Soldiers from The Royal Regiment of Scotland have revealed their army hacks to help civilians stick to their 2024 goals
Nearly a third of the Brits will be setting New Year’s resolutions just now, with ambitions around health and wellbeing, from reducing stress to exercising more, being among the most popular.
But despite these good intentions, one in five resolution setters will call it quits by the end of January, with many citing feelings of pressure and lack of perseverance as their main setback.
With characteristics of resilience and dedication built into them from the start of their army careers, soldiers from The Royal Regiment of Scotland have shared their top tips help the British public stick to the commitments they’ve made to themselves this year.
- The key to success? Visualise it.
“Don’t let negative thoughts embed themselves. A positive and can-do mindset is the bedrock of success. Take the time to visualise your goals – it will make the path to success much clearer. Flexibility is key too. If one day doesn’t go as planned, get up and start over afresh the next.” – Cpl Fraser Hall, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
- 10 minutes is all you need to set yourself up for success tomorrow
“I always make sure to set aside 10 minutes after every working day to sit and digest my tasks and goals for the next day. That small space of time is crucial to help me mentally prepare for the next day.” – WO2 Sean McKnight, Regimental Sergeant Major, 6th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
- Keep cool and carry on
“An ice bath is a great way to de-stress and think clearly. Whilst taking the initial plunge may be a bit daunting, it forces you to focus on being present in the moment and concentrate solely on your breathing, helping you to feel calmer. But, if it’s really not for you things like the headspace app are great for mental health and wellbeing, and getting you into the right space of mind for the day ahead.” WO1 Ryan Robertson, Regimental Sergeant Major, 1st Battalion The Ranger Regiment.
- Embracing the outdoors? Be prepared
“To help you spend more time outside, rain or shine, it’s a good idea to ‘waterproof your waterproofs’. What this means is layering up and wearing the correct fabrics to make sure you don’t end up soaked through!
Your mid layer fleece or jacket shouldn’t be cotton either, as this will retain moisture and not protect you from any wind or rain – a polyester-base is best as it will keep you protected against the elements. We always keep a dry kit in our bags, too. Using it is an absolute last resort, but can be a life saver when out in tough weather, so it’s definitely something to consider if you plan to be outdoors for longer periods of time, or on tough terrain.” Capt Scott McFadden, Regimental Adjutant, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
- Work movement into everyday
“Try to work movement into activities that would usually be stationary. Can your meeting be done while taking a walk round the block? Then what’s stopping you? Life at the regiment requires you to balance a lot of different training, activities and information, so one thing I always do is make any sit down meeting a moving meeting. When you get up and start moving, your ideas flow a lot more and a change of environment can help when needing a fresh perspective.” – WO1 Bradley Warwick, Regimental Sergeant Major, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland