It is the New Year again, and what better way to do this than to set our goals right? Specifically, mental health goals. Yes, maybe you’re thinking that it’s easy to set goals, but are you really sure? Maybe, yes, it is easy, but is that easy way the right method to set goals that will surely let you achieve them? Now, you’re thinking about it already and realizing all the goals you’ve written in your planner will eventually not get out or get checked out of it.
Did you know about the S.M.A.R.T. Goals Method? If not, you’re missing out on a lot here. Basically, S.M.A.R.T. Goals is a mnemonic method used in setting goals and achieving them. This method is not only being used for external goals but also with mental health goals. There are already some studies that say that using this method results in a more achievable perception of your goals, which leads to accomplishing them more easily and more enjoyable.
So now, let’s talk about this method so you can start practicing it for the start of this New Year 2022.
S stands for “Specific”. Be specific about what goals you want to pursue. Avoid making it broad; that will make it confusing for you or take you far from your initial goal. To do this, you can start by writing down specifically what you want to achieve, then choose a specific activity that you think can help you achieve this goal or will lead you to the path of this goal.
Example: Keep track of how many times per day or week I experience these negative emotions.Is it every day? Or just every time a specific situation happens.
M is for “Measurable”. For this, try answering this question: “How are you going to measure your goal?”. If you are able to answer this, then you’re on the right track in setting your goals. Setting goals that you are aware of that are measurable can make you feel more confident and motivated in achieving them because you know that it’ll come to a point where you’ll meet the measure already.
Example: Yes, it is achievable by writing down what I feel, letting myself process it, or expressing whatever negative feelings I am having.
A stands for “Attainable” or “Achievable”. Set realistic goals that you know you’ll be able to achieve. Of course, we don’t want goals that are impossible to achieve, or else you’ll be stuck in the cycle of just setting them and just trying to achieve them, which can lead to a feeling of failure. Nobody wants to feel like a failure. An easy way to figure out this step is by writing some bullet points or explaining why you believe that this specific goal is achievable or attainable.
Example: Yes, because having these feelings is important and normal. Not having these feelings will only make it worse. The more I stop feeling it, the more these feelings will get bigger until they’ll burst me.
R stands for “Relevant” and “Realistic”. Your goals should make sense to you and be realistic for you. Remember to pursue goals for yourself, not for the sake of others. Your goals should be doable. Having an irrelevant and not doable goal will make you uninspired and will most likely make you not work on it. What you can do here is write an explanation to yourself about why you believe your goals are realistic and relevant to you.
Example: After maybe 6 months or less of practicing this (the processing and acknowledging of the negative feelings), it’ll probably turn out to be a habit already.
And lastly, T, for “Time-bound” or “Timely”. Answer this question for this part: “Can my goals be completed in a reasonable amount of time?” and “How much time do I need to achieve this?”. Make sure that it is a realistic time frame that you’ll be able to come up with when you want to achieve your goal. You should avoid using this line, “I will _____ this year.” but rather say, “By the end of June, I have done or I have progressed already with _____.” This line gives you a finish line that is foreseeable, which motivates you more to take action now to achieve your end time goal.
Three Steps to Maintaining Your S.M.A.R.T. Mental Health Goals:
Step 1: Write down your goals.
Jotting down your goals serves as a solid reminder of what you and your team members are working toward – but there’s neuroscience at play here too.
Step 2: Set regular check-ins.
Any goal worth achieving probably won’t happen overnight, and it’s important to check in on your progress regularly to ensure you aren’t falling off track.
Having those recurring reminders and opportunities for feedback will keep everybody motivated, which is especially important for larger business goals that span months or even years.
Step 3: Celebrate your wins (even the smallest ones).
Don’t wait until your entire goal is accomplished to celebrate; recognizing smaller wins and milestones can keep you moving in the right direction.
Giving ourselves a hearty pat on the back when we achieve them, we can increase those dopamine spikes, which in turn encourage us to stay the course.
Knowing how to set goals using the S.M.A.R.T. framework offers the details and context you need upfront.
Setting New Year goals that focus on our mental health is a good sign already. Thinking about having better mental health will eventually lead to forming larger goals for other aspects of our lives. But of course, you should also always remember that despite following S.M.A.R.T. goals, you should still be kind to yourself, yes, throughout the process. Celebrate the small victories and reward yourself from time to time.
Right now, we encourage you to set SMART mental health goals. Set SMART mental health goals because this will allow you to feel motivated and fulfilled while achieving your goals.
Shirley Therapeutic and Consulting Services, LLC is a diverse therapy clinic that can meet the needs of anyone. If you’d like to talk about your mental health, feel free to message us here.
References:
Goal-setting. Goal-setting | Depression Center | Michigan Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2021, from https://www.depressioncenter.org/toolkit/i-want-stay-mentally-healthy/goal-setting
How to set mental health goals for 2021. Oregon Counseling. (2020, December 10). Retrieved December 17, 2021, from https://oregoncounseling.com/article/how-to-set-mental-health-goals-for-2021/
Lawlor, K. B. (n.d.). Smart goals: How the application of smart goals can contribute to achievement of Student Learning Outcomes. Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning: Proceedings of the Annual ABSEL conference. Retrieved December 17, 2021, from https://journals.tdl.org/absel/index.php/absel/article/view/90
