S.M.A.R.T Skills

I took a class through my health care provider and they gave us these materials to help with goal setting. I wanted to share them with you as well. There are some worksheets you can print out at the end of the post.

S.M.A.R.T Skills

Using the SMART skills is the difference between people who make health changes and stick with them and people who try, but don’t succeed. The five things you need to do:

Set a clear achievable goal
Be sure that your health goal is specific and is something you can measure. For example, “I will walk 30 minutes, 3 days a week” is a clear, specific and measurable goal. Start small – choose a goal that you can accomplish, and then build upon your success.

Monitor your progress
Keep track of what you do. You can use a simple calendar to monitor your health behavior changes over time. Put an “x” on each that you meet your goal. Look for patterns and make adjustments if you are not accomplishing what you planned. You can use this form to chart the number of minutes (in 5-minute increments) that you exercise each day. Watch your progress and feel proud!

Arrange your world for success
Create reminders for exercise all around you. Your car, office, refrigerator door, and bathroom mirror can help you be successful. Put your gym bag in your car so that you have everything you need for a workout. Post a picture of a walker or a runner above your desk to remind you about what you are working toward. Put your monitoring form in a place you see every day – your refrigerator door or bathroom mirror.

Recruit a support team
Enlist the help of others. Let those who want to see you succeed know what you’re trying to achieve. Consider your family, friends and work colleagues as your potential support team. Ask them to support your efforts in meeting your activity goals and to join you in celebrating your success. They will be happy to let you know you are a doing a great job!

Treat yourselfReward yourself each time you do the health behavior you have targeted. Treat yourself after every walk, every gym session, or every time you meet your activity goals. Select a “treat” that is important to you, readily available and not costly. A hot shower with special soap, 10 minutes of alone time or a chat with your exercise pattern are some good examples of treats. Treats are important in the beginning when you are starting a new health behavior – you can phase them out over time.

Here are some supporting documents for setting your goals. One is a Monitoring Form and the other is a Treat Yourself Checklist  Hope you find this information as helpful as I have. Have a good weekend ladies and gentlemen. Until next time...