Happy New Year!
Another year has come to an end. Did you achieve your new year’s resolutions last year?
Most of us want to become the best versions of ourselves and what better time to make those new changes than the start of a new year? Will it be exercising more, drinking more water, stopping procrastinating, or cutting back on-screen time? Whatever your resolution may be, change it to a SMART goal to make it more achievable.
SMART goals are not just for new year resolutions. We can use SMART goals that are related to work, health, and other ambitions all year round. SMART represents 5 steps to accomplish your goal. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, & Timebound.
Specific
Your goals should be specific and include who, what, when, why and how. An example of a goal is wanting to improve mobility. A more specific way of wording this goal is ‘I would like to improve my hamstring mobility in order to tie my shoelaces without assistance’.
Measurable
Goals should be measurable and have a criterion for quantifying progress. For this instance, it will be centimetres reduced. This goal can be measured by physically measuring the distance from your hands to your feet when reaching forward. It is important to have an initial measurement on which to base your progress. This will be your indicator of progress. You can include specific measurements in your goal such as ‘I would like to improve hamstring mobility by 2cm’. Could also use a degree of hip flexion or pain levels as a measure of progress.
Achievable
Your goal should be attainable and realistic. The task can be a challenge, but you are able to be successful. An unrealistic example is being able to place hands flat on the floor next week but currently only able to reach hands to mid-shin. An achievable goal is ‘I will complete my required stretches 3x a week for 8 weeks’.
Relevant
Your goal must be relevant and have a reason behind why you want to achieve this goal. The benefits of you completing regular stretches and improving hamstring mobility will allow you to independently tie shoelaces.
Timebound
A goal must have a clear start and finish date. The dates should be realistic and achievable. It is important to write this down with your goal to keep you accountable. An example of a time-bound goal is ‘I will complete required stretches 3x a week to improve my hamstring flexibility in 8 weeks’.
It is important to write your goals so you can visually see what you need to do to achieve this goal and can even tick them off when completed. If you are unsure where to get started with your goals, our team can discuss this with you and help you achieve your new resolutions SMART goals!
Book in today if you want to accomplish your goals. Our team are happy to help!
Accredited Exercise Physiologist
