even love the tone of voice of the little coach who now lives inside my phone. Such an encouraging, kind, positive voice. I'm only on week 2, day 3, but with this app I have gone from someone who "cannot run" to someone who can run for 8 minutes without feeling like she's dying or feeling crippled the next day.
Second, I downloaded a general full body workout called "7" by Perigree. I also love it because it only takes a minimum of 7 minutes per day and is an intense compliment to my running regimen. 7 is cool because it encourages you to do 7 minutes per day, 7 days a week for 7 months.
Working with both of these apps gives me a workout plan that is SMART. The overall goals to run 5k or do 7 minutes every day for 7 months are specific and measurable. By being only 7 minutes long, or by increasing my ability slowly over the course of many weeks, I feel that they are also attainable. These apps are relevant to my "exercise more" project - as they will help improve my overall health and they are time-bound. I know exactly how much time I need to carve out everyday to do these workouts and I know exactly how many weeks/months I need to complete them.
So there you have it - actual SMART goals for fitness. I may periodically update my progress with these apps to keep myself accountable. While physical fitness is not the primary purpose of this blog, it is related to general well-being and time management, which I think are key skills for employability.
-Heather
