SMART GOALS for 2024
I’m sure many of us have set new and exciting goals for 2024. Often we set these goals with our rose tinted glasses on. We might overestimate our ability to achieve them, or we might not have fully thought out how exactly we will achieve them. Using a SMART approach to goal setting can help us to work out if our goals are actually achievable or not, and to develop an action plan for how we will achieve them.
What is a SMART goal?
SMART is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
When you put all these components together you end up with a really clear goal that should (if you’ve done it correctly) be really easy and enjoyable to achieve! Here are some examples of SMART goals that people have been successful with in the past:
1. I will increase my dog walking time from 20 minutes to 30 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday this week. I will review my goal on Sunday this week and see how I went.
2. I will swap my normal white bread for white-high fibre bread in my next grocery shop. I have added this to my shopping list so I won’t forget. If I like the white high-fibre bread, I will buy it again in my next shop.
3. I will take my medication at 7pm every night for the next week. I have set an alarm to remind me and will keep my medication on my bedside table to remind me.
You will see that there are a few other things to consider in your SMART goals – like how you will overcome any barriers. The LiveLighter website offers some helpful tools for setting SMART goals (https://livelighter.com.au/living-well/goal-setting. Setting goals that are small and SMART makes them much more likely to be achieved. When we achieve our goals we get a little dopamine hit, which makes us more likely to set and achieve new goals, developing a positive loop!
Consider reviewing your 2024 goals and seeing if you can make them SMARTer for a positive and successful 2024. We set SMART goals with clients every day so if you’re stuck, or want some support and advice come in and see us in clinic!
Ellen Wynn
Accredited Practicing Dietitian