How to Set SMART Health Goals This Year
Have you ever felt like you were working hard but weren’t making any progress towards your goals? You’re not alone. Most people feel that way each year around this time. They set goals, take a few action steps, but never seem to accomplish very much. Often the problem isn’t a lack of motivation… it’s just that they haven’t set smart goals. Smart health goals make it easier for you to clarify your thoughts, focus your efforts, use your time to your advantage, and increase your chances of not only achieving but surpassing your expectations!
So What?
Living a healthy life is more than just being free from pain. Setting health goals, stretching your comfort zone, and celebrating small wins are important parts of a fulfilling life. As you plan your New Year’s resolutions for a healthy 2021, plan SMART goals. If you’ve not come across this action plan before, it’s a common method of organizing your goals, used all over the place, from the home to the corporate board room. It looks like this:
Specific: Make your goals specific for more effective planning.
Measurable: define how you are making progress.
Attainable: make them reasonable to accomplish.
Relevant: your goals should align with your values.
Time-Based: set a date of completion.
No, I haven’t pivoted from healthcare to motivational speaking. While, yes, I do care that you achieve your goals, there’s a more interesting reason why I’m suggesting these ideas to you. As we’ve learned last month, stress has a huge role to play in our daily fight against disease. Just keeping stress at bay can be a huge, time-sapping task. Goals, while they help keep us organized, and thus less stressed, not achieving them in a timely fashion can also be a source of stress! Frustrating!
After the dumpster fire that was 2020, the plethora of things you want accomplished requires organization. It’s not enough anymore to just say you want to do something. Using the SMART system, you can immediately apply actionable steps to your goals, feel less stress, and be healthier as you get out and crush 2021.
Now What?
There is no better time than right now to begin setting goals to improve your health this year. Living a healthy life is a journey, so be sure to celebrate each step of your progress, no matter how seemingly small. And know that our practice is here to help guide you along the way! If you have a health challenge or an ache or pain that’s holding you back from reaching your goals, let us know. We’ll be happy to help!
Science Source(s): Smart Goals: How to Make Your Goals Achievable. MindTools. 2020
