If you’re savvy, you already know that resolutions don’t work, but goals do. Resolutions usually fizzle out a couple of weeks in, but goals, when done right, can lead to life-changing results.
Here’s a quick overview on goals and how to be successful in setting and executing them. They must be your goals (not someone else’s goals for you), measurable, specific, attainable, in writing (your plan, on paper), and have a timeframe attached to them.
There are different kinds of goals to consider as well: personal, relational, physical, professional, educational, financial, physical, spiritual…the list could go on.
As you look ahead to the New Year, what areas are you considering setting goals in?
Of course, around here, one of our goals is to drink more coffee and to get others to enjoy drinking The Right Coffee as well!
Here are six reasons why we think your goals should include drinking coffee; you can figure out where this fits in with goals and how to achieve it!
- Coffee lifts your mood. There’s a reason why you feel better when you drink coffee. Coffee is a stimulant, boosting your serotonin levels, giving you that “feel-good” sensation you might get after a great workout, hugging someone you love, or eating a delicious meal. Did you know that drinking two to four cups of caffeinated coffee each day can improve your mood and reduce the likelihood of depression by 15%-20%? All the more reason to add more cups of coffee to your list of goals!
- Coffee is an immune booster. There are antioxidants found in coffee that can actually boost your immune system. In fact, each cup of coffee offers the body 100 mg of polyphenol antioxidants, which can help provide the body some protection against heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, osteoporosis, neurological disorders and more. These polyphenols also provide anti-inflammatory qualities that can help ward off arthritic and inflammatory diseases as well. In fact, coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet today! (Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/498028-does-coffee-help-boost-the-immune-system/)
- Coffee helps aid in concentration. Drinking coffee before going into a big meeting can help improve concentration and boost your level of alertness; just remember that too much caffeine can also bring the opposite effect, causing a case of the jitters and your body to “crash,” as well as sleeplessness, anxiety or heart palpitations.
- Coffee can boost your metabolism and burn fat. If one of your goals is to lose weight or build muscle by bulking up in the gym, consider having a cup of coffee before working out. There are several studies that show that caffeine can boost your metabolism by between 3-11%, and when it comes to burning fat, can increase the effects by as much as 10% in obese individuals and 29% in lean individuals. This is a great booster for an extra jolt while working out; just remember that too much coffee may warrant some opposite and undesired effect, as the caffeine can also boost the epinephrine levels in your blood (the “fight or flight” mode), which can tear down your immune system and cause extreme physical exertion if you overdo it. It’s best to have a cup of coffee thirty minutes before hitting the gym, and for maximum effectiveness, limit your intake during the rest of the day so your coffee boost is optimal when you really need it. (Source: http://authoritynutrition.com/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee/)
- Coffee improves your memory. Drinking coffee can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia by up to 65% (source: http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-drink/6-surprising-health-benefits-of-coffee ), but it can also improve your ability to keep memories steadfast as well as short-term memories. A recent study done by John Hopkins University shows that consuming one strong cup of coffee per day can enhance certain memories for up to 24 hours after the coffee was consumed, which might come in handy on the days you’re working on a project for hours at a time, writing or doing something else you don’t want to forget overnight. (http://hub.jhu.edu/2014/01/12/caffeine-enhances-memory)
- Coffee can improve your work performance. Do you sit at a desk all day? Caffeine in coffee can help ease the pain in your neck, shoulders, forearms and wrists that comes with being hunched over a keyboard at your desk all day. Consuming coffee or even sitting in a coffee shop while doing work can improve your work performance, as light ambient noise found in a coffee shop can boost focus and creativity by being in a different environment. Finally, taking a break with co-workers to have a cup of coffee helps boost social interaction, which in turn can boost collaboration, communication and job performance. (Source: http://www.govexec.com/excellence/promising-practices/2013/04/11-things-you-didnt-know-about-drinking-coffee-work/62366/)
