SMART Goals

Have you ever set health and wellness goals that you weren't able to achieve or sustain?…We've probably all been here at one point or another. Often, it's because our goals are not realistic, or they are just not properly planned out. If we want to be successful with achieving our goals, we need to set them the right way. One approach to this is through setting SMART goals. SMART is an acronym used for goal setting that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based. Each elements works hand in hand to support you with setting clear realistic goals you can achieve. Since this approach helps us to be successful, it also will further drive our motivation to continue to make or sustain positive behavior changes. Below you will find an example and activity to support you with goal setting.

SMART Goal Example:

• Specific: The goal should be very clear and precise.

  • Example: I will walk 3xs/week for 30 minutes.

• Measurable: The goal should be measurable and easy to track.

  • Example: I will use my apple watch to log my walks, schedule out my exercise on my outlook calendar, and walk with my coworker.

• Achievable: The goal should be realistic and attainable.

  • Example: I am already walking for 30 minutes on Monday and Wednesday during my lunchbreak, so it will be realistic for me to increase my exercise by one day and walk on my lunchbreak on Friday.

• Relevant: The goal should align with your overall vision.

  • Example: I want to become a stronger, more confident, healthier, and happier person. I want to be full of energy, have the stamina to keep up with my grandkids, and prevent any future health issues. I believe that exercising more consistently will help me achieve this vision.

• Time-bound: The goal should have a defined start and end date.

  • Example: I will start next Monday and maintain the 3xs/week for 30 minutes for this month. Then I will reassess four weeks from now to see if I'm ready to increase or continue to maintain my routine for next month.

• SMART GOAL Summary: Put all these steps together to layout clear and concise steps to action.

  • Example: I will walk 3xs/week for 30 minutes on my lunchbreaks on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I will schedule this out on my work calendar, walk with a coworker, and log my walks with my apple watch.

Wellness Wednesday Challenge:

Take some time today to set a SMART goal that will support you with being a better you by answering these questions below. If you already have goals set in place, consider reassessing them to ensure they are SMART, and to determine if there is anything else that can be done to break through any challenges. Please feel free to comment here or message me directly with any successes or challenges you are experiencing with achieving your goals.

• What is your main health and wellness focus?

  • Example: Healthy eating

• What is a realistic goal that could support you with making progress towards this wellness focus?

  • Example: I will eat 2 vegetables per day.

• How will you go about achieving this goal?

  • Example: I will incorporate a vegetable into my lunch and dinner.

• What or who will hold you accountable?

  • Example: I will tell my spouse and coworkers about my goal.

• What if any challenges might you face with achieving this goal?…What is something you could do to break this barrier down?

  • Example: My biggest challenge is not having enough time to prepare a healthy meal during the work week. I can meal plan on Sunday to help with breaking this barrier down. I can also keep easy to grab veggies such as carrot and celery sticks, or frozen veggies stocked at work and at home.

• On a scale from 1-10 with 10 being the most confident, how confident are you that you will be able to achieve this goal?…Why not lower?…What could get you higher?

  • Example: I am an 8 in confidence, because I set a realistic goal and I've done this before. Journaling my food for awareness and accountability could get my confidence from an 8 to a 9.

• Summarize all this to establish your SMART goal, and then write it down and put it somewhere you will see it daily.

  • Example: This month I will increase my vegetable intake to two per day by incorporating veggies into my lunch and dinner. I will meal plan on Sunday and keep easy to grab veggies at work and at home. I will also tell my spouse and coworker about my goal and journal my food to hold me accountable.
    

Thank you for stopping by! Have a healthy and happy rest of your week!