How to Set SMART Goals to Ring in the New Year
I can’t believe today is the last day of 2020! Have you ever set a New Year's resolution? Many people set resolutions but aren’t able to follow through with them because they are too large and difficult to accomplish. Today I will discuss what makes a goal SMART and how you can set goals that are achievable to help you improve your health. I’ll also share some examples of goals if you need help getting started, plus my best tips for success!
SMART goals
If you’d like to improve your health in the coming year, try setting a SMART goal, which stands for:
Specific
Often I see goals that are much too vague, such as “I want to exercise more.” This is a great idea, but unless you are more specific about what you are going to do, it will be difficult to achieve. Try stating what exactly you will do to accomplish the goal.
Measurable
A good goal should also be one that can be measured. If you want to exercise more, then specify how often and for how long. Instead of the above goal of “I want to exercise more,” make a goal of “I want to exercise at least 30 minutes 4 days per week.”
Achievable
Your goal should be something that can be achieved. You may want to lose 100 pounds before your trip this summer, but think about whether or not that is actually achievable. If a goal is too far out of reach, you will likely not be successful. Instead, your goal could be to lose 1 pound per week until your summer trip. Setting smaller goals can pave the way for you to achieve your larger goal.
Realistic
Setting realistic goals for yourself is important if you want to be successful. The example from above can be used here as well; is it realistic that you’ll lose 100 pounds before your summer trip which is only 4 months away?
If you’ve never run in your life but set a goal of running a marathon next month, it likely will not happen. Instead, set a more practical goal, such as working up to running 1 or 2 miles by the end of the month.
Timely
Give yourself a timeline for when you would like to achieve your goal. Setting a deadline can help hold you accountable. For example, “starting Monday, I will walk for 30 minutes each evening after work”, or “by the end of the month, I will be eating breakfast 5 days per week”. Write your goal down somewhere, as well as the steps you are going to take to achieve that goal. Setting alarms or reminders on your phone can also help you stay on track.
Tips for success
Start small. Avoid setting too many goals at one time or you may get overwhelmed.
Change doesn’t happen overnight. It may be frustrating to not see results right away, but if you stick with it, you will be successful!
Think about where you want to be in one year, then set small goals that will help you get there.
Write your goals down somewhere that you’ll be able to see them often.
You’re not in this alone! Look to friends and family for support.
Reward yourself when you achieve a goal! If your goal is to lose weight, pick a non-food reward so you can keep making progress.
Remember, improving your health is all about making lifestyle changes that will stick. Small changes over time will be much more effective in the long-run than drastic changes which are much harder to stick with. When setting a goal, ask yourself, “can I do this for the rest of my life?” If the answer is no, then set a smaller goal that is SMART. Smaller changes for better health will pay off in the end!
I hope this post will help you start setting goals that will help you improve your health. The New Year is a great time to set goals, but make sure they are SMART. Happy New Year and I’ll see you back here in 2021!
