You may find it overwhelming to think about your long-term and short-term goals all at once. Know that you are not alone. We are here to provide you best practices, and tips on how to achieve your goals while prioritizing your mental health wellness.
Best Practices on How to Achieve Your Goals: SMART Goals
We recommend practicing gratitude daily and planning your long-term and short-term goals using the SMART goals framework. SMART goals allow you to define your results with metrics and steps to achieve your goals.
Specific – What are you wanting to achieve? Be as exact as possible when answering this question to define your end goal. Example: I want to start getting more fit by doing interval running 3x a week for 30 minutes each run and over 10 weeks of running, I will incrementally decrease in the amount of walking I do and increase in the amount of running I do.
Measurable – What specific metrics can you strive for? Example: After 10 weeks of doing interval running, my goal is to run a 7:30 minute mile.
Achievable – When setting your goal, make sure that they are balanced in that they challenge you but are realistic and not impossible.
Realistic – Be sure to set goals that are relevant to what you are doing. Your short-term goals should connect to your long-term goals.
Time-Limited – Set attainable deadlines that hold you accountable and ensure that you complete your action items on time.
After creating SMART goals for yourself, the next step is to assess the progress you are making by doing a weekly check-in with yourself or with your team and write down the next action items that pertain to your goals to ensure progress in the right direction is being made. A good way to hold yourself accountable is to create daily to-do lists, and if there is an item you didn’t get to the day before, that task can be transferred to be a priority for the next day. If a task takes longer than expected, it is okay to move the completion date back, as long as you are giving yourself a realistic timeline to follow.
Prioritizing Your Mental Health Wellness
When it comes to achieving your goals, the ultimate key is balance. Whether if that means scheduling 20 minutes in your day for yoga or meditation or taking a brisk walk on a break from work, it is important to set time aside to ensure your wellbeing is in check. Some other quick ways to set your days up for success include:
- Tidying up your workspace for 5 minutes
- Journaling 3 things a day you are grateful for
- Doing one good deed a day whether that be small or big
- Writing down 2 self-care items you will do for yourself a day
- Getting any type of movement into your day like running, biking, or stretching
Self-Care and Your Wellbeing
Sometimes it can be rather difficult to schedule time for self-care and the hardest part can often be starting to take care of yourself. It does get easier once you get into the rhythm and routine of putting your mental health wellness needs first. Some self-care ideas include but are not limited to:
- Making a fruit smoothie
- Taking your vitamins
- Doing your skincare routine like putting on a face mask before bed
- Scheduling time for relaxing hobbies like hiking or doing artwork
- Talking to a friend about how you are doing or just catching up with them
NorthStar Regional is here to be your partner on your journey to recovery. Whatever your needs are, we are here to answer the question “how to achieve your goals” and provide professional guidance in getting you there on your mental health wellness journey. Check out our Mental Health Services and schedule a time to meet with one of our expert counselors or contact us today.
