Brian Crooke, founder of the Work Well Institute, shares successful goal setting tips
Brian Crooke, empowers organisations to design, implement and sustain wellbeing at their workplaces. He believes wellbeing should be owned internally and not by a third party. Elbha Purcell, Director of Dietetics and Wellbeing for Aramark NE, had an opportunity to ask him to share some ideas on how to successfully set realistic goals for 2022.
Elbha: Brian, thank you for joining me today to talk about goal setting, we know January tends to be a time when many of us try to make New Year’s resolutions, but before we start, can you tell me a little about yourself and your background?
Brian: I worked in the corporate world for a large multinational for 10 years (I’m a recovering management consultant!). Watching many colleagues and friends develop unhealthy behaviours and ill health due to their sedentary and stressful jobs inspired me to learn as much as I could about health and wellbeing. I took a number of health focused qualifications including qualifying as a personal trainer and created a forum for Irish organisations to share and learn from each other in the wellbeing space: The Work Well Community. It’s now Ireland’s largest workplace wellbeing network with almost 4,000 members and we provide, webinars, workshops, podcasts, training and education opportunities in the area of workplace wellbeing. I also designed and lead the Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness at Trinity College Dublin.
Elbha: What is the most important thing that you learned along the way in your career?
Brian: ‘If you believe you can or you can’t, you’re right’. It’s an old quote but it’s very true. What I do now for a career didn’t exist only a few years ago. I’m pretty much creating the career as I go and I’m loving every second!
Elbha: Heading into January many of us set ourselves health focused targets – do you have any advice to help people establish goals that are achievable?
Brian: Every goal you set should be SMART. Each one should be:
Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
Achievable (agreed, attainable).
Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive)
Elbha: With regards to goal setting - in your experience what should you absolutely avoid doing?
Brian: Don’t set a huge goal (such as running a marathon) then train hard for that for 6 months and then do nothing for the rest of the year. Avoid these massive peaks and troughs with your health focused goal setting. Consistency wins every time so set yourself small realistic targets and be consistent with your actions every single week.
Elbha: In February we are launching our Move for 30 step challenge within which we will be encouraging people to achieve 30 minutes of activity daily in bite sized amounts – do you have any tips to help support people taking on this challenge?
Brian: You can start by building movement into your working day:
Stand when you don’t have to sit.
Take the stairs instead of the lift.
Walk to a desk instead of sending a mail.
Get outside for a walking meeting when it’s a 1:1
This is a pretty good foundation. If we can add some exercise, a walk and all our other daily activities on top of this then we’ll be well on the way to smashing our Move for 30 challenge!
Elbha: Brian thank you so much for your time and sharing some great insights into successful goal planning. I would like to finish by wishing you and your family a very healthy and happy 2022.